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Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

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Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#61

Post by dbg31415 »

ryeguy_24 wrote: post #57

Perception is reality. Your personal brand is insanely important. In a job, you are always assessed and your career progress will be based on how others perceive you (unless you are in a very metric focused career like sales). Anyone can say differently, but whatever other factors people mention, they all drive the final factor which is perception. I always tell people two things when they start: 1) Impress everybody…

> 2) Over-communicate. Make sure you ask questions, write thorough emails that explain rationale. It’s really important that you aggressively set and meet expectations. A major problem people have is expectation mismatch. Make sure both you and others are in sync and this usually happens via over-communication.

Eh, this is not great advice for new hires. Let's not encourage them to spam their managers for every decision. Ha.

Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#62

Post by maps7 »

Your first job will give you lots of new and important experience. My advice would be to ask questions and say you don't know when you don't know.

When you get the answers make sure you learn from them.

Other than that - enjoy it! I much prefer my working life to my college life.

Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#63

Post by ryeguy_24 »

dbg31415 wrote: post #61
ryeguy_24 wrote: post #57

Perception is reality. Your personal brand is insanely important. In a job, you are always assessed and your career progress will be based on how others perceive you (unless you are in a very metric focused career like sales). Anyone can say differently, but whatever other factors people mention, they all drive the final factor which is perception. I always tell people two things when they start: 1) Impress everybody…

> 2) Over-communicate. Make sure you ask questions, write thorough emails that explain rationale. It’s really important that you aggressively set and meet expectations. A major problem people have is expectation mismatch. Make sure both you and others are in sync and this usually happens via over-communication. Eh, this is not great advice for new hires. Let's not encourage them to spam their managers for every decis…

Spamming was not my intent. I agree that spamming “is it ok if I” and “should I” emails is definitely bad. I do think that communication is an incredibly important focus for new hires though. Confirming what they are hearing, asking questions, setting expectations (verbally or written). I think those things go a long way.

Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#64

Post by jimhefferon »

noir_lord wrote: post #56

> And whats your best tip for life in general? 1) Take copious notes (in whatever format works for you). 2) Confirm managers decisions with a recap email (especially when you disagree with them). 3) Understand that while you may not like politics (I don't) knowing how the game is played allows you to mostly stay out of it. 4) Work time is work time, learn to be productive and then go home and switch off . 5) Work fri…

Boy are these good advice.

> Work friends are NOT friends.

This is very hard for people to learn, including me, but it will make you much happier.

And, I'd add something that someone else said:

8) The most important determiner of how happy you are is your choice of life partner.

Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#65

Post by alexmingoia »

Start saving money now and planning for retirement now. The earlier you start the more of an advantage you have.

Stick to the 50/30/20 rule: When paid, put 50% into an account for bills, 30% into a savings account, and 20% into an account for spending. Setup auto-billing and never touch bills and savings accounts. Live on less than 50% income and let the extra money in bills account roll over as additional savings.

Once you’ve saved one year’s living expenses, invest new savings into an index fund. Saving one year’s living expenses should only take 1-2 years if you’re living on 50% or less of income and saving 30%.

If you stick to 50/30/20 and grow your income, by the time your 30 you’ll have at least $250k if you only earn $60k, but probably over $1,000,000 if you increase your earnings over that time.

If you start planning now you can retire by 35-40 just by working a job and being financially disciplined.

I could go into more detail with a financial plan, email me (in my profile) if you want more info.

Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#67

Post by HenryBemis »

You don't have to be a developer all your life (or not at all) :)

I recently met someone who started out as a dev in a bank, then took interest in the numbers part, and now he's a director in a mega-big bank in Internal Audit. Cool person.

In similar paths, I too studied CS, hated programming, started as help-desk, then moved to sys-admin, then to IT Audit and then IT Sec, GRC and now I am mixing and matching the above (Sec-Audit-GRC). I enjoy what I do and I never imagined that I would move from IT Ops if one would have asked me 20 years ago.

Ask people what parts of their career they enjoyed and why.. again this is about their life, but you can understand the CRITERIA more than the actual subject. Listen to their WHY and it may help you construct the rule-set that may lead you to your why/what/where/when.

Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#68

Post by _l8xu »

alexmingoia wrote: post #65

Start saving money now and planning for retirement now. The earlier you start the more of an advantage you have. Stick to the 50/30/20 rule: When paid, put 50% into an account for bills, 30% into a savings account, and 20% into an account for spending. Setup auto-billing and never touch bills and savings accounts. Live on less than 50% income and let the extra money in bills account roll over as additional savings. O…

Thanks for that tip. I personally will start putting like 25€ away for saving every month. I will note the 50/30/20 method for the feature if I have a regular income none based on my parents.

Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#69

Post by HenryBemis »

alexmingoia wrote: post #65

Start saving money now and planning for retirement now. The earlier you start the more of an advantage you have. Stick to the 50/30/20 rule: When paid, put 50% into an account for bills, 30% into a savings account, and 20% into an account for spending. Setup auto-billing and never touch bills and savings accounts. Live on less than 50% income and let the extra money in bills account roll over as additional savings. O…

If I may suggest (only because I have become a fan of the guy's principles), check out Dave Ramsey and his 7 baby steps. I wish I knew these 35 years ago, I could have avoided most of the "stupid". I know that his ecosystem is about sucking you in and but all his books, but still, if you can phase out the too-much-Christianity bits, he gives some solid advice. (YMMV)

Re: Ask HN: Tips for students before starting their first job

#70

Post by _l8xu »

noir_lord wrote: post #56

> And whats your best tip for life in general? 1) Take copious notes (in whatever format works for you). 2) Confirm managers decisions with a recap email (especially when you disagree with them). 3) Understand that while you may not like politics (I don't) knowing how the game is played allows you to mostly stay out of it. 4) Work time is work time, learn to be productive and then go home and switch off . 5) Work fri…

> 1) Take copious notes (in whatever format works for you).

Documentation is always key. And notes about experiences is also important. Check on this one.

> 2) Confirm managers decisions with a recap email (especially when you disagree with them).

This is always important. I discussed a lot to with people in higher ranks than me to find for the perfect fit for a project. Check on this one.

> 3) Understand that while you may not like politics (I don't) knowing how the game is played allows you to mostly stay out of it.

Yeah I stay in the mainstream part, and just vote if there is something to vote on. But it is just a decade where keeping up with politics will just drive you nuts.

> 4) Work time is work time, learn to be productive and then go home and switch off.

That's something I really need to learn. For me it is really hard to switch off my head.

> 5) Work friends are NOT friends.

Always true. I mean you can meet with them for lunch etc., but it will always be about work.

> 6) Learn to say 'No' in a way that doesn't ruffle feathers but does result in the no case.

Also know your weaknesses and don't lie about them. This will save a lot of nerves.

> 7) If something seems interesting, go for it - all the best experiences in my working life have resulted from stepping outside my comfort zone.

Also something I need to learn. For me it is really hard to step out of my comfort zone.

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