Things I Wish I Knew Before My First Full-Time Job.
Tags: career, webdev, javascript, codenewbie
Published: 2021-09-20 02:54:01



### Your 20s could be your most defining decade.

You’ll have more freedoms & more choices than you’ve ever had in the past or will ever have in the future.

It’s going to be a great adventure.

The “real tech world” that everyone tries to scare you about is actually really awesome.

### But you know, Here are things I wish I knew before my first full-time job.

- Don’t be afraid to learn on the job.
- Don’t pretend to know more than you actually do
- You're responsible for your career, not your employer
- Everything is negotiable
- Live to work, but the right Way
- Working late is overrated
- The grass will always be greener

## 1. Don’t be afraid to learn on the job:

- You’re not going to learn much if you just do what you’re assigned tasks in the office. 

- You also won’t move forward if you ask for more work and get grunt work. 

- Slow down and do things right and read up on the fundamentals.


## 2. Don’t pretend to know more than you actually do:

- If you do this, the team will smell a rat very quickly.

- Your co-workers will lose respect for you.

- Don’t feel bad about asking questions.

- Nothing will sound too silly, in fact, your team will respect you more.


## 3. You're responsible for your career, not your employer: 

- We spend most of our time at work But know that you're certainly not obligated to tell your employer that you're job hunting.

- Respect your work-life balance.
- Never let your boss micromanage you.
- Find a mentor


## 4. (Almost) everything is negotiable in life:

Maybe the 1st offer you receive is exactly in line with your desired path, but often that isn't the case. 

It's easy to assume when you are just starting out, you may not have much leverage when it comes to jobs offered.



> 
The most dangerous negotiation is the one you don't know you're in.

Never let your salary control your career.

You get in career what you have the courage to ask for.


## 5. Live to work, but the right Way:

"Should I work to live or live to work? "


> 
Work isn’t a curse, but a gift God gave us.

Work stands at the center of your life. 
You never feel like you have done enough work.

Finding a balance is the key in long term.


## 6. Working late is overrated:

- Your job is about long-term value creation, not about how many hours you work today.

- If you’re overloaded, don’t be afraid to take something off your plate.

- Create an env where work can be done in a rewarding, satisfying, & productive way.


## 7. The grass will always be greener:

One of the biggest temptations you will face in your career is the  ➡ “What’s next?”

- There will always be a better job out there.
- Some discomfort is part of every job.
- You learn to appreciate things that you have right now.

When I started my career, I was looking for a mentor for my career growth. 

Initial few years I didn't get a mentor & I struggled a lot. 

This was the pain but not now, I have shared all my experience with you to start in my book & grow like a champ dev.


![book.png](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1632105456570/IIzaHvFCp.png)

Awesome feedback I received from the community. Check out the book below.

Grab the book now… [ThePrimeGuide](https://theankurtyagi.gumroad.com/l/nextgendev)

Thanks for reading.

If you’re a regular reader, thank you, you’re a big part of the reason I’ve been able to share my life/career experiences with you.

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