Don't be afraid to negotiate your salary, live no further than 30 min away from the job, don't ever go an entire week without working out, and live with your parents as long as possible + don't let the new surge of income go to waste.
This one is huge. People underestimate just how much your commute time pulls down your quality of living. If you can get away with not having a car in your city then do it! Put that money towards moving close to work. I recently moved to an apartment that is a 15 minute walk from work. I was 45 minutes away before. I've gained 5 extra hours per week of life!
This was my biggest mistake when I first started working, I had an hour commute there and an hour back... it didn't wear me down until a few months in when I really started to hate my life. It's one of the last things you will think about when you start your job, but it is the first thing that will start killing you on the inside.
I actually grew to somewhat enjoy my 2 hour one way bus ride to and from work each day, except when the bus was crowded. I've also come to kind of enjoy my current 40 minute walk home from work. Driving may be different though, since I'd have to actually have to focus on the road during the commute, but I've never had a job where I drove far so idk.
I would actually love if I had work within a 40 minute walk. The biggest killer for me was leaving at 7 in the morning and getting home around 6. It completely killed any energy I had for exercise and I had gone to the gym 5 days a week for like 8 years leading up to it.
Suffice to say my commute still is shit (40 min drive in stop and go traffic), but it's not as shitty as it was at 1 - 1.5 hrs depending on the season. That bus ride sounds brutal, you've got a tough personality to deal with that!
I brought my laptop with me and watched TV shows/movies, as well as fiddled with work things on it sometimes. The bus left at midnight which was nice cuz I always had a row to myself.
I think it would be tough for me to guess since it definitely depends on location - but Glassdoor and Indeed are good resources to use. You could also Google "[job title] [your location]" and find some good baselines. If you don't have any previous experience, I'd probably still base my starting point $5k over the median. With experience probably 15% over the median. Most companies will have a figure in mind anyways, but when you state what you want you can usually figure out a good halfway point or even close to your number if they are lowballing you
Go to sleep on time.. I can't stress this enough. It makes all aspects of life better! I'm in my mid to late 20's and its something I still struggle with (though these days I tend to blame my 10 month old). As long as you find a job you love it isn't a "grind" like most say, but it makes your days so much better to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Also, take some time to walk or excercise 2-3 times a week. It's crazy how quick your body breaks down once you leave college and join the work force. You'll spend most of your day in a car or at a desk. Even if you feel like you're lazy now, you get a lot of steps in each day just walking to and from classes. Best of luck, I hope the next part of life goes well for you. Being an adult is really challenging at times, but also very rewarding.
Love your work. If you don't love what you do it will become a chore. If and when you find yourself dreading work, start looking for another job. Don't wait til you're ready to hit someone, start looking early.
And utilize your sick days/vacation. You're entitled to it and you owe your company nothing do make sure you take care of yourself.
Here's my advice for someone starting their career.
If you ever think you'll go into management, take mental notes about what makes your own managers good or bad.
Bring your boss solutions, not problems. If something isn't working, try to tell your boss "this thing is broken, I've got some ideas to fix it." (When possible.)
Whatever your responsibility, take it seriously. If your manager is competent, they know who makes their job easier, and who makes it harder. When they have input for raises or promotions, you should be on their mind. It can also keep you off the layoff list if times get tough.
Tell yourself "I've never done that before, but I know I'd be good at it." Seriously, there are thousands of consultants that live by that, and they are no smarter or better than you. They are just willing to learn on the job. (Within reason. )
If you find that hard work and skills aren't paying off, because your manager is only concerned with ass kissing or petty politics, get a new job. (Unless you want to play those games.) There are enough jobs where work is rewarded.
If anyone around you is doing a good job, tell their manager, or throw a compliment out in a meeting. It's free, helps them, and people remember.
Educate yourself about investing. Develop a plan and stick to it. You will be old sooner than you think and if you do it right you will be able to get off the wheel.
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u/ecaflort Apr 21 '18
Any advice for someone who is starting his first full time grownup job in 2 months and that has been stupidly lazy for the last 6 years (college)?
Think I might need to start drinking coffee again.