After reading the article and the responses here; i feel i ought to share some "Worldly Truths" for the edification of the Young'uns (in the Tech. fields) so th

After reading the article and the responses here; i feel i ought to share some "Worldly Truths" for the edification of the Young'uns (in the Tech. fields) so that they can work towards securing their future :-) * In your first few jobs (i.e. before you have gained some professional work experience) you will be taken advantage of by almost all companies in terms of low pay, overwork and rather menial jobs. This is the Norm; suck it up but make sure that you get something far greater in return, eg; -- Exposure to the hottest Tech Stack(s) in demand in the Industry. -- Sponsored/Paid Education and Training to raise your Educational Profile. -- Work your ass off in learning as much as you can in as wide a variety of domains as possible i.e. be like a sponge soaking up everything. Be sincere and diligent with your work however "boring" it might seem; there is always something to learn. Youth, Energy and Enthusiasm are on your side and you need to utilize all of them to "make your mark" and "catch the eye" of Upper Management. Hard-work will get you much further than any other Trait. -- Network with Managers, Senior Engineers and Recruiters to "raise your profile" for better opportunities. -- Depending on the company, try to decide on whether you want a "Career" or just a "Job". * Don't work for Free or Lower Pay than absolutely Necessary. Always put yourself First. The Flip side to this is that you are not "special" (there are always exceptions of course) and therefore need to have a realistic view of what the "Market" says your value is. * Always bring a positive and can-do attitude to work for as long as you can. Time and Experience will eventually wear you down but you can consciously work at it to make your "Work" enjoyable as it is. * Always keep looking for "Greener Pastures" either within the Company itself or elsewhere. Try to keep your "Hunger" Alive for whatever you are looking for in Life i.e. don't "settle" early. Finally, keep the following quotes in mind; * It is better to lose the Battle but win the War. - make opportunistic sacrifices(eg. lower pay, bad company) in pursuit of something larger/greater (eg. better career, hot tech. stack, work experience). * The Old know too much to not take any risks, the Young don't know enough to not take any risks and it surprises me how they achieve it time and time again (attributed to Mark Twain) - Apply Yourself, Work Hard and Take Calculated Risks but don't go YOLO i.e. read Taleb's ideas of "Extremistan vs Mediocristan" and plan accordingly.