I 'finished' university (note: did not graduate per se - I have a retake exam next month - I hate having to tell people this, it's like I am a walking disclaimer) in Computer Science back in autumn and I've been fruitlessly searching for a job. I've finally found one. It's not revolutionary technology but the people there seem nice and understand the sort of experience I'm looking for (learn the ropes?). More importantly, they want to hire me.
We are currently discussing when I will start (I have been offered the salary that I asked for, which is a relief). It's going to be hard at first - I have not got much money right now so I will have to commute for a few weeks at least, while looking for a place to live in London and finally move out from my parents' house. A lot of my classmates have complained to me about how they always a bit short of money in the first month, before getting their first paycheque. Damn I'm so excited!!!
Sorry this isn't much of a catalyst for discussion, but I have been thinking about being a little more active on this site (you're a nice bunch) and I'm pretty happy about this.
Some observations:
Meetups are really fun, I actually really like schmoozing and talking to strangers. I was supposed to be the awkward kid! I am still somewhat nervous about initiating conversation which is something I want to work on. But I can be encouraged to do so by the potential reward of finding out about other peoples' lives!
Free beer tastes better. I don't know why, I don't even really like Stella Artois. There's something a bit weird about people who are probably quite well paid fighting over it at tech events, however. Have some perspective!
I have absolutely no idea how to budget. I haven't had to learn this the hard way, I just know that I don't know how.
I've been a damn entitled brat. Well perhaps not a brat, but I underestimated the difficulty of finding a job even when you are supposedly very employable. You still have to bust your arse a little bit and head out there and get peoples' attention.
Are there any hubski-ers in London, UK? I should make that into its own thread. Don't answer it here ;)
Congratulations! How exciting! As a veteran of 30 years in offices around the world, please go into your job with the motto "Big ears, Small mouth." Mostly listen. Talk little. You don't actually know what you think you know, and avoid the inclination to insinuate yourself into every single conversation around you. Speak when spoken to, or asked for your input. I don't think the newbie sitting next to me will survive today. I may kill him. It is his first job, and he has immediately assumed that his thoughts/opinions/input are incredibly valuable to every single person and conversation in the entire room! He may have to die. For the good of humankind. I'll report back later.
It's interesting... this is also excellent advice for ANYONE in a new job regardless of where you are in your career. We've recently had a bunch of turnover at the executive and mid-level management layers of the place I work. This happens roughly every 3 years. Our EVP of global operations and his whole crew of ex-AT&T managers that he brought with him would do well to listen. Sure... to maxwell's point... one cannot be silent - but when you are the newest person in the room, whether the CEO or the college intern - YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. You can have opinions and ideas. You can share them - but they should be respectfully and thoughtfully made. They should be shared in appropriate settings. But most of all - just remember... even when you're almost sure that you're right, you're wrongMostly listen. Talk little.
Mostly listen. Talk little. Unless you work in a creative industry, do any sort of client servicing, problem solving, researching, or project planning. In which case, not talking makes people think "why are we paying this guy."As a veteran of 30 years in offices around the world, please go into your job with the motto "Big ears, Small mouth."
I understand your comment is a flippant, off the cuff remark on some internet forum, but there is truly no worse advice you could give a first-time employee, than to encourage them to think of themselves as equally valuable to their coworkers. They aren't. And their job is - solely - to execute on the work that their managers give them. As they settle in to the new role, they will learn how things work in the organization, learn who welcomes feedback and initiative, and who doesn't. They will be invited to participate in discussions and designs when they have shown an agility and capability to complete their assigned work. As someone who has hired/fired countless people, if I make the decision to hire someone for their first job, I am going to give them a very narrow band of responsibilities that I am sure they can accomplish. I am going to make sure they work, work hard, and produce quality output on a consistent basis. The reward for doing so is greater responsibility and my soliciting their input when I see their input might be valuable or insightful. Over time they will grow to be a valued collaborator. But if one of these flunkies speaks up in a meeting and posits a half-baked idea in front of a client or manager, that makes ME look bad. Now I gotta crush the kid's idea, in front of other people, who are thinking, "Who is this kid? Why did they even hire someone with such dumb ideas?" Well, I DIDN'T hire them for their ideas. I hired them for their facility with Photoshop, or Illustrator, or Ruby on Rails. Not for their high-level concepting or design capabilities, since they have none. So yeah. I realize this is a strong reaction to a posting on an internet forum, but OP was looking for good advice on their first job, and your advice did not meet that need.
Not flippant at all. I don't disagree with your advice, unless it's to be taken as some axiomatic truth for all first-time workers. Your experience does not jive with mine—that's cool, man. I have no doubt that what you're saying is true in your experience and in your industry. You gonna discount my perspective because isn't doesn't gel with yours? Or perhaps accept that very rarely can you give a piece of broad spectrum advice that perfectly suits all people in all environments. And yes, that was a strong reaction to a posting on an internet forum—I'm a bit bemused by it to be perfectly honest.
Haha! Just as I saw this comment, I was listening to a song from the Hamilton musical, which contains the lyric: "While we’re talking, let me offer you some free advice / Talk less / Smile more / Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for" Quite the coincidence. I will definitely keep this in mind.
Oh, that's my first badge! Thank you so much. Yeah that's what I heard about budgeting! I haven't stuck to a formal budget, but I do try to be thrifty. I found that when I was at university it was very stressful so I bought more pre-prepared food and takeaway instead of cooking my own. I really missed cooking (I find it relaxing). I think that good financial habits are hardest to stick to when you have a lot of other things on your mind. Hopefully I will fall into some sort of sensible routine - although I expect things will be pretty hectic for the first few weeks.
Congratulations! I made a mistake of buying a new (used) sports car when I got my first job after I graduated back in 2007. I was working hard to learn new things at work and I was rewarding myself with things as I was finally able to afford it. Now I am looking back, I should have lived the same life style as if I am was still a student and set long term financial goals. Hope you don't make the same mistakes as I did! :)
Yeah... I can't see myself buying a car but given that I'll be in London there's the chance that I will go out for too many meals. I kind of did that during university, however. Sigh, budgets. Sigh sigh sigh. As for financial goals, the company I'm with has a pension plan. Also I want to save to go travelling.
Only buy what you need. If you have trouble with that, then it's time to break out the spreadsheets and stuff. London in certain parts is as expensive as hell, so, keep that in mind. Don't go to restaurants, don't go out for drinks (if you're really truly broke, that is). It's a delicate conversation to have, but companies are usually used to new hires straight from college asking for a pay advance to cover living expenses. But if you think you can make it without, start building the frugality habits now. London is one of my favorite cities in all the world. Have fun!I have absolutely no idea how to budget. I haven't had to learn this the hard way, I just know that I don't know how.
A lot of my classmates have complained to me about how they always a bit short of money in the first month
Thank you! I went to university in London for my master's, so I am definitely aware of how expensive the city is - and how the extortionate cost of getting food is often just not worth it. I'm not sure about getting an advance, I think I can manage without. Bank of Mum and Dad, for the first month. Damn I owe them money as well... Sigh.
Thank you! I'm doing web development with Python/Django at an advertising company. We're currently working on all those tools people use to get their ads on websites (there is a lot of complexity under the surface that nobody else notices). So contrary to a lot of ad agency work, this job is about creating and maintaining a software product, rather than client work.
Congratulations! As it's your first job, try hard to learn good habits and to avoid bad habits. It could be hard to differentiate between those two. If your job is even remotely related to software development, invest your time in reading something along the lines of "Pragmatic programmer" or "Clean code" books; it will pay off tenfold in a long term.
The company I work for is in Finland. We have multiple positions open, not all of them senior-level -- and we have troubles finding suitable people. We probably will be able to find "Java developer" ones quite easily; positions like ".NET developer" or "iOS/OS X developer" are harder to fill. Well, even "JavaScript, summer trainee" is not that easy.
Europe varies a lot, by country! In the UK, there seems to be a shortage of moderately skilled people, but it's still kind of tricky to get a job as a junior developer. I've been looking for about five months. Germany has a notable shortage of technical workers (der Fachkraftmangel) but some number of those jobs will require you to know German. Spain has ~20% unemployment (even higher among youth). Greece's economy is in the gutter (did you hear the news about the Troika)? I'm afraid I have no idea about the USA, I guess it depends which area you try to find work in, right? I wish you the best of luck! What sort of area are you interested in?