What important lessons have I picked up along the way? Well, apart from the fact that big data in all its glory has came to conquer the world, a lot really. These are summaries I made during my journey in the professional world:
1. Do not over-emphasize your importance. Your manager and your colleagues are already aware of this. That is why they hired you.
2. Do not feel entitled. You are not an heir to a throne. This is not a family business. Rather prove your mettle through key deliverables and committing at all times.
3. Do what you love as opposed to loving what you do. Loving what you do simply means you grow into the role, though its not your area of interest, you take as given and end up loving it. Doing what you love on the other hand ensures that you land in your area of interest. Sadly, with the advent of job scarcity as well as oversupply of skills, most people end up loving what they do.
4. Practice emotional intelligence as well as continued learning. You realize that a career is not only bringing hard skills (technical know-how),but also the soft skills: communication, team-work, leadership, creativity, innovation, adaptability, flexibility (coupled with the backbone to say No of course).
5. Under promise and over deliver. Need I say more?
6. Always excel at what you do, this will take care of 1 & 2. Realize that good, better, best is not the limit, being the greatest takes all the effort you that you put in.
7. Work smart, not hard. Long hours are usually a sign of inefficiency and/or system issues.
8. Always have an exit plan/strategy. Gone are the days when we worked till we are 65. The Y generation, the so-called millennials are starting passive income projects and retiring very early.
5 years with a company is ok, 10 is acceptable to some extent but 12 you are just pushing it.
9. Understand what the term loyalty means for you. Are you loyal to your career? your employer? or both?
Good luck
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