Can you link me to Jocko Podcast please? Can't find it, it on spotify at all?

How to be a good beta boy in the cogwheel. Another approach is to identify a great industry, work in that industry and soak as much knowledge as you can and then go out and do your own thing within that industry. Living your entire life with a suit on and producing is not a good life (this is aimed at finance, accountants and laywers).

This is why I started a business. More money in the same time (40 hrs a week), less bullshit because you're in control.

LEARN SALES.

Boy I'll tell you what, this is some invaluable information. During college I worked for smaller RnD company. Everyone was more like family. Then when I graduated I got a higher paying job at a big corporation. The amount of people I had to deal with, all sorts of different mentalities and behaviors from all sorts of different people was overwhelming. Some people are dicks and will literally yell at you for the craziest shit, some are nice to you but will stab you in the back the first chance they get, some will stab you in the back unless you get on their good side first, some don't do absolutely ANYTHING for the company but get paid a lot of money, some are good people.....talk about an overload.

Very well written article and I agree with all the points, especially point number 9. I still recall the words told by one of my university professors some 11 years ago: "Don't complain that you are underpaid, just find a new job"

In my previous job I undertook projects that led to yearly cost savings which where almost three times my salary. I asked for a decent raise and all I was given is excuses and more work. So I start looking for a new job, finally I found one which offered more than I had asked for at my previous job. Go figure.

Don't underestimate how good you can get in few years even if you suck at beginning.

This is a really good post, and I agree with pretty much everything in it.

However, I'd like to offer further advice to everyone reading, and to OP.

The corporate world is dominated by B and C players. Your average to slightly above average members of the workforce run most major corporations in the world. That's the management tier. Below that, most of the workforce in these companies is made up of D players - the hanger-ons that do almost nothing beyond punch a clock and fuck around on Reddit most of the day.

Eventually, any clever person will begin to climb the ladder at a large company rapidly. If you're as good at what you do as most people think they are (a small percentage really are) then it won't take long before you are a combination of bored, disenchanted, and disgusted with the politics and general slobbery in most large organizations.

I would recommend to anyone reading this to figure out how to take the skills they have and use them to create wealth for themselves. Learn, plan, and eventually take a risk. Start your own company, become a consultant, whatever. Stop making money for the shareholders.

Quit job now go to work for yourself

Working for someone else is for losers. Start your own company.

Persons interested in this topic will likely find my CorporateLand series, which can be found on the askTRP sidebar, of interest.

Also, I was interviewed on a TRP Podcast, which included "Corporateland" topics.

This is good general advice for most recent grads.

I'd add one thing - actually be interested in learning the politics and understanding the organization / bureaucracy. It's interesting, I don't care how badass you may seem to yourself when you and your engineer friends bitch about politics and the PMs and SVPs who know jack shit about the actual product.

You have to genuinely want to become organizationally literate. I mean, that is unless you have some grand skill that you can convert to $$$ by working alone. A lot of guys think because they are smart they are untouchable, like because of the market now as a software engineer you don't have to care about actually being good in meetings and making connections and schmoozing.

It's true, but then you find yourself plateau'd because you are no different than the other guys. You're not super smart so you're not really going to keep getting rocketed up the chain because you're owning a system that creates the company 100+m annually - you're at best going to trade in for a 15% raise at a better company where you'll be blocked there.

Try to learn how the game is played, try to play ball with the sharks. Understand why people less smart than you make 2x your salary to do what seems like jack shit - the truth is, it isn't jack shit, it's them having the knowledge of people and manipulation to be rewarded with responsibility over other people. Talk to everyone, understand other disciplines frustrations. Try to understand why certain fires were made last year, and try to understand who was in consideration but not chosen for a promotion. What set the person apart? Who actually makes decisions?

Do you get punished for more ownership and taking on more responsibility (everyone turns to you to point fingers and heap blame over minor failures while your big wins are taken for granted?) Or do you get rewarded? A lot of redditors will try to tell you it's B and you should always do X and Y, but that shows their inexperience. Things work differently at different companies - and during your time there, your goal is to understand that companies laws. Some (most) will be applicable to other businesses, but many will not.

Learn the corporate culture, learn who influences it, and who detracts from it. Learn how to be perceived as a leader / influencer within that culture while not necessarily someone who is trying to change that culture.

This is game. Raw skills are stats. Stats do get you far (if they are top tier, aka you're ripped handsome rich, you'll still get laid plenty. If you're smart, in a good market to be in, and had a good advantage in life through doing a good major at a good school, you'll still have a pretty easy ride into upper-middle income) but I would NEVER, EVER count on stats. Never count on your wealth alone to get laid, never count on being a pretty gym boy to get girls (looks will fade for us too). Game is really the key, and I see SO, SO many talented smart kids who just have this shitty millennial idealistic attitude about not wanting to learn the game. They just want to stay where they are at and bitch about the corporatey this and the red tape that, and how they think things should be. But they do not try to actually strategize and come up with a plan to win over key movers in the company, become a key mover themself, and be in a position to not be a victim to that bureaucracy.

When you start, you have little power, you are under the hoof of this uncaring "government" of influential people within the company which may be an old boys club or it may even be a machine-like faceless system of red tape and rules. Many men can abide being under that boot because the boot only stomps down once in a while on other people. But alphas need the power to control their own fate, they can't abide being the victim of "well, corporate downsizing was inevitable" or "it was a rough acquisition and only key employees were retained and given stock." So they infiltrate the office politics, figuring that if they fail, so be it, they'll have another job lined up with a pay bump where they can try again.

13) Do your pussy hunting outside the workplace. Putting your income and reputation in the hands of someone with scads of motivation to throw you under the bus is a stupid thing to do. Yes, the office thot is hot. There are plenty more elsewhere too without the added risks involved.

14) They are your co-workers, not your friends. Similar to the above point. Being genial is good. Trusting coworkers to not stab you in the back is bad.

This is the content we need. this is truly self improvement. Thanks OP!

I would also add that you shouldn't let yourself be cornered by someone just because they are higher on the totem. A lot of employees will try to flex their power over newer members.

Early on, some men forget that they only have to report to their boss, not someone who just has a higher position.

12) Work-Hard, Play-Hard.

I work like a dog when I work, I come in early, and put in 110%. Almost nobody gets more done then me.

When I am done with work, I am done. I don't take calls after hours, I don't stay late on a regular basis (but I will to accomplish a short term goal). When I am out of work, I do things I want to do, to relax me, and to just have fun. Its me time... and its always a blast.

Good post. Also, work on social skills. They matter as much, sometimes more then the expertise in the field.

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So I joined a job for a big ad agency at the start of last year. Had to put up with a lot of stuff (getting drinks for people) BUT I knew it'd be worth it... One year later, (humble brag, & 50 lbs later) my boss quits and I get relocated with a 25% increase in salary. At 24 I just lead my first briefing remotely and killed it. It's stressful dealing with things but if you are Red Pill enough then good things WILL happen for you...

I've liked this btw I have to complain one bullshittery you wrote. So my father has a society , thx to that I've met a lot of good engineers and what I've learned is that what you learn from a good university by studying hard, it will help you a lot on your future work and also it will put you above most of the others who graduated in shitty ones. (Mind that I've said a good university, one that actually teaches you useful and valuable stuff like engineering)

The 2nd pen is in case the 1st one runs out. Always be prepared for system failure.

This alone is worth its weight in digital gold.

Advice for the younger men entering the white collar workforce

QUESTION:

I am starting a graduate role in corporate finance next year and am wondering how to handle my social media. I use it to game, uploading photos of me and my friends doing fun shit/ going to music festivals but obviously these events have a connotation for drug use..

Do I just refuse to add anyone on social media from the workplace, to avoid any reputation spreading or being a 'party guy'?

How have you handled a similar situation?

Jocko podcast is pretty amazing. I listen to it most mornings.

Another thing is to take initiative. If there is an opportunity to take on a project or additional responsibility, say YES. That shows that you are eager to learn, want to be a team player and help out in any way possible.

Even if you don't knock it out of the park right away, it shows that you are someone who is hungry to succeed.

Also, don't procrastinate. It makes you look indecisive.

I'd like to suggest all of you new guys to read How to Be a Star at Work which has helped me in my career.

My advice? Avoid self deprecating humor when you're new. Just shut the fuck up, and listen. You know nothing. Say you want to learn and just fucking learn

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11) Take credit for your job well done. In fact, DEMAND it. Ask for a cert that states your accomplishment eg "Hit 180% of sales target" or "managed to reduce production lead time by 20%".

I see too many people who work hard but don't know how to play the game and all the credit goes to some narcissist higher up or colleague who can manipulate like a champ.

And emails. Put everything in emails.

12) Assuming you did 11) and you should, ask for a more responsibility, and ask for a raise every time you ace the extra responsibility.

If you do take on more work and they don't want to give you extra cash, guess what? You have all those certs from 11) as proof you're a real MVP and go to some other company who would love to snatch you from your current one.

Corporate life is cut throat politicking. That's the red pill. To survive, learn how to cut throats.

I don't know. I'm getting a lot of "work hard and succeed" vibe from your post. This is not necessarily good advice, especially nowadays. Those who make the really good money are not necessarily those who output the best work and work hard every day. I think it is more important to learn how to play the game, have social intelligence, and try to create a good perception of yourself among your coworkers.

You also need to be able to tell when your job/company is bullshit. And if it is, figure out if you want to ride it out (potentially doing very little) and keep collecting your paycheck (if it is a good one) or jump ship.

Branching off from OP's 7th point: Make yourself indispensable.

But the corollary here is: Remember that no one is truly indispensable, and plan accordingly.

In the beginning, as you are learning the ropes, and building skills, it's OK to get paid in experience, but depending on how fast you learn, this will quickly turn into you being exploited.

Know what you are worth on the open market, and don't take less than that. If you are better than average at your job, demand more. Always keep abreast of all attainable opportunities on your radar. Interview all the time. Often, you will have to change companies to get the raise you deserve. Don't sell yourself short. If you can do more than what your current role requires, find a place that will pay you more to fully utilize your whole skillset.

Most employers will pay you as little as they have to, and even if you do $100k worth of work, they will be content to rip you off by paying half of that.

Great post. You're especially spot on with 7 and 8. The bosses are doing their best. Your job is to make them look good. If you think all the formalities are dumb, and constantly "forget"" to do them, you will not be seen as a team player, and you will struggle. Your manager has implemented these "extras" for a reason. Maybe you just dont have the high level understanding of business operations that they do yet.

Cannot emphasize enough how important it is to be seen as a team player. Once your boss can count on you, he WILL put his hands in the fire for you when you need him to.

4, 6, and 8 have less importance in unionized environments.

I'm finishing my first year of college and I already have a job as a software engineer. My advice would be to avoid big corporations because the collective in this corporations is almost always toxic.

The best thing you can do is to get a job in a small business(like me, I work at a small software company, but my salary is bigger than in some corporations for the exact same job), gather some money for some time then start your own company(I plan to start my own software company in August, maybe September, this year).

Your goal should be to become your own boss as quickly as possible.

10) watch Locked up Abroad

Also, on the money side: Don't blow your entire paycheck every month! At the very least, you should:

• Fill your 401(k) up to the match (the company budgeted for it when they hired you, so don't leave that money on the table)
• Save a good chunk of your take-home pay. If I spent $15 on lunch every day, the habit would cost me about a day's pay each month. It's worth going to the odd team lunch to be social, but make a damn sandwich now and then, and invest the savings (or at least spend them on something that's going to last longer than a trip to Subway). The more you invest now, the more your investments can compound.

This flowchart is a \/r\/personalfinance classic, with good reason: https://i.imgur.com/CcEVQAV.png

Such bullshit. Get a mentor, informally, to give you criticism (not advice) each week. talk in every meeting, even if you play the repeat game (did I just hear... - then repeat someone's words) tell your manager and manager's manager you are 'UP OR OUT IN THREE YEARS' - no excuses.

1. Don't get distracted/involved with female coworkers. Just don't. Nobody listens to this advice though. It's probably a miracle I have been able to do it over the last 14 years but I have seen people derailed or destroyed so many times because of this so I have plenty of reminders. Leave the Disney stories about office romance or hot encounters at home.