10 Things to Know Before Starting Your First Job

Answer by Michael Chen on Quora.

My first job was at a management consulting firm. Though I did not particularly enjoy these two years, I learned a lot of things that have been helpful as my career has progressed.

1. Early on, attitude matters as much or more than actual output. No one likes working with a jerk, even if they are good. Sure, if you are extraordinary you can get away with it, but most of us aren’t THAT good at any one thing (like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, or Alex Rodriguez.)
2. Until you are the CEO, regardless of your job title or job description, your actual job is to make your boss/supervisor’s life easier. The sooner you realize it’s about them, and not you, the smoother things will be.
3. Take performance reviews with a grain of salt. They will never be perfectly accurate — as with all…