I'm 22, and I'm in my first job as a Software Engineer. I genuinely love what I do, and am looking for guidance on how to progress through my career the best I can.
My main goal this year is to build up successful side projects and get a second source of income revenue, no matter how small.
What advice do you have for your 22 y/o self?
First, get in the habit of documenting everything and communicate with people early, often, and unambiguously. This will be helpful to others, and reassure managers / people outside your immediate circle, that you are active and doing the right thing. This helps keep things smooth.
Second, know when it is beneficial to you to bail out of a bad situation. When a company, team, or job does not turn out to be what you were led to believe at the interview, don't think you can make it better yourself. It's not worth your time. As a taxi driver once put it to me "It's not your father's company. It's not your job to save it."
Third, keep an eye on new platforms, languages, frameworks, and environments. Know which ones to ignore and which to back for the long term. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. :-)
Good luck!