Rule #1: You can’t expect everyone to have the same level of commitment.

Corollary to Rule #1: Everyone can’t expect the same compensation for different levels of work.

Rule #2: If you are really more diligent and efficient than your peers and aren’t compensated for it, find another position for which you are.

Corollary to Rule #2: Don’t ask for a raise you don’t deserve, otherwise you’ll get it so you stop your complaining, but you’ll be the first to be on the chopping block.

Rule #3: In a recession, good workers find they are asked to do more work with equal pay

Corollary to Rule #3: Poor workers will be unemployed.

Corollary#2 to Rule #3: In a recession, surviving(employment) is more important than getting ahead (raise) (didn’t someone post this at the business level from a Sequoia Capital slide deck?)

Be prepared to :

(1) work more to replace your coworkers that got canned

(2) ensure you are working on something with the largest impact, not something that is replaceable

(3) make sure your work is well known across the management ladders (plural, because you don’t know if one ladder or the other will survive).

(4) don’t f*** up what you promised to deliver.

(5) don’t let someone steal credit for the work you created (because it could get vicious)

Rule #4: respect your youthful colleagues (fresh grads). These folks, most likely will be your future bosses.