I moved to New York after graduating college with an English degree to pursue a career in comedy. (What an idiot, right?) In order to afford rent and food, I accepted a job offer as a temp in the corporate office of a makeup company, which turned into a full-time position as a “Purchasing and Operations Manager.” With a title that vague and boring, you know it qualifies as a “real job.”

As a former bartender/waiter, I had no idea how to work in a corporate office. As a guy, I knew nothing about makeup. As an English major, I knew nothing about business. I ended up working there for several years, so it all worked out fine. But just in case you’re as clueless as I was -- which is unlikely -- here are some basic tips for staying employed while staying yourself.

Learn What Your Bosses Expect ... And What’s Extra

I kept proving capable of doing whatever new responsibility they threw at me. Eventually it felt like I was doing more work than I probably should be for my position, but -- since I'd never worked in the makeup business, or any business for that matter -- what did I know?

It wasn’t until I talked to other people in the industry that I learned parts of my job were entire jobs at other companies. That’s great for gaining professional experience, but it's also a great way to burn out fast. Sometimes it’s fine to tell your boss “no” (without using the actual word "no"), or at least politely suggest that they need to hire more people.

Learn What You’re Supposed To Be Making...

How do you know if you’re underpaid? There are sites like Glassdoor where employees can anonymously rate and review their company, and post their salaries along with their experience level. Or you can talk to a coworker (probably over drinks) about your salaries. It might get awkward for one of you, but isn't it better to know?

BTW, if an employer forbids you to talk about your salary with coworkers, that might actually be illegal. Salary secrecy is the tool of robber barons! Get the pay you deserve!

...And Ask For It

I figured if your boss saw you doing a good job, they’d invite you to their office and say they’re giving you more money. Good job, hard worker! It turns out, that’s not how it works.

Find out when performance reviews are supposed to happen, and make sure that they do. (A coworker once asked if I'd received a performance review yet that year; I said I had never had one in three years.) It might feel like you’re being too pushy with your boss, but you need to advocate for yourself when you deserve it.

Get All The Experience You Can...

You know the old irony about how you need experience to get a job, but need a job to get experience? Well, now you're finally in a position to start building that resume. Grow your skill set by taking initiative on new projects, as long as you've still got a semblance of work-life balance.

If you’re staying at your first job just because it’s comfortable and easy, it might be time to go. Having that first consistent paycheck and health insurance always felt amazing, but I probably stayed longer than I should have. Odds are that your first job will not be your only job.

When you’ve gained all the experience and knowledge needed to move on to something better, don't hesitate. (Depending on the job and your situation, it can be tough to realize when that moment comes.) Coasting is a good plan if you’re 55, but if you’re 25, find something better within the company or elsewhere.

...And GTFO If You Hate It

Assuming you don't get fired first, there's no shame is walking away from a toxic work environment, even if you don't have something else lined up yet and would need to cut back on expenses.

I didn’t hate my job, but I had friends who hated theirs and stayed for several years anyway. If that’s the case for you, just quit ... or at least start going on interviews. (Or pursue that comedy career.) Either way, you’ll end up finding something better and you'll be happier for it.

It can be scary to leave that first job -- it makes you feel secure and mature -- but you might as well spend your early twenties working hard looking for something you want to do instead of working hard doing something you hate.