When you're starting your career, it's easy to think the path will be straightforward: You'll find jobs that interest you, you’ll work hard, and you’ll be rewarded for it. But it's rarely that simple, says Alison Green, writing for Money.US News.com. “Along the way, you're going to learn some tough lessons about your career.”  She provides five of the hardest career lessons, among them:

• Your reputation matters--a lot.
• You have to advocate for yourself.
• Your degree may not help you as much as you hoped.

It's a short, very worthwhile read, check it out.