Above Your Pay Grade

The highest-paid engineer at any company isn't wearing a suit and tie – they're rocking Hawaiian shirts and shorts because they've transcended corporate dress codes. When you're the only one who understands the legacy codebase that keeps the entire company running, you can show up looking like you just stepped off a beach vacation.

That disheveled look isn't laziness – it's the physical manifestation of job security. The more critical your code, the more casual your attire. It's the inverse relationship every engineer understands but management pretends not to notice.

Pro tip: If your company ever hires someone who looks like they're about to go surfing but everyone treats them with reverence, start learning whatever programming language they know immediately.