Question:
What advice, aside from "don't," would your character give a new Shadowrunner? Assume you actually want to help the person listening to you.Answer:
Be realistic. Shadowrunning is not as glamorous as the media makes it out to be.
If a job sounds too good or too well paid, it probably is. Never feel bad walking away from a Johnson without accepting a job, he or she shouldn't hold any ill will for this and if he/she does, you don't want to be working for them.
Have someone on your team who can get you info. If you have to subcontract for info for every run you are not going to get to the "profit" step. If you have no info you are going to die, and hence not get to the "profit" step.
Self improvement is worth your time and money.
No matter how awesome you think you are, there are always people out there who are far more impressive and deadly. Respect how dangerous they are.
Never make a threat you don't intend to carry through on. If you tell the Johnson that if he doesn't pay you double in five hours you will cut off the ear of his infant son, you'd better be willing to mutilate a baby.
If you don't retire at some point you will die. Be realistic about what your half-life of survival is and save money so you can retire some day. No one can count on getting a once in a lifetime job to put them in a cushy situation for the rest of their lives.
Don't carry grudges, but remember who screwed you. Taking revenge will not get you money or a safer life, but in general previous performances predict future behavior.
You will make enemies, pay attention to who they are. They won't all strike back at you, but you'd better know where the striking might come from.
You will make friends, try to be realistic about how much they care about you. Your random buddy who forges SINs for you is probably not going to take a bullet for you, but your childhood sweetheart might. If you don't want someone getting hurt, don't have much meat-space contact with them.
Never betray your team. They are the one thing in this world you can count on. If you don't agree with that statement, find a better team right now.