Kingdom of Knuffel

I just got a new job as full stack developer, and all my previouse experience was just academic, I have been working for a week and I feel myself soooo lost, like "wow, all I known is worthless here", I'm a bit depress couse I don't really know if I can adapt myself with all the existent projects, lack of documentation on some third part systems that I have to interact with...
So if someone has any similar experience or advice is really welcome!
Thanks!

In my experience as well, I learned on the job. Although my field is different from yours, my job was prepared for me not being prepared, if that makes sense: our education is supposed to prepare us for the workforce but the education system doesn't do a very good job of it.

Some jobs have training periods and I know that software companies in my country often do. In my case I didn't have a training period but I was sort of mentored by people who had been working at it before me.

For advice, I'd say don't shy away from asking questions or asking for help. If you have any suggestions, speak up. If they're reasonable people, your coworkers will help you adapt the way they had to, and I have my fingers crossed that they'll be reasonable people who want to onboard you properly.

Mynah wrote:In my experience as well, I learned on the job. Although my field is different from yours, my job was prepared for me not being prepared, if that makes sense: our education is supposed to prepare us for the workforce but the education system doesn't do a very good job of it.

Some jobs have training periods and I know that software companies in my country often do. In my case I didn't have a training period but I was sort of mentored by people who had been working at it before me.

For advice, I'd say don't shy away from asking questions or asking for help. If you have any suggestions, speak up. If they're reasonable people, your coworkers will help you adapt the way they had to, and I have my fingers crossed that they'll be reasonable people who want to onboard you properly.

Thanks for your kind words!
My job is supposed to have a training period in theory but at the practice way it's only like "ok... do that and read on the internet how to do it", I only have one coworker that give me advices and some help, but nothing like a real "training".

I'm a Maths teacher.
Which means all I ever studied was Maths.
I took a course on pedagogy, but it was all theoretical - and pretty much worthless for everyday use.
So I had to learn on the go.

I think that's the case with many careers: academic life gives you a grounding but everything else you need to get some experience.
It takes time, but in the end you'll learn your ropes, don't worry!

Amura wrote:I'm a Maths teacher.
Which means all I ever studied was Maths.
I took a course on pedagogy, but it was all theoretical - and pretty much worthless for everyday use.
So I had to learn on the go.

I think that's the case with many careers: academic life gives you a grounding but everything else you need to get some experience.
It takes time, but in the end you'll learn your ropes, don't worry!

Thanks, yes I think with time I will be capable of do the work the right way, but it's being hard!

PastelWitch wrote:I learned everything I know on the job and my biggest piece of advice would simply be: "Don't be afraid to ask questions/ask for help"

I work in IT so a similar field kind of, and I was always too scared/shy to ask for help but now I know that that will only make my problem bigger. Definitely do your best to not say 'yes' to everything when you've got too much on your plate.

I hope you enjoy your new job!! Congratulations!!

Thanks!

I agree with everyone on the thread. I think most of us have learned on the job, no matter how much you study knowing and applying that knowledge is never the same. I'm in tourism if that helps and every workplace is just so different base knowledge doesn't help much.

What I've always done on top of asking for help and/or pointers and relying on my common sense (like the time I had to make everyone evacuate a whole museum alone because of a fire) is take notes. I even created my own documentation.
Oh and if you know you can't do something, say it. The initial embarrassment is a lot better than if you end up not doing it at all and/or so badly it needs to be redone anyway.

Kuuki wrote:I agree with everyone on the thread. I think most of us have learned on the job, no matter how much you study knowing and applying that knowledge is never the same. I'm in tourism if that helps and every workplace is just so different base knowledge doesn't help much.

What I've always done on top of asking for help and/or pointers and relying on my common sense (like the time I had to make everyone evacuate a whole museum alone because of a fire) is take notes. I even created my own documentation.
Oh and if you know you can't do something, say it. The initial embarrassment is a lot better than if you end up not doing it at all and/or so badly it needs to be redone anyway.

The good thing is at my new job there is a lot of documentation, but it's kinda unorganized, so I'm asking lot of things and they just point me it's documented there but in one place you can't never imagine using common sense it is lol. But I'm taking time to take a quick read of everything and I'm adapting fine, I think. Thanks!

I have a lot going on at my job right now, also, I know the anxiety of not feeling.. "enough". I work in data repair. We're going through a lot of changes, and our departments are merging, my team is going to travel up to the other tiers they're creating, and we're going to learn all the different departments of troubleshooting, and then create a lesson plan / training. I'm worried I'm not as smart as people think I am, even though I've been training alongside my fellow teammates, and teaching classes on how to troubleshoot properly.

Have some time and patience with yourself, and know you wont learn it all in a day. It takes time, effort, and pushing yourself along.

Adulting is anxiety inducing! But, all will work out in the end, I think.

We let ourselves get into our own heads too much, and those demons tell us we're not good enough, or we don't know what we're doing, etc.

Everyone here will do lovely, and kick arse! We all got this. Keep your heads up high, and I'll do the same!