#FirstJob #ITSupport #EngineeringDegree #RemoteWork #CareerChange
Hey there, welcome to my second day at my new job as an IT Support Engineer! 🤦♂️
So, let me give you a bit of background first. This is my very first job after graduating with a degree in electrical (power) engineering. I decided to pivot into the IT field because I always had a strong interest in programming, and the opportunity to work remotely was definitely a huge plus for me.
However, today has been a bit of a struggle. I feel pretty useless, to be honest. Despite doing a lot of research and trying my best to solve the tickets, I just couldn’t seem to crack it. And to make matters worse, it feels like my senior is getting annoyed with me. 😔
I know I’m not the only one who has felt this way during the early days of a new job, so I want to open up a conversation about it and share some tips and advice for anyone else in a similar situation.
### My Experience: Feeling Lost and Useless
#### Zero Experience, Big Expectations
When I accepted the job offer, I knew I was venturing into unfamiliar territory. I had no experience in troubleshooting or IT support, so naturally, I was feeling a little nervous. The pay was good, and I was eager for a career change, so I took the leap.
#### The Struggle is Real
Cut to my second day on the job and I found myself struggling. No matter how much I tried to apply what I had researched, the solutions just wouldn’t materialize. It was a tough day, and it really got me down.
#### Searching for Solid Ground
I feel like my head is swimming with technical terms, and I can’t seem to keep up. It’s definitely a far cry from the comfort and confidence I felt during my engineering studies. I just hope I can find my footing and start making a positive contribution to my team soon.
### Overcoming the Challenges
#### Embracing the Learning Curve
I’ve learned that feeling lost and useless is a common experience when starting a new job, especially in a completely different field. It’s important to give yourself time to adapt and learn.
#### Seeking Guidance
I’ve come to realize that it’s okay to ask for help. I’ve reached out to my senior and colleagues to seek their advice and guidance, and it’s made a world of difference.
#### Taking Notes and Seeking Feedback
I’ve started taking detailed notes on the issues I encounter and the solutions I attempt. This not only helps me remember the troubleshooting process, but it also allows my senior to provide constructive feedback on my approach.
#### Self-Improvement and Adaptation
I’m committed to continuous learning and improvement. I spend my free time studying technical materials, watching tutorial videos, and practicing problem-solving exercises. I know that with persistence, I’ll be able to overcome these initial challenges.
### A New Perspective
#### Patience and Perseverance
While it’s disheartening to feel inadequate in a new role, it’s important to remind myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time to master any new skill, and I need to be patient with myself.
#### Building Relationships
Instead of viewing my colleagues as critics, I’m making an effort to build positive relationships with them. I’ve found that showing honesty about my struggles and displaying a willingness to learn has earned their support and understanding.
#### Celebrating Small Victories
In the midst of feeling useless, I have to acknowledge the small victories along the way. Every time I successfully troubleshoot an issue, it’s a step in the right direction and a reason to celebrate.
### Final Thoughts
Transitioning into a new career, particularly one with a steep learning curve, can be a daunting experience. My second day at my new job felt very useless, but I know it’s just a bump in the road. As I continue to adapt and grow, I’ll emerge stronger and more capable in my role as an IT Support Engineer.
If you’re also navigating the challenges of a new career or job, please feel free to share your experiences and advice. It’s always helpful to know that we’re not alone in our struggles and that there’s a supportive community out there.
Let’s empower each other through our shared experiences! 💪👨💻
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I hope this article provides insight and guidance for those who may be feeling similarly in their new job. Remember, it’s okay to struggle and seek help—embracing the learning curve is an essential part of personal and professional growth. Best of luck on your journey!
Starting any new job can be tough and IT is no exception. The funny thing about IT is even if you do all of the research and find a solution it doesn’t always mean it will fix it. Seniors that get angry at juniors with no experience on their first few days need to relax. Whenever new people started at places that I worked at they were given simple things at first and slowly built up to harder things. I really wish that senior people remembered what it was like when they first started out.
Proper onboarding is at least 3-9 months depending on the environment I didn’t have all my access for the first month
Everyone starts their first job not knowing shit about fuck. This is perfectly normal.
A lot of times there is no level of good enough that you could be to solve problems in your organization because so much of it relies on specific knowledge that only people inside your company know.
So take it easy on yourself and keep learning. It will probably be about a year (as in an actual 365 days) before you start to feel like you’re really self sufficient.
Sadly, programming and IT are not the same. Do you like the job so far? If so, you should learn about the stuff you’re required to do daily and become a master at it. It will take time so dont worry about it, it takes months to learn how a company sets their network and software up. Ive been at my job for about 2 months and im still learning new things daily.
It will take months before you feel confident.
11 months in and I still feel useless half the time
1. Its your second day. I had one job where I did, well, nothing for the first two days because I didn’t have a computer.
2. I have hired/recruited people in the past who I though had potential in IT. Not that they knew everything, but because I saw they had the mechanical/technical mindset and the interpersonal skills needed for the job.
Take a breath, its your second day.
My first job in IT I hit the ground running and felt like a god because their IT admin actively admitted to knowing nothing so my tiny amount of knowledge made me look like a genius.
Then I moved to an MSP… I knew shit all and had no clue what I was doing. Was pretty convinced I’d be out of work in a week. I ended up staying there for 4 years and learnt an absolute shit load.
If your employer has even a vague clue they know you are coming in fresh and you will need time to learn. Ask questions. Involve yourself as much as possible and work your arse off and you’ll be fine.
I have been at my job for 2 months now. It’s an absolute clusterfuck of permissions, clients, procedures, basically anything before i actually log into clients machine is a chaotic mess.
Keep in mind that if you learn what you are showed and can apply that later, shit you dont know, is not your fault. If their onboarding sucks and you learn stuff slowly because of it, that’s on them.
to add, i guess my employer is considered an MSP, other companies pay us to deal with their IT.
I started in IT 6 months ago with zero exp but had a degree in comp sci. I knew nothing about IT a well. The first 2 weeks I was calling out for assistance almost daily. IT is definitely like being thrown into the ocean and having to learn how to swim and fast too. It does get a lot better with time. Its expected to be clueless even for the first 3-6 months. I’ve learned a lot in the last 6 months and still learn more daily. Im onsite IT so I see many different problems and technologies, hardware and software. I did spend a lot of time outside of work studying and am currently studying for my CCNA.
I will say I feel lucky to work somewhere with co-workers that are supportive. I hate relying on and bothering others but I take pride in rarely having to reach out for assistance anymore. Having a supportive team unfortunately isnt something you can control. At the end of the day you’re only human and can only do the best you can do.
One tip Id suggest is looking into note apps (I use Google Keep) to store solutions for things you’ve fixed or seen before. No one can remember everything.
You’re brand new to the field and they know that, that’s probably one of the reasons they hired you. You’re meant to learn and grow progressively. My first few IT jobs they always mentioned after getting the job, “we expect you to know nothing, but to learn everything.”
As the guy mentioned above, I didn’t know “fuck shit” about anything despite being an IT major. Sure theory is great, but nothing compares to the real thing. Be sure to take notes to avoid asking the same questions multiple times, ticket numbers for reference if you need them to refer back to in the future, be kind, and helpful where you can be.
If your senior is getting annoyed with you that’s his problem, people tend to forget they once were where you are today.
I’ve taken down two servers on two consecutive days when I was green, was honest about it and didn’t get fired. Now i’m a security analyst and don’t know “fuck shit” about anything!
The first month at least you are going to be useless. Even when you have experience and change jobs.
That’s how you know you are growing in your career. If you walk in and know everything; then you haven’t progressed, you just moved.
When I got hired I did nothing for the first 5 months. I was waiting for my security clearance to pass. All of IT has a buffer period then once you’re more deep in you have dead days pretty regularly
Felt the same a 1.5 year ago, now I’ve gained somewhat I can call an expirence. But actual skill that I’ve gained is googling faster and better than users that I’m supporting.
>electrical (power) engineering degree
>
>troubleshooting or IT stuff
Very different. Though there’s some fair degree of overlap, e.g. much of the basic logic, much of the math, general troubleshooting skills, etc. Though there will be a huge difference in most matters of the specific technologies.
Well, if they hired you, hopefully that means you’re at least viable for the position … so, basically learn like crazy. Take good notes, read relevant documentation – including relevant internal, etc. And keep at it. You’ll likely to fine. And even for a job of technologies one well knows, new job, if nothing else, one will often get a whole lot of environmental and organizational stuff, etc., thrown at you that’s going to be new to you – even if you already know much or “all” of the other stuff. There’s still going to be lots of new stuff. And things continue to change too, so there’s also always that. Thus begins your adventure, eh?
If your senior gets annoyed that you haven’t got a solution then he or she isn’t very good. If you’ve done the research, notes what you’ve tested and tried and still hasnt worked, then I would be happy, because you’ve tried
I’ve worked in IT for 11 years and still learning, it’s not easy but it’s very rewarding if you like to learn and figure things out, and part of that process is to test and develop yourself
If it’s any consolation, many of us have years of experience and we still often feel useless.
I started an IT helpdesk apprenticeship in mid-November with zero professional IT experience and all my knowledge coming from fixing issues that came up with my PC and my console. The most important thing is just hacking away at issues. I knew nothing specific for this job, and my ‘team’ I’m in is 3 people including me, besides the manager who doesn’t do helpdesk work anymore.
If an issue comes up I think I can even remotely fix I’ll pick it up and work at it. Anything that stumps me (usually proprietary software to the company) I’ll ask the team for help on that specific issue, then go on to finish it.
The running joke is I’m 1st line support, the person who just finished their apprenticeship in the team is 2nd line, and the one who’s been there longest is 3rd. That’s how I see it as well and work as if that’s the official way, and send issues I cannot solve up the line.
If you feel the senior is annoyed with you, go to him and ask him for advice and show him your troubleshooting process and thoughts and what you’ve done so far and ask him if you’re missing something (in a way that shows you’re asking him because he’s ‘better’ than you in this), because if he’s not annoyed with you he’ll help you, and if he is, stroking his ego like that will put him in a mood of ‘I guess since this person can see how amazing I am, I can be merciful and grace them with my knowledge to show just how superior I am’.
In the end though, people only get annoyed with people if they think they aren’t trying their hardest. If he knows you are, the only thing he can be annoyed about is the fact you’re working here without knowing basic things, and if that’s the case, he will know the best option is to get you up to speed, but it’s still entirely possible it’s in your head as I felt like that from the start as well due to past workplaces, but the manager ended up being given glowing feedback about me because of my effort.
I felt useless for three months while I ramped up. It’s a tough feeling and it tends to happen every job change.
You’re brand new. Six months is the lead time MINIMUM we give our new hires to be fully functional alone.
You are on day 2. You’ll be fine.
I’m almost 2 years into my first job. Had no professional experience coming in. My employers knew this. For the 1st few months, I was able allowed to progress on my own and decide how much of a workload I wanted. It was a ton of information to take in at once. I took a lot of notes at first because of this before I realized what was important enough to keep. I asked a ton of questions, even when I had an idea of what to do and just wanted some confirmation. Most of the time I felt useless outside of solving some tickets here and there.
At my annual review, I was shocked when my boss complimented my work. Feeling like you, I relayed those same doubts and he said they were never expecting me to know everything and that I was hired because they were confident in my ability to learn and keep learning. Breathe, be patient with yourself, be a sponge, don’t be a dick, and you’ll be fine.
Starting out can be tough, and sometimes experienced pros can forget that. Even my first solo day in the field I performed poorly (and one client complained), but mid-day I had an epiphany, “Wait, this isn’t about knowing. It’s about doing.” What I meant by that is I constantly felt like I needed to be given information or know everything, but that was impossible and instead I realized I could simply use my general knowledge and processes to quickly obtain knowledge, assess scenarios, then act. You’ll never know everything. You need to know enough to make decisions, even for things you aren’t qualified to fix (and the decision for that scenario would be escalation, if you’ve already ruled out other options).
You should focus on troubleshooting methodologies as your first step in learning IT, as it’s more practical since you’re already working. Although knowing tech and following procedures will make you better, none of that is useful if you can’t develop your own processes for identify the actions you need to take.
Also, as a tech your job is **not** to find the cause of a problem and fix it, your focus instead should be identifying components that contribute to the issue and determining reasonable solutions (which *may* involve fixing the problem directly, but that isn’t the goal). We already know how to apply these concepts for simple issues like a broken keyboard (reboots/re-plug didn’t work? Swap it. Have you ever *fixed* a keyboard? I don’t know anybody who has). To improve your troubleshooting skills, you’ll need to learn to break down seemingly complex issues into many simple tests. Then you should always arrive at one of four very obvious conclusions: escalate, fix, replace (could be temp or permanent), or offer an alternative.
Basically, good troubleshooting is basically figuring out how to identify the issues (via observations and testing) and making decisions quickly.
Mine was exactly like yours in terms of my usefulness when I joined. Joined with no IT experience. I ended up not having any actual tasks for the first 6 months and my boss was always just like “use your time best you can”. They put me through some training courses of course but outside of that, my time at work was my own. I decided to use my time to go for certs and do a cyber degree. My boss didn’t mind lol. By that next year, with all the downtime, I managed to get CompTIA certs, CCNA, CCNP, PMP, and my cyber degree.
Eventually I was given an account to support but it wasn’t enough to take up a full day of work. It’s maybe 2 hours a day of work, if any. Some days there’s none. Not sure if they’re aware of how much downtime I have but I’m taking advantage of it while I can. I’ve managed to use the time to get an MBA, CISSP (month and a half study time at work), and CISM (~3 weeks study time at work) and a number of other certs. Thinking of doing more degrees considering they pay for them.
Anyways, my usefulness to the company is there if they ever need me. They gave me training and now I’m useful to them. My role is physical security systems, so programming access panels and CCTV equipment.
My first day I didn’t even know how to share my screen to my manger on teams. You’ll be fine
Say we dropped you in a random town. Would you be able to navigate it within the first couple days?