Navigating the Transition from School to Work: Tips for Engineers

[rustled_jimmy]

hi all, i started my first job in engineering about a year ago and this is actually my first full time job ever. my boss thinks that i really need to make a lot of improvements though and that i should be caught up with my coworkers that have been working there for several years. i really want to have a successful career but i need to improve on getting tasks done, dealing with pressure related to deadlines, multitasking, and etc. also applying my knowledge to be more useful in situations where i need to troubleshoot and solve problems.

i did really well in my program during school and got really good grades. i worked hard and even drastically reduced my social life because of how much i needed to concentrate especially since i am on the autism spectrum.

im very depressed that I am not meeting expecations though and i don't know why i did so well in school with difficult, technical topics yet i struggle with basic troubleshooting under pressure. also because I am the youngest in the office, i feel looked down upon and that every mistake i make or incorrect statement i make will be immediate scrutinized and judged before i can even try to explain or correct myself. i have so much anxiety that i feel sick to my stomache and don't look forward to coming to work anymore. i love the field that i work in, but the environment of my job is ruthless. i don't know if my boss remembers that we were all once inexperienced and that it takes a few years to become proficient at one's job(what my parents are saying but that might be too slow in the engineering field, i would just feel more anxious and depressed if that were true)

 

[OMGCarlos]

Ouch, I feel you brotha.

I deployed as a System Administrator and ended up being the go-to guy who fixed anything that ran on electricity and had to McGiver things together. It was very stressful because I really didn't know what I was doing (hell I was just a system admin) and made many mistakes, caused power outages, and felt I was doing more harm than good.

Without a consistent internet connect or even technical manuals, life was hard.

I can't advise you on what you should do, but here's what I did to flip my situation...I told my boss that I really wanted to do well, that I knew I made a few (many) mistakes, and asked him what I could do to improve.

You could start by talking to your boss and maybe even some of the more senior co-workers. Ask them what they think you can do to improve because you really want to do well. No one should feel anxiety doing what they love. Therapy wouldn't hurt either, as they can give you the tools you need to deal with stressful situations.

The worst thing you can do is not say anything. Believe it or not, some people really don't remember what it was like being inexperienced especially if they've been at it for decades.

Did you actually finish school or did you land your job before you finished?