Stage 1 · Lesson 7 of 7
Managing nerves and impostor feelings
Most new engineers feel they were hired by mistake and will soon be found out. This is so common it has a name: . They usually fade as evidence builds up, such as your first merged change, your first answered question or your first thanks from a teammate.
Nobody expects a new joiner to know the , the tools or the jargon. They expect you to learn, ask and follow through. Prepare a short list of questions for your first meeting with your manager.
Plan your first morning. Decide in advance that asking is part of the job.
Common traphiding confusion to look competent, which makes you slower, lonelier and more anxious than asking would.
A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 1 cheat sheet entry come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
Start with· follow one of these
- GuideFreeJob Scams (FTC Consumer Advice)
US Federal Trade Commission
The warning signs of fake job offers and payment requests, useful wherever you live
- BookPaidThe Missing README: A Guide for the New Software Engineer
Chris Riccomini and Dmitriy Ryaboy (No Starch Press) · Beginner · $29.99 print, $23.99 ebook
Read the first two chapters before you start: what the first year looks like and how you will learn
Practise
Keep handy
Also worth your time
- The Pragmatic EngineerGo deeper
How tech companies work from the inside, when you want the wider picture of your new industry