Don't Get Burned Out! New Engineers!
It is the end of February.
I imagine that most of the early birds (class of '27) have already received job offers, and the late ones (class of '26) have also managed to find employment.
Setting aside whether university students will actually find this article, I would like to write this for those who will become engineers (specifically IT system engineers) starting in April.
Introduction
It is often said that many engineers suffer from mental health issues.
There are various reasons, but for those who have just joined a company, I think the main cause is not being able to complete the work assigned to them.
When you cannot do your job, you lose confidence, which leads to poor mental health.
Try to maintain the mindset that it is not your fault
This may be sudden, but first, I would like to introduce this article.
It talks about human resource development, articulating the reasons why new engineers often stumble and stating that these can be improved structurally.
What you should keep in mind here is that
making the same mistakes over and over again
causing trouble by failing to report, communicate, or consult
These are not necessarily your problems. Usually, the way you are being taught or the environment is to blame. People who break down mentally as IT engineers are mostly serious people. Do not be driven by self-blame; first, keep your confidence up.
Establish your own learning process
Now, even if the reason you cannot do your job is not your fault, there is no guarantee that the company will understand that.
Blaming the environment will not improve your skills, and as a new employee, you probably cannot demand structural reform either.
Therefore, self-study becomes necessary.
The skills truly needed in the field are also summarized in the aforementioned article.
As a newcomer, I think it is best to pay attention to the following points.
Clarify what you need to learn and what you don't
Criteria for judgment
Points where failure is fatal
Concepts and patterns used repeatedly
These are the things you should learn first when doing your job. If you feel unsure, don't hesitate to ask questions.
Make sure to confirm the path and goals of what you are currently working on
Where is the goal?
What stage are you at now?
What needs to be accomplished to move to the next step?
If you just do what you're told while this is still unclear, you will eventually get stuck somewhere.
If you have even the slightest hesitation, don't hesitate to ask questions.
Ask questions even when you are in the middle of a task
Don't worry about whether it's hard to ask or hard to bring up; feel free to ask questions.
Conclusion
What I want you to remember is that it's not the fault of the person teaching you.
Most working adults have never been taught how to teach work. Since they are teaching you, they are doing their best based on their own experience.
Furthermore, they have their own work to handle in addition to teaching a new hire. Engineers have to constantly learn just to keep up with the technical side, so very few people are able to polish their educational skills.
Maintain a stance of not blaming yourself or your boss and work hard.
Finally, you can always quit your job if it comes down to it.
You can find another job if you lose this one, but you cannot get back a lost heart.
It goes without saying which one is more important.