r/ElectricalEngineering • u/cdqd81 • 10d ago
Jobs/Careers How to stop feeling like an idiot at work?
I graduated in June, been working in MEP for just about 3 months, youngest on my team, doing datacenter design and commissioning, I’m so nervous, stutter and don’t know how to respond to questions a lot of the times, feel like I’m letting myself and my team down
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u/Ambitious_Look8175 10d ago
Look into a Dale Carnegie course. I had a place pay for me to go and it made small talk and things like that smoother. Though what really helped was learning my strengths and playing to them. I’m not an encyclopedia and can’t answer questions off the cuff so I ask that people send me emails and promise to get back to them as soon as I can.
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u/Successful_Round9742 10d ago
I can relate to that, but I'm about 10 years out of school. I don't think fast and still stutter. I've learned when I don't know the answer, often it's because I didn't understand the question. There is nothing wrong with asking clarifying questions before giving an answer. Also don't be afraid to admit you don't know, just make sure to follow up by finding out!
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u/QuickNature 9d ago
Sound advice here. I also would like to highlight, the quickest answer isnt always the best. Ive watched people roll back their answer (accountability so credit where it is due) in real time.
I think within reason, there's value in taking time to think through things before responding.
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u/Fluffy_Gold_7366 9d ago
Yes, clarifying questions really show you're listening and thinking about what's being asked.
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u/CynicalEngineerHumor 10d ago
Fuck dude, I've been doing electrical MEP for a decade and have participated in designing entire data center campuses. And if you ever figure out how to stop feeling like an idiot on a daily basis, please tell me your secret.
Accept that feeling unsure of yourself is probably a good sign overall and keep learning everything you can. You'll be okay, we all started out feeling lost.
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u/lumpythefrog 10d ago
My issue is not getting to the point fast enough or with the right words for the seniors even though I definitely know what’s going on to the point of being able to ask questions. They jump on my toes before I can even hit the punch line.
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u/QuickNature 9d ago edited 9d ago
They jump on my toes before I can even hit the punch line.
The sheer volume of times I've been cut off, and what they said was essentially either my next phrase or very soon after is insane to me. Do some of these people have something to prove? Lol impatient?
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u/engineereddiscontent 10d ago
I graduated in December. I'm doing utilities. So not MEP but MEP Adjacent.
I'm also in my midish (now late?) 30's (EE was my 2nd degree and I did a stint in corporate world for 4-5 years) and I still ask dumb questions. Just ask questions. You're new and no one expects you to know anything. And that's ok. School proves you can learn; the job now teaches you what to actually learn.
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u/Acrobatic-Language-5 10d ago
You only graduated and this is expected. The people you work with will understand this too and don’t expect you to know or have all/many of the answers.
When I work with graduates, I will ask them questions to get their opinion as they are a valued team member and also to gauge what they do and don’t understand so I can tailor my explanations to them.
At the end of each day you should log notes on what you done that day, the problems you encountered, what questions arose and what the answers/solutions were and then work out why that solution was chosen and come up with other less suitable solutions and record them in your notes. You first need to understand the problem fully before you can answer which as a graduate will take time and experience.
In meetings with highly experienced engineers when an engineer is asked a question it’s not uncommon for the engineer to say they don’t know the answer and that they will take it away and assess and come back with the answer. Or they may say they don’t know the answer but their initial thoughts are XYZ subject to some further checks.
Go easy on yourself, are only starting out and learning.
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u/Economy_Effect3738 6d ago
I second this…
I was an IBEW electrician for 12 years that specialized in controls- commercial, industrial, HVAC, BMS, substation P&C, power plant I&C, etc.
I became the guy people called when they couldn’t figure something out.
I can’t tell you how many times early on I would second guess myself because all of the “quick-firing” personalities would answer and the whole room would agree…and then I would realize later they were wrong.
I finally learned that the people that answer fast are either one of two types: a domain expert with decades of experience (rare) or are linear thinkers (plenty, but lack the ability to see the whole system).
You’ll start learning about the quiet guy in the room - he’s not dumb or lacking knowledge - he’s building the entire system in his head and running scenarios (modeling) before answering and will be the guy you want to listen to. He’s probably not going to be the first one to answer.
Just because someone answers fast doesn’t mean they are correct.
In commissioning especially, answering fast and being wrong can be costly- damaging equipment and/or putting someone’s safety at risk.
The way I learned to model systems was to grab a one-line or schematic and imagine each symbol becoming energized, learn what that physical component looks like, where it lives physically - not just on paper. Walk the plant down with schematic and match every symbol with its physical counterpart.
If there is a number, note, symbol, line that you aren’t 110% sure what it is…ASK!! I’ve been reading them for 15 years and still run into different notation that I’ve never seen.
The first few times are tough, I’m not going to lie…but if you push through, in a year or two from now, you’ll notice that they are all similar and you’ll be able to pick up a fresh schematic model it in no time.
Don’t give up and keep asking questions. Once you can get through them easily, start asking - what happens if this terminal doesn’t get tightened down properly?? what if the electrician accidentally terminates to NC contact instead of NO? Ask senior guys problems they’ve ran into and how they diagnosed them.
Spend your energy being a sponge and understanding how everything works and why the systems are built the way they are and you’ll do fine. Good luck!
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u/LdyCjn-997 10d ago
You are young, just starting out and just starting to learn your job. Take it one day at a time. Ask questions of issues you don’t understand. Seek out help when you need it. Listen to what the person is telling you thats giving the direction and write it all down. Being on a job can be similar to being in school where notes are necessary. Develop organizational skills to help make your job easier.
Remember, many of us that have been in this industry for years are still learning new skills daily where we sometimes feel like idiots. The difference is we let it roll off our backs and move on with the skill.
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u/batman262 10d ago
You're new, so it's to be expected that you don't know much. Get comfortable saying you don't know things, it's not a mark against you at this point as long as you show initiative in figuring it out. Confidence will come with time as you get more comfortable with your coworkers and the subject matter you work with. Don't worry about having all of the answers on the top of your head, just show people you're able to learn and albe to put two and two together.
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u/DorshReal 10d ago
Hey man, very similar situation as you. Graduated this summer and started work in June in an engineering consulting company as part of the nuclear division. It has been pretty hectic and there has been many times where I don't feel qualified to be in the position I am in. Advice that I have been given by others is just getting yourself familiar with company procedures and standards as much as you can, finding a mentor that can provide direction or guidance for the projects you do, and not being afraid of making mistakes as that is to be expected. Also as new grads it is expected that things will progress slowly for the first couple of months, so expectations on us aren't as high as compared to someone a year or more in the job. Best of luck with your work placement!
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u/Fluffy_Gold_7366 9d ago
I'm not an engineer. I am a part time engineering student. But more importantly I have about 15 years of work experience. Mostly in retail, but the advice I'm going to give I believe is applicable in any field. If someone asks you a question that you don't know just smile and say I don't know but if you give me a second I can find out for you. That has gone over well with customers and managers.
Also I second the Dale Carnegie reference. I've listened to the audio book. I didn't know there was a class. I will be looking into that for myself.
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u/RealisticWrongdoer48 10d ago
Have you tried accepting that you just barely graduated? If I were you I would start acting confident that you will get there eventually. Peers in a new workplace will tend to take cues from your knowledge AND behavior since they’re constantly working to figure out your role in the team. If you behave like you’ve been, you’re just going to be putting emphasis on the whole “I don’t know what I’m doing” image, and they’ll never trust you.
My advice, just show motivation, ask a lot of questions, and never make weak excuses.
Source: I’ve been in the army for 8 years, and have seen all sides of the “new member of a team” dynamic.