Software Industry - is this normal to feel lost in first month?
I've been working with software development for nearly 3 years, but always in small companies with 6 employees at most. In Dec 2018, I started to work in a big company and I'm still feeling completely lost.
When I started, no one told me about who was my manager or what project I'll working on. I started with configuring my computer and then I asked people who was my manager, what I'll do etc.
My manager finally shows up. He told me that I'll be out of external projects for now, but when this happens here, they ask for the employees to work in an internal project. I finished all my tasks in about 2 days, which was 1 week ago, and since then I don't have any work to do again.
I sent a message to my manager today at morning to ask for more tasks to do, including suggesting new things. But I think he's on vacation.
I don't know if what I'm doing in the meantime is correct e.g. studying in this free time. It's really annoying me be without things to do, just sitting here and being useless.
What do you all recommend that I do with my time?
Obs:
Sorry for grammatical errors, english is not my native language and I hope you guys can understand me.
software-industry management software-development developer
New contributor
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I've been working with software development for nearly 3 years, but always in small companies with 6 employees at most. In Dec 2018, I started to work in a big company and I'm still feeling completely lost.
When I started, no one told me about who was my manager or what project I'll working on. I started with configuring my computer and then I asked people who was my manager, what I'll do etc.
My manager finally shows up. He told me that I'll be out of external projects for now, but when this happens here, they ask for the employees to work in an internal project. I finished all my tasks in about 2 days, which was 1 week ago, and since then I don't have any work to do again.
I sent a message to my manager today at morning to ask for more tasks to do, including suggesting new things. But I think he's on vacation.
I don't know if what I'm doing in the meantime is correct e.g. studying in this free time. It's really annoying me be without things to do, just sitting here and being useless.
What do you all recommend that I do with my time?
Obs:
Sorry for grammatical errors, english is not my native language and I hope you guys can understand me.
software-industry management software-development developer
New contributor
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
5
I'm 30 years into it, I'll let you know when that feeling changes.
– Richard U
1 hour ago
AHHAHAHA, I mean in last companies, was always easy: In first days I've already so much work to do. Now its almost 1 month and "nothing" (the inside project maybe count) yet
– LMaker
59 mins ago
I answer questions on StackExchange in my free time...
– jcmack
6 mins ago
yeah, me too. My reputation at StackOverflow is increase last days
– LMaker
3 mins ago
add a comment |
I've been working with software development for nearly 3 years, but always in small companies with 6 employees at most. In Dec 2018, I started to work in a big company and I'm still feeling completely lost.
When I started, no one told me about who was my manager or what project I'll working on. I started with configuring my computer and then I asked people who was my manager, what I'll do etc.
My manager finally shows up. He told me that I'll be out of external projects for now, but when this happens here, they ask for the employees to work in an internal project. I finished all my tasks in about 2 days, which was 1 week ago, and since then I don't have any work to do again.
I sent a message to my manager today at morning to ask for more tasks to do, including suggesting new things. But I think he's on vacation.
I don't know if what I'm doing in the meantime is correct e.g. studying in this free time. It's really annoying me be without things to do, just sitting here and being useless.
What do you all recommend that I do with my time?
Obs:
Sorry for grammatical errors, english is not my native language and I hope you guys can understand me.
software-industry management software-development developer
New contributor
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I've been working with software development for nearly 3 years, but always in small companies with 6 employees at most. In Dec 2018, I started to work in a big company and I'm still feeling completely lost.
When I started, no one told me about who was my manager or what project I'll working on. I started with configuring my computer and then I asked people who was my manager, what I'll do etc.
My manager finally shows up. He told me that I'll be out of external projects for now, but when this happens here, they ask for the employees to work in an internal project. I finished all my tasks in about 2 days, which was 1 week ago, and since then I don't have any work to do again.
I sent a message to my manager today at morning to ask for more tasks to do, including suggesting new things. But I think he's on vacation.
I don't know if what I'm doing in the meantime is correct e.g. studying in this free time. It's really annoying me be without things to do, just sitting here and being useless.
What do you all recommend that I do with my time?
Obs:
Sorry for grammatical errors, english is not my native language and I hope you guys can understand me.
software-industry management software-development developer
software-industry management software-development developer
New contributor
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 6 mins ago
New contributor
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 1 hour ago
LMaker
1094
1094
New contributor
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
LMaker is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
5
I'm 30 years into it, I'll let you know when that feeling changes.
– Richard U
1 hour ago
AHHAHAHA, I mean in last companies, was always easy: In first days I've already so much work to do. Now its almost 1 month and "nothing" (the inside project maybe count) yet
– LMaker
59 mins ago
I answer questions on StackExchange in my free time...
– jcmack
6 mins ago
yeah, me too. My reputation at StackOverflow is increase last days
– LMaker
3 mins ago
add a comment |
5
I'm 30 years into it, I'll let you know when that feeling changes.
– Richard U
1 hour ago
AHHAHAHA, I mean in last companies, was always easy: In first days I've already so much work to do. Now its almost 1 month and "nothing" (the inside project maybe count) yet
– LMaker
59 mins ago
I answer questions on StackExchange in my free time...
– jcmack
6 mins ago
yeah, me too. My reputation at StackOverflow is increase last days
– LMaker
3 mins ago
5
5
I'm 30 years into it, I'll let you know when that feeling changes.
– Richard U
1 hour ago
I'm 30 years into it, I'll let you know when that feeling changes.
– Richard U
1 hour ago
AHHAHAHA, I mean in last companies, was always easy: In first days I've already so much work to do. Now its almost 1 month and "nothing" (the inside project maybe count) yet
– LMaker
59 mins ago
AHHAHAHA, I mean in last companies, was always easy: In first days I've already so much work to do. Now its almost 1 month and "nothing" (the inside project maybe count) yet
– LMaker
59 mins ago
I answer questions on StackExchange in my free time...
– jcmack
6 mins ago
I answer questions on StackExchange in my free time...
– jcmack
6 mins ago
yeah, me too. My reputation at StackOverflow is increase last days
– LMaker
3 mins ago
yeah, me too. My reputation at StackOverflow is increase last days
– LMaker
3 mins ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
It's completely normal to feel lost as a new job the first month
It sounds like you're doing the right thing
Waiting, studying in this free time, and looking for be busy
Keep studying. You will get better.
A few things I do when I start a new job/project
1) Spend personal time reading a book on their technology stack
2) Volunteer for grunt work that will show me more of the system
3) Find a mentor on the team I can go to for help
What annoying me its no one have spoke with me or something, maybe they were more interesting in their vacation
– LMaker
34 mins ago
add a comment |
Some level of feeling lost is normal. But most of what you're going trough is probably related to starting right before the company semi-shut down for the holidays. I'd expect a return to something normalish by next week since even people who burned 2 weeks of time off via Christmas and New Years weeks should be back in the office.
That said, it's still not a good situation for them to have put you in. You shouldn't've been given a mid-December start date without someone committing to be at least minimally available at a level to keep you from being totally unproductive. If nothing else, saying something on the line of "if you finish your first batch of project XYZ tasks, the general backlog is here, feel free to skim off anything that looks obviously valid and which would be appears to be strait forward to implement. Generally this means minor cosmetic issues and quality of life improvements that don't require changing back end logic.
What's done is done though. In the mean time, I'd suggest trying to find anyone involved in the project you did a few days work on, and ask if there's anything else you could do to help them out.
Failing that, if you know where the backlog is, you could still look for other simple tasks. Alternately studying/practicing with the tech stack you'll be using so that when your manager is back in the office you'll be better placed for whatever you are assigned.
exacly what I think! Look, I've received R$1700 for have worked for 2/3 days, tbh. Its a Junior Dev wage for a month. "Oh, but you received so much money to be there doing nothing". I dont feel comfortable with that, really.
– LMaker
20 mins ago
If I read the OP correctly, he's been there for 6 months. If I'm correct, his problem is much deeper than the firm being 'semi-shut' for the holidays.
– dan.m was user2321368
6 mins ago
@dan.mwasuser2321368 nah, I'm here for less than 1 month
– LMaker
5 mins ago
my first day was Dec 17
– LMaker
5 mins ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "423"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
LMaker is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworkplace.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f125707%2fsoftware-industry-is-this-normal-to-feel-lost-in-first-month%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It's completely normal to feel lost as a new job the first month
It sounds like you're doing the right thing
Waiting, studying in this free time, and looking for be busy
Keep studying. You will get better.
A few things I do when I start a new job/project
1) Spend personal time reading a book on their technology stack
2) Volunteer for grunt work that will show me more of the system
3) Find a mentor on the team I can go to for help
What annoying me its no one have spoke with me or something, maybe they were more interesting in their vacation
– LMaker
34 mins ago
add a comment |
It's completely normal to feel lost as a new job the first month
It sounds like you're doing the right thing
Waiting, studying in this free time, and looking for be busy
Keep studying. You will get better.
A few things I do when I start a new job/project
1) Spend personal time reading a book on their technology stack
2) Volunteer for grunt work that will show me more of the system
3) Find a mentor on the team I can go to for help
What annoying me its no one have spoke with me or something, maybe they were more interesting in their vacation
– LMaker
34 mins ago
add a comment |
It's completely normal to feel lost as a new job the first month
It sounds like you're doing the right thing
Waiting, studying in this free time, and looking for be busy
Keep studying. You will get better.
A few things I do when I start a new job/project
1) Spend personal time reading a book on their technology stack
2) Volunteer for grunt work that will show me more of the system
3) Find a mentor on the team I can go to for help
It's completely normal to feel lost as a new job the first month
It sounds like you're doing the right thing
Waiting, studying in this free time, and looking for be busy
Keep studying. You will get better.
A few things I do when I start a new job/project
1) Spend personal time reading a book on their technology stack
2) Volunteer for grunt work that will show me more of the system
3) Find a mentor on the team I can go to for help
answered 41 mins ago
sevensevens
9,56531937
9,56531937
What annoying me its no one have spoke with me or something, maybe they were more interesting in their vacation
– LMaker
34 mins ago
add a comment |
What annoying me its no one have spoke with me or something, maybe they were more interesting in their vacation
– LMaker
34 mins ago
What annoying me its no one have spoke with me or something, maybe they were more interesting in their vacation
– LMaker
34 mins ago
What annoying me its no one have spoke with me or something, maybe they were more interesting in their vacation
– LMaker
34 mins ago
add a comment |
Some level of feeling lost is normal. But most of what you're going trough is probably related to starting right before the company semi-shut down for the holidays. I'd expect a return to something normalish by next week since even people who burned 2 weeks of time off via Christmas and New Years weeks should be back in the office.
That said, it's still not a good situation for them to have put you in. You shouldn't've been given a mid-December start date without someone committing to be at least minimally available at a level to keep you from being totally unproductive. If nothing else, saying something on the line of "if you finish your first batch of project XYZ tasks, the general backlog is here, feel free to skim off anything that looks obviously valid and which would be appears to be strait forward to implement. Generally this means minor cosmetic issues and quality of life improvements that don't require changing back end logic.
What's done is done though. In the mean time, I'd suggest trying to find anyone involved in the project you did a few days work on, and ask if there's anything else you could do to help them out.
Failing that, if you know where the backlog is, you could still look for other simple tasks. Alternately studying/practicing with the tech stack you'll be using so that when your manager is back in the office you'll be better placed for whatever you are assigned.
exacly what I think! Look, I've received R$1700 for have worked for 2/3 days, tbh. Its a Junior Dev wage for a month. "Oh, but you received so much money to be there doing nothing". I dont feel comfortable with that, really.
– LMaker
20 mins ago
If I read the OP correctly, he's been there for 6 months. If I'm correct, his problem is much deeper than the firm being 'semi-shut' for the holidays.
– dan.m was user2321368
6 mins ago
@dan.mwasuser2321368 nah, I'm here for less than 1 month
– LMaker
5 mins ago
my first day was Dec 17
– LMaker
5 mins ago
add a comment |
Some level of feeling lost is normal. But most of what you're going trough is probably related to starting right before the company semi-shut down for the holidays. I'd expect a return to something normalish by next week since even people who burned 2 weeks of time off via Christmas and New Years weeks should be back in the office.
That said, it's still not a good situation for them to have put you in. You shouldn't've been given a mid-December start date without someone committing to be at least minimally available at a level to keep you from being totally unproductive. If nothing else, saying something on the line of "if you finish your first batch of project XYZ tasks, the general backlog is here, feel free to skim off anything that looks obviously valid and which would be appears to be strait forward to implement. Generally this means minor cosmetic issues and quality of life improvements that don't require changing back end logic.
What's done is done though. In the mean time, I'd suggest trying to find anyone involved in the project you did a few days work on, and ask if there's anything else you could do to help them out.
Failing that, if you know where the backlog is, you could still look for other simple tasks. Alternately studying/practicing with the tech stack you'll be using so that when your manager is back in the office you'll be better placed for whatever you are assigned.
exacly what I think! Look, I've received R$1700 for have worked for 2/3 days, tbh. Its a Junior Dev wage for a month. "Oh, but you received so much money to be there doing nothing". I dont feel comfortable with that, really.
– LMaker
20 mins ago
If I read the OP correctly, he's been there for 6 months. If I'm correct, his problem is much deeper than the firm being 'semi-shut' for the holidays.
– dan.m was user2321368
6 mins ago
@dan.mwasuser2321368 nah, I'm here for less than 1 month
– LMaker
5 mins ago
my first day was Dec 17
– LMaker
5 mins ago
add a comment |
Some level of feeling lost is normal. But most of what you're going trough is probably related to starting right before the company semi-shut down for the holidays. I'd expect a return to something normalish by next week since even people who burned 2 weeks of time off via Christmas and New Years weeks should be back in the office.
That said, it's still not a good situation for them to have put you in. You shouldn't've been given a mid-December start date without someone committing to be at least minimally available at a level to keep you from being totally unproductive. If nothing else, saying something on the line of "if you finish your first batch of project XYZ tasks, the general backlog is here, feel free to skim off anything that looks obviously valid and which would be appears to be strait forward to implement. Generally this means minor cosmetic issues and quality of life improvements that don't require changing back end logic.
What's done is done though. In the mean time, I'd suggest trying to find anyone involved in the project you did a few days work on, and ask if there's anything else you could do to help them out.
Failing that, if you know where the backlog is, you could still look for other simple tasks. Alternately studying/practicing with the tech stack you'll be using so that when your manager is back in the office you'll be better placed for whatever you are assigned.
Some level of feeling lost is normal. But most of what you're going trough is probably related to starting right before the company semi-shut down for the holidays. I'd expect a return to something normalish by next week since even people who burned 2 weeks of time off via Christmas and New Years weeks should be back in the office.
That said, it's still not a good situation for them to have put you in. You shouldn't've been given a mid-December start date without someone committing to be at least minimally available at a level to keep you from being totally unproductive. If nothing else, saying something on the line of "if you finish your first batch of project XYZ tasks, the general backlog is here, feel free to skim off anything that looks obviously valid and which would be appears to be strait forward to implement. Generally this means minor cosmetic issues and quality of life improvements that don't require changing back end logic.
What's done is done though. In the mean time, I'd suggest trying to find anyone involved in the project you did a few days work on, and ask if there's anything else you could do to help them out.
Failing that, if you know where the backlog is, you could still look for other simple tasks. Alternately studying/practicing with the tech stack you'll be using so that when your manager is back in the office you'll be better placed for whatever you are assigned.
answered 29 mins ago
Dan Neely
3,19811529
3,19811529
exacly what I think! Look, I've received R$1700 for have worked for 2/3 days, tbh. Its a Junior Dev wage for a month. "Oh, but you received so much money to be there doing nothing". I dont feel comfortable with that, really.
– LMaker
20 mins ago
If I read the OP correctly, he's been there for 6 months. If I'm correct, his problem is much deeper than the firm being 'semi-shut' for the holidays.
– dan.m was user2321368
6 mins ago
@dan.mwasuser2321368 nah, I'm here for less than 1 month
– LMaker
5 mins ago
my first day was Dec 17
– LMaker
5 mins ago
add a comment |
exacly what I think! Look, I've received R$1700 for have worked for 2/3 days, tbh. Its a Junior Dev wage for a month. "Oh, but you received so much money to be there doing nothing". I dont feel comfortable with that, really.
– LMaker
20 mins ago
If I read the OP correctly, he's been there for 6 months. If I'm correct, his problem is much deeper than the firm being 'semi-shut' for the holidays.
– dan.m was user2321368
6 mins ago
@dan.mwasuser2321368 nah, I'm here for less than 1 month
– LMaker
5 mins ago
my first day was Dec 17
– LMaker
5 mins ago
exacly what I think! Look, I've received R$1700 for have worked for 2/3 days, tbh. Its a Junior Dev wage for a month. "Oh, but you received so much money to be there doing nothing". I dont feel comfortable with that, really.
– LMaker
20 mins ago
exacly what I think! Look, I've received R$1700 for have worked for 2/3 days, tbh. Its a Junior Dev wage for a month. "Oh, but you received so much money to be there doing nothing". I dont feel comfortable with that, really.
– LMaker
20 mins ago
If I read the OP correctly, he's been there for 6 months. If I'm correct, his problem is much deeper than the firm being 'semi-shut' for the holidays.
– dan.m was user2321368
6 mins ago
If I read the OP correctly, he's been there for 6 months. If I'm correct, his problem is much deeper than the firm being 'semi-shut' for the holidays.
– dan.m was user2321368
6 mins ago
@dan.mwasuser2321368 nah, I'm here for less than 1 month
– LMaker
5 mins ago
@dan.mwasuser2321368 nah, I'm here for less than 1 month
– LMaker
5 mins ago
my first day was Dec 17
– LMaker
5 mins ago
my first day was Dec 17
– LMaker
5 mins ago
add a comment |
LMaker is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
LMaker is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
LMaker is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
LMaker is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to The Workplace Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworkplace.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f125707%2fsoftware-industry-is-this-normal-to-feel-lost-in-first-month%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
5
I'm 30 years into it, I'll let you know when that feeling changes.
– Richard U
1 hour ago
AHHAHAHA, I mean in last companies, was always easy: In first days I've already so much work to do. Now its almost 1 month and "nothing" (the inside project maybe count) yet
– LMaker
59 mins ago
I answer questions on StackExchange in my free time...
– jcmack
6 mins ago
yeah, me too. My reputation at StackOverflow is increase last days
– LMaker
3 mins ago