Have you ever started a new job and had no idea where to begin? I’ve had that feeling, 8 times specifically since I first graduated college in 2010. Sometimes I can blend into the position and soon run with it. Other times I feel lost for months. It may be worrisome, but let me tell you, it always gets easier.

I’ve worked in the local news industry for 12 years, starting as a photographer’s intern, later trying out producing, then finding my niche in broadcast directing.

Remember this scene from Star Wars?

Yeah? Well that “control board” is called a switcher. We use it (or automate as of recent) for directing local news. When I first became a director, that board was intimidating! There’s buttons, there’s menus, there’s external devices. There’s anything and everything Grand Moff Tarkin would want when blowing up planets. As a new director, I thought I’d never figure it out. Things take time though, and sure enough, I became an expert. So much so that I was teaching others the intricacies of the switcher just a couple years later.

Fast forward to today. I officially switched careers and landed my first software engineering job with a company that makes broadcast equipment (how fortuitous!). The first two weeks I spent just playing around with the equipment, not even looking at code. That was challenging enough. Then they gave me the keys to the (source code) kingdom. There’s millions of lines of code, most of it legacy. By legacy, I mean there are chunks of it they still use that are dated in the ’90’s.

I’ve been here nearly 5 months, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. Many times I still feel overwhelmed. I have to remember from my experience with new jobs though, it gets better. It’ll take some time to get used to developing software and the intricacies it entails.

If I can provide anybody in similar situations or for many students looking for their first job in a new industry, this is what I’d say: Always ask questions! Find those people at your new job you trust and pick their brain. You’d be surprised how many people like to share their knowledge with junior developers. Embrace code reviews and do your best evaluating pull requests. Be open to trying new technologies and always push to do things outside of your comfort zone. Most likely, we won’t be in this same job 5 years from now. Develop skills in the real world that are useful. Don’t lump yourself into coding in just one language.

Sometimes new jobs are fun, most of the time they are terrifying. I definitely get a sense of imposter syndrome with some positions. Always remember though, they hired you for a reason!