Promotion to Operations and Deployments team from tech support, feeling intimidated as hell

I've spent the last five years in Application Support with the company I'm currently with. Made it through all the ranks to the highest tier 3 senior position. Started getting the desire to grow and develop myself from Support to something bigger and more technical. A position opened up with the Operations and Deployment team and I was interested. This team basically deals with cloud technologies and backends of a handful of applications. I studied Linux administration heavily and interviewed well and was offered the position. Unfortunately there is virtually zero overlap between what the Support department does and what Operations does, so I am coming into this completely fresh. I've spent a couple days there so far and am feeling ridiculously intimidated and not worthy. They use Docker and GKE heavily so I've been following some videos on Linux Academy. I think I've grasped the concept of Docker and have ran a few containers, but GKE is a whole other monster. Just rage quit the last video I watched on it because nothing made sense to me. I really want to be efficient on this team but am feeling like my mind just isn't grasping this stuff. Tomorrow I'm supposed to be updating some helm charts and don't want to come off as a fool to these guys. Maybe I just strongly lack self confidence but has anyone else found themselves feeling this same way?

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NotHackingYou

Yes! If this is what you are feeling, you made the right move. I always look at a move this way - if it scares the hell out of you, you're doing the right thing. You've proven that you can learn and grow with your previous roles. Just keep the same tenacity and you'll do great. Promise.

paul78

tom_dub said:

Maybe I just strongly lack self confidence but has anyone else found themselves feeling this same way?

Sure - everyday when I get out of bed and before I've had my first cup of coffee. Though seriously - I think that's what I enjoy about what I do. Each day brings a different challenge and a new opportunity to do something interesting. If you can channel that fear/anxiety into something that can motivate you - it can be a very powerful thing.

Meggo

Congrats on the new role! There's actually an established term for this -- imposter syndrome. You might find this read helpful (I did!): https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-different-types-of-imposter-syndrome-and-5-ways-to-battle-each-one

NetworkNewb

I think it would be weird not to feel the way you do when starting a completely different role than what you are used to. As long you didn't lie in the interview and tell them you're a Docker and GKE guru they should know it will take a little time for you to get in your groove on how things are done there. The first month or two (or three) is always challenge in a new role when your getting accustomed to new things. Its a lot of new stuff thrown at you all at once!

One thing I like to do at a new position is write out the process of doing most of things that need to be done in detailed steps. It might be something I never look at twice, or might even documented somewhere, but it helps me ingrain things in my head. Writing things out in words I'd use and the way I think something through can be better than read how someone else documented it imo. (I do this when learning topics for certs too)

Congrats on the role!

LeBroke

80% of your job will be Linux sysadmin and whatever configuration management they use.

They don't expect you to know everything out of the box (the few times someone does, they usually bring in a senior resource externally).

They fully expect you to take your time and grow into a role. Don't sweat it and reach out for help when you need it!

AvgITGeek

As a new transplant myself, I'd like to thank the folks who responded. Not counting weekends, I'm 40 days into my new gig as a DBA. I've been a DBA at a prior company but I haven't written a complex query in about three years. The first week on the job I was terrified. The current environment was nothing like they portrayed. Multiple SQL databases, a SQL server that was crashing every other day, over 20+ SQL jobs running throughout the day to populate their datawarehouse and some of them were hanging daily which required someone to kill the SPID. On top of that I was trying to learn their business rules, data flows, what all of the data means, what each database was for, how to navigate their ERP, learn Crystal Reports, what all of the stored procedures are doing and remembering people's names in our three plants. The first month felt like a nightmare as I felt like a two year old. I needed to have everything explained to me all of the time. There are times that I'm asked to get some data and I feel like I'm trying to find a needle in a haystack. It is really frustrating at times and some of that is me adding pressure on me that isn't needed. I don't know if that makes any sense.

Anyhow, I count my wins (I stabilized their SQL Server and have completed over 7 report changes along with numerous ad-hoc queries) and have to remind myself of those every day I wake up. I ask numerous questions to the people I need to but always ask if they have time to answer. I did need to interrupt a conversation my second week in because a job was failing due to a datatype mismatch and I needed answers immediately.

I'm with you completely. So glad you posted this! To echo the others, this is normal and is usually a huge growth opportunity. Keep asking questions when you need help and keep on trucking!

tl;dr This is normal.