How long does it usually take for a new engineer to stop feeling useless? After three months, I'm still taking way longer on basic tasks and require guidance. Is being this far behind normal for the first few months, or is it a bad sign?

like
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at

You’re doing fine. Before you know it you’ll be the guy new hires ask for help and you’ll be very confused how that happened

like

Yep exactly. No rush

Generally accepted rules of thumb for a new hire being productive are 3-12 months post-hire, and that is not taking into account whether they are new (entry level) or experience (senior level). Entry level contributions can be on the longer end of that timeframe. Despite it's association with being "a science", engineering (incl. design) is still very much driven by experiential learnings and rules of thumb that guide design decisions. I didn't feel "useful" until I had almost 2 years of experience in industry. You also should take into account that most are their own harshest critics, and you are likely more useful in your work environment than you give yourself credit for. Truer measurements of your performance should be a combination of internal (yourself) and external valuation from your peers, clients, managers, etc, assuming they have good perspective of what your role entails and realistic pacing of your workload.

like

Every role is different as well, long time for some, instant for others. You also don’t always need to actively contribute all the time just assist when asked.

3 months is my rule

Seems quick

3 months to get your bearings but could be up to a year to actually make contributions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or for help from your colleagues.

Really good answer here

It took me around half year to feel like moving forward by myself.

I take this as a reflection on your company to train than your ability to learn.

Related Posts

Does Centurion Lounge access justify the Amex Platinum fee? 80% of foreseeable travel will be through IAH, DFW, and LAS.

How to find time to fly? I have gotten so busy, just picked up two more projects and realized it’s been 50 days. On the schedule for tomorrow, but geez 😒

like

Anyone else at work this week and have zero work to do because of the holidays? 🤣🤣🤣

likefunny

Weekends - what are the best sources / instas / emails that list cool, unique, events or things to do in NYC before they sell out...! Less like Time Out, more like Skint, but price isn’t critical.

like

If that’s your Art Director, then why is he in my google doc?

likefunny

Does getting snapshot at partially next level in 4 perimeter and next level in 1 perimeter will be enough to get promotion? I have received similar kind of 5 snapshot. ( some cases next grade in 2 perimeter)
Current position is associate 2 in Assurance

like

Hi music teachers! How are you surviving? I’ve been teaching band and choir for a long time, but distance learning and Zoom has me stumped. I’m lucky to have a job, I realize. What are some things you’re doing in your virtual classrooms that your music students enjoy?

like

Is 20 CTC Fixed good for Senior Consultant in Deloitte India with 6 yrs YOE ? Please elaborate what other benefits can we expect like wfh allowance, phone reimbursement etc

About to start a new position doing cross border securitization and structured lending transactions. What should I expect as a first year and how can I prepare?

like

Partners: we've heard a bit about your income. Can we talk penalties: internal review failure, PCAOB failure, massive losses, lost clients, ethics issues ... How do the firms handle these?

likefunny

Today I pray that God blesses each one of you

likeuplifting

What laptops are given to a new joiner Senior Consultant at EY GDS?

like

I'm living in Arkansas and I am considering relocating. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to land?

like

I’m feeling stagnant in my career and looking for ways to grow. I was considering obtaining a PMP certification and wondering how impactful this is. Is this certification well recognized?

like

Anyone here looking to just talk and maybe socially distanced meet up if it’s pleasant? 28M

like

Deloitte India vs KPMG India
Which one has a better Forensics practice?
In terms of WLB, Pay, Growth Opportunities Deloitte KPMG

like

What’s really the difference in quality between a first year associate at a V20 vs V100 vs mid-sized vs no job offer law grad

like

A few new jobs > planet going to hell

like

Republicans who voted biden: who are you voting for in January?

like

Additional Posts in Engineering

How do you deal with a senior member of the team that doesn’t value your input? I’d love to be more involved but I feel like I’m not given a chance to

like

How difficult is it to switch from civil engineering to electrical engineering?

like

My coworker brought a puppy to work, who bit my hand. I ended up losing my temper and yelling at them. Now everyone is mad at me for blowing up at work, even though this is something I shouldn't have had to deal with in the first place!

like

I've noticed that my coworkers tend to work more on their own than with others, even when they're all in the office. Is this normal? I feel like it would be helpful for everyone to talk about their projects more often—I mean, what if someone else has solved the same problem you're trying to solve already?

like

Hey Industrial Engineers, do you know of a free simulation program I can use to simulate the material flow where I can input cycle times and OE% data to calculate supermarkets or inventory between processes?

like

Thomas J. Watson (IBM) said "the way to succeed is to double your failure rate" and that's always stuck with me

like

Any advice for a young engineer trying to land their very first job out of college?

likesmart

Is the transition to electric vehicles going to cause a lot of changes for civil engineering? Seems like city planning might be affected

like

Which engineering is the best and why? I am an electrical engineer and I am sure that my engineering is the best career because it is the most difficult to study and at the same time we are the ones in charge of moving the world.

like

I was recently promoted to a new position at my company. I'm so excited to be taking on this new challenge, but it's not going as well as I had hoped.

I've been given a lot of responsibilities, which is great. But I don't feel like any of them are being prioritized or delegated appropriately. I'm getting a lot of pressure from my manager, who is quite demanding and doesn't seem to understand that I need time to get things done and learn new skills.

like

How did you come about choosing the field of engineering you are in?

like

Starting a new job at Applied Materials on Monday as a Manufacturing Engineer III. I’ve been out of college for 5 years and all of my work experience till now has been in R&D for start ups and small businesses . So not only is this a new experience for me going into such a large company but also a industry (semiconductors). Does anybody has tips or advices on what I should expect as a new hire and how I can set myself up for success? Thanks!

like

The coolest thing engineering gave us...

like

What is a current engineering field that might become outdated in the near future?

like

Ladies, what has your experience been in the field?

like

I'm having a hard time getting my team to accept that I'm the boss. They keep trying to tell me what to do, and it's really starting to get on my nerves.

like

I'm a software engineer, and I've been working remotely for my entire career. I love the flexibility and autonomy that remote work gives me, but there have definitely been times when it's been hard to feel like I'm on an even playing field with my colleagues in the office.

like

What are some great companies to work for as a woman in engineering?

like

Do you ever regret your career choice? I’m beginning to realize I may not have wanted to be a mechanical engineer after all. What other career options are there for me with my current degree?

like

Is it true that less than 20% of engineers are women, even when there are so many programs specifically focused on getting females into STEM fields? It seems like it should be more evenly distributed

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal