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Cannot accomplish a task I'm given - not skilled enough [closed]
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So here's the deal. I got accepted to this job as a developer, and I've had a test to make a simple app which I did in the interview. Now at this job, I've been given a task that I can partly do, and I am solo developer (no senior or medium or any other developer for this language), not to mention that I'm junior, and I have no one to ask for help. What should I do?
management new-job productivity developer
edited Jan 21 '16 at 19:04
Brad Thomas
2,744820
asked Jan 21 '16 at 9:17
IDontEvenKnow
232
closed as off-topic by Lilienthal♦, Jim G., gnat, Dawny33, HorusKol Jan 21 '16 at 22:18
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions asking for advice on what to do are not practical answerable questions (e.g. "what job should I take?", or "what skills should I learn?"). Questions should get answers explaining why and how to make a decision, not advice on what to do. For more information, click here." – Lilienthal, Jim G., Dawny33, HorusKol
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
So here's the deal. I got accepted to this job as a developer, and I've had a test to make a simple app which I did in the interview. Now at this job, I've been given a task that I can partly do, and I am solo developer (no senior or medium or any other developer for this language), not to mention that I'm junior, and I have no one to ask for help. What should I do?
management new-job productivity developer
edited Jan 21 '16 at 19:04
Brad Thomas
2,744820
asked Jan 21 '16 at 9:17
IDontEvenKnow
232
closed as off-topic by Lilienthal♦, Jim G., gnat, Dawny33, HorusKol Jan 21 '16 at 22:18
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions asking for advice on what to do are not practical answerable questions (e.g. "what job should I take?", or "what skills should I learn?"). Questions should get answers explaining why and how to make a decision, not advice on what to do. For more information, click here." – Lilienthal, Jim G., Dawny33, HorusKol
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
So here's the deal. I got accepted to this job as a developer, and I've had a test to make a simple app which I did in the interview. Now at this job, I've been given a task that I can partly do, and I am solo developer (no senior or medium or any other developer for this language), not to mention that I'm junior, and I have no one to ask for help. What should I do?
management new-job productivity developer
edited Jan 21 '16 at 19:04
Brad Thomas
2,744820
asked Jan 21 '16 at 9:17
IDontEvenKnow
232
So here's the deal. I got accepted to this job as a developer, and I've had a test to make a simple app which I did in the interview. Now at this job, I've been given a task that I can partly do, and I am solo developer (no senior or medium or any other developer for this language), not to mention that I'm junior, and I have no one to ask for help. What should I do?
management new-job productivity developer
edited Jan 21 '16 at 19:04
Brad Thomas
2,744820
asked Jan 21 '16 at 9:17
IDontEvenKnow
232
edited Jan 21 '16 at 19:04
Brad Thomas
2,744820
edited Jan 21 '16 at 19:04
Brad Thomas
2,744820
edited Jan 21 '16 at 19:04
Brad Thomas
2,744820
2,744820
asked Jan 21 '16 at 9:17
IDontEvenKnow
232
asked Jan 21 '16 at 9:17
IDontEvenKnow
232
asked Jan 21 '16 at 9:17
IDontEvenKnow
232
232
closed as off-topic by Lilienthal♦, Jim G., gnat, Dawny33, HorusKol Jan 21 '16 at 22:18
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions asking for advice on what to do are not practical answerable questions (e.g. "what job should I take?", or "what skills should I learn?"). Questions should get answers explaining why and how to make a decision, not advice on what to do. For more information, click here." – Lilienthal, Jim G., Dawny33, HorusKol
closed as off-topic by Lilienthal♦, Jim G., gnat, Dawny33, HorusKol Jan 21 '16 at 22:18
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions asking for advice on what to do are not practical answerable questions (e.g. "what job should I take?", or "what skills should I learn?"). Questions should get answers explaining why and how to make a decision, not advice on what to do. For more information, click here." – Lilienthal, Jim G., Dawny33, HorusKol
suggest improvements |Â
suggest improvements |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
11
down vote
accepted
- Identify the first problem you need to solve
You have an immediate key issue. Maybe it's understanding what's required. Maybe it's getting anything to compile or run properly in the target environment. Find one small part of the overall problem, that if described to your leader would sound like something you should be working on.
- Solve that problem
Get something basic compiling and running. Get a decently drawn up set of user stories. This is the bit you are good at.
- Re-estimate
You now know more than you did. Do you still feel you need more support? Do you feel that it took way longer than expected? Is the entire concept fubared?
- Present Estimate to Leader
Explain what you need and why you need it (be it a mentor, or time, or a supercomputer) in a clear, unambiguous and confident way, using the example of what you have already achieved to add credibility to your case.
- Repeat
Now do it 100 more times. At the end of this process, you will be judged an expert by people who were in the same position as you are now. This is both a terrifying castigation of expertise and entirely normal.
Basically, you have "overload paralysis". The best thing to do is to try and get something working. If you can't, ask for assistance. It's possible no-one else can either, in which case you have an unsolvable problem, and can move onto something else.
If you have any problems with any of the steps above (e.g. "Someone is shouting at me for not solving this hard problem that they don't understand at all, plz help thx"), ask for very specific help with your problem.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:29
deworde
2,1121117
I'm not kidding - This is among the best answers I've ever seen on this website. Great job.
– Jim G.
Jan 21 '16 at 9:31
1
@JimG. Way easier to write than to do, of course. I remember spending weeks trying to get something working in a lonely room on my own, with very little support into "how is any of this supposed to work" other than a very big professionally printed book. My contention to this day is that I was trying to get meaningful data out of something that was actually broken.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 9:51
Said otherwise : take problems one by one. Excellently said.
– gazzz0x2z
Jan 21 '16 at 12:25
1
The "Present Estimate" is actually critical as well. As @Lilienthal points out in the comments, your manager needs to understand what is going on.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 12:28
This. And you might be surprised how many other of the vague issues start to get more concrete solutions in your mind as you dig deeper and deeper into the project. I had a sort of trial-by-fire at my first current job when I started years ago where two of us were hired to do a project and the other (more knowledgeable) guy burnt out and left within weeks. Instead of opening hiring again they just told me to do the whole thing myself. I felt totally in over my head but step by step... got everything working.
– Andrew Whatever
Jan 22 '16 at 21:51
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
what to do?
Start at the beginning, learn as you go, solve the problems as you come to them. Do your own research and ask anyone you can for help when you get stuck. Same as everyone else in your position. If you're developing something solo from scratch then it's not realistic for your employer to expect more. Even seasoned developers often work like this.
So long as I had internet access I could find solutions for every problem that I have ever been stuck on in the absence of a mentor of some sort.
The alternative is to give up, say it's over your head, and perhaps lose your job.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:49
Kilisi
94.7k50216376
suggest improvements |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
11
down vote
accepted
- Identify the first problem you need to solve
You have an immediate key issue. Maybe it's understanding what's required. Maybe it's getting anything to compile or run properly in the target environment. Find one small part of the overall problem, that if described to your leader would sound like something you should be working on.
- Solve that problem
Get something basic compiling and running. Get a decently drawn up set of user stories. This is the bit you are good at.
- Re-estimate
You now know more than you did. Do you still feel you need more support? Do you feel that it took way longer than expected? Is the entire concept fubared?
- Present Estimate to Leader
Explain what you need and why you need it (be it a mentor, or time, or a supercomputer) in a clear, unambiguous and confident way, using the example of what you have already achieved to add credibility to your case.
- Repeat
Now do it 100 more times. At the end of this process, you will be judged an expert by people who were in the same position as you are now. This is both a terrifying castigation of expertise and entirely normal.
Basically, you have "overload paralysis". The best thing to do is to try and get something working. If you can't, ask for assistance. It's possible no-one else can either, in which case you have an unsolvable problem, and can move onto something else.
If you have any problems with any of the steps above (e.g. "Someone is shouting at me for not solving this hard problem that they don't understand at all, plz help thx"), ask for very specific help with your problem.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:29
deworde
2,1121117
I'm not kidding - This is among the best answers I've ever seen on this website. Great job.
– Jim G.
Jan 21 '16 at 9:31
1
@JimG. Way easier to write than to do, of course. I remember spending weeks trying to get something working in a lonely room on my own, with very little support into "how is any of this supposed to work" other than a very big professionally printed book. My contention to this day is that I was trying to get meaningful data out of something that was actually broken.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 9:51
Said otherwise : take problems one by one. Excellently said.
– gazzz0x2z
Jan 21 '16 at 12:25
1
The "Present Estimate" is actually critical as well. As @Lilienthal points out in the comments, your manager needs to understand what is going on.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 12:28
This. And you might be surprised how many other of the vague issues start to get more concrete solutions in your mind as you dig deeper and deeper into the project. I had a sort of trial-by-fire at my first current job when I started years ago where two of us were hired to do a project and the other (more knowledgeable) guy burnt out and left within weeks. Instead of opening hiring again they just told me to do the whole thing myself. I felt totally in over my head but step by step... got everything working.
– Andrew Whatever
Jan 22 '16 at 21:51
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
11
down vote
accepted
- Identify the first problem you need to solve
You have an immediate key issue. Maybe it's understanding what's required. Maybe it's getting anything to compile or run properly in the target environment. Find one small part of the overall problem, that if described to your leader would sound like something you should be working on.
- Solve that problem
Get something basic compiling and running. Get a decently drawn up set of user stories. This is the bit you are good at.
- Re-estimate
You now know more than you did. Do you still feel you need more support? Do you feel that it took way longer than expected? Is the entire concept fubared?
- Present Estimate to Leader
Explain what you need and why you need it (be it a mentor, or time, or a supercomputer) in a clear, unambiguous and confident way, using the example of what you have already achieved to add credibility to your case.
- Repeat
Now do it 100 more times. At the end of this process, you will be judged an expert by people who were in the same position as you are now. This is both a terrifying castigation of expertise and entirely normal.
Basically, you have "overload paralysis". The best thing to do is to try and get something working. If you can't, ask for assistance. It's possible no-one else can either, in which case you have an unsolvable problem, and can move onto something else.
If you have any problems with any of the steps above (e.g. "Someone is shouting at me for not solving this hard problem that they don't understand at all, plz help thx"), ask for very specific help with your problem.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:29
deworde
2,1121117
I'm not kidding - This is among the best answers I've ever seen on this website. Great job.
– Jim G.
Jan 21 '16 at 9:31
1
@JimG. Way easier to write than to do, of course. I remember spending weeks trying to get something working in a lonely room on my own, with very little support into "how is any of this supposed to work" other than a very big professionally printed book. My contention to this day is that I was trying to get meaningful data out of something that was actually broken.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 9:51
Said otherwise : take problems one by one. Excellently said.
– gazzz0x2z
Jan 21 '16 at 12:25
1
The "Present Estimate" is actually critical as well. As @Lilienthal points out in the comments, your manager needs to understand what is going on.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 12:28
This. And you might be surprised how many other of the vague issues start to get more concrete solutions in your mind as you dig deeper and deeper into the project. I had a sort of trial-by-fire at my first current job when I started years ago where two of us were hired to do a project and the other (more knowledgeable) guy burnt out and left within weeks. Instead of opening hiring again they just told me to do the whole thing myself. I felt totally in over my head but step by step... got everything working.
– Andrew Whatever
Jan 22 '16 at 21:51
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
11
down vote
accepted
up vote
11
down vote
accepted
- Identify the first problem you need to solve
You have an immediate key issue. Maybe it's understanding what's required. Maybe it's getting anything to compile or run properly in the target environment. Find one small part of the overall problem, that if described to your leader would sound like something you should be working on.
- Solve that problem
Get something basic compiling and running. Get a decently drawn up set of user stories. This is the bit you are good at.
- Re-estimate
You now know more than you did. Do you still feel you need more support? Do you feel that it took way longer than expected? Is the entire concept fubared?
- Present Estimate to Leader
Explain what you need and why you need it (be it a mentor, or time, or a supercomputer) in a clear, unambiguous and confident way, using the example of what you have already achieved to add credibility to your case.
- Repeat
Now do it 100 more times. At the end of this process, you will be judged an expert by people who were in the same position as you are now. This is both a terrifying castigation of expertise and entirely normal.
Basically, you have "overload paralysis". The best thing to do is to try and get something working. If you can't, ask for assistance. It's possible no-one else can either, in which case you have an unsolvable problem, and can move onto something else.
If you have any problems with any of the steps above (e.g. "Someone is shouting at me for not solving this hard problem that they don't understand at all, plz help thx"), ask for very specific help with your problem.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:29
deworde
2,1121117
- Identify the first problem you need to solve
You have an immediate key issue. Maybe it's understanding what's required. Maybe it's getting anything to compile or run properly in the target environment. Find one small part of the overall problem, that if described to your leader would sound like something you should be working on.
- Solve that problem
Get something basic compiling and running. Get a decently drawn up set of user stories. This is the bit you are good at.
- Re-estimate
You now know more than you did. Do you still feel you need more support? Do you feel that it took way longer than expected? Is the entire concept fubared?
- Present Estimate to Leader
Explain what you need and why you need it (be it a mentor, or time, or a supercomputer) in a clear, unambiguous and confident way, using the example of what you have already achieved to add credibility to your case.
- Repeat
Now do it 100 more times. At the end of this process, you will be judged an expert by people who were in the same position as you are now. This is both a terrifying castigation of expertise and entirely normal.
Basically, you have "overload paralysis". The best thing to do is to try and get something working. If you can't, ask for assistance. It's possible no-one else can either, in which case you have an unsolvable problem, and can move onto something else.
If you have any problems with any of the steps above (e.g. "Someone is shouting at me for not solving this hard problem that they don't understand at all, plz help thx"), ask for very specific help with your problem.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:29
deworde
2,1121117
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:29
deworde
2,1121117
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:29
deworde
2,1121117
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:29
deworde
2,1121117
2,1121117
I'm not kidding - This is among the best answers I've ever seen on this website. Great job.
– Jim G.
Jan 21 '16 at 9:31
1
@JimG. Way easier to write than to do, of course. I remember spending weeks trying to get something working in a lonely room on my own, with very little support into "how is any of this supposed to work" other than a very big professionally printed book. My contention to this day is that I was trying to get meaningful data out of something that was actually broken.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 9:51
Said otherwise : take problems one by one. Excellently said.
– gazzz0x2z
Jan 21 '16 at 12:25
1
The "Present Estimate" is actually critical as well. As @Lilienthal points out in the comments, your manager needs to understand what is going on.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 12:28
This. And you might be surprised how many other of the vague issues start to get more concrete solutions in your mind as you dig deeper and deeper into the project. I had a sort of trial-by-fire at my first current job when I started years ago where two of us were hired to do a project and the other (more knowledgeable) guy burnt out and left within weeks. Instead of opening hiring again they just told me to do the whole thing myself. I felt totally in over my head but step by step... got everything working.
– Andrew Whatever
Jan 22 '16 at 21:51
suggest improvements |Â
I'm not kidding - This is among the best answers I've ever seen on this website. Great job.
– Jim G.
Jan 21 '16 at 9:31
1
@JimG. Way easier to write than to do, of course. I remember spending weeks trying to get something working in a lonely room on my own, with very little support into "how is any of this supposed to work" other than a very big professionally printed book. My contention to this day is that I was trying to get meaningful data out of something that was actually broken.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 9:51
Said otherwise : take problems one by one. Excellently said.
– gazzz0x2z
Jan 21 '16 at 12:25
1
The "Present Estimate" is actually critical as well. As @Lilienthal points out in the comments, your manager needs to understand what is going on.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 12:28
This. And you might be surprised how many other of the vague issues start to get more concrete solutions in your mind as you dig deeper and deeper into the project. I had a sort of trial-by-fire at my first current job when I started years ago where two of us were hired to do a project and the other (more knowledgeable) guy burnt out and left within weeks. Instead of opening hiring again they just told me to do the whole thing myself. I felt totally in over my head but step by step... got everything working.
– Andrew Whatever
Jan 22 '16 at 21:51
I'm not kidding - This is among the best answers I've ever seen on this website. Great job.
– Jim G.
Jan 21 '16 at 9:31
I'm not kidding - This is among the best answers I've ever seen on this website. Great job.
– Jim G.
Jan 21 '16 at 9:31
1
1
@JimG. Way easier to write than to do, of course. I remember spending weeks trying to get something working in a lonely room on my own, with very little support into "how is any of this supposed to work" other than a very big professionally printed book. My contention to this day is that I was trying to get meaningful data out of something that was actually broken.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 9:51
@JimG. Way easier to write than to do, of course. I remember spending weeks trying to get something working in a lonely room on my own, with very little support into "how is any of this supposed to work" other than a very big professionally printed book. My contention to this day is that I was trying to get meaningful data out of something that was actually broken.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 9:51
Said otherwise : take problems one by one. Excellently said.
– gazzz0x2z
Jan 21 '16 at 12:25
Said otherwise : take problems one by one. Excellently said.
– gazzz0x2z
Jan 21 '16 at 12:25
1
1
The "Present Estimate" is actually critical as well. As @Lilienthal points out in the comments, your manager needs to understand what is going on.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 12:28
The "Present Estimate" is actually critical as well. As @Lilienthal points out in the comments, your manager needs to understand what is going on.
– deworde
Jan 21 '16 at 12:28
This. And you might be surprised how many other of the vague issues start to get more concrete solutions in your mind as you dig deeper and deeper into the project. I had a sort of trial-by-fire at my first current job when I started years ago where two of us were hired to do a project and the other (more knowledgeable) guy burnt out and left within weeks. Instead of opening hiring again they just told me to do the whole thing myself. I felt totally in over my head but step by step... got everything working.
– Andrew Whatever
Jan 22 '16 at 21:51
This. And you might be surprised how many other of the vague issues start to get more concrete solutions in your mind as you dig deeper and deeper into the project. I had a sort of trial-by-fire at my first current job when I started years ago where two of us were hired to do a project and the other (more knowledgeable) guy burnt out and left within weeks. Instead of opening hiring again they just told me to do the whole thing myself. I felt totally in over my head but step by step... got everything working.
– Andrew Whatever
Jan 22 '16 at 21:51
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
what to do?
Start at the beginning, learn as you go, solve the problems as you come to them. Do your own research and ask anyone you can for help when you get stuck. Same as everyone else in your position. If you're developing something solo from scratch then it's not realistic for your employer to expect more. Even seasoned developers often work like this.
So long as I had internet access I could find solutions for every problem that I have ever been stuck on in the absence of a mentor of some sort.
The alternative is to give up, say it's over your head, and perhaps lose your job.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:49
Kilisi
94.7k50216376
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
what to do?
Start at the beginning, learn as you go, solve the problems as you come to them. Do your own research and ask anyone you can for help when you get stuck. Same as everyone else in your position. If you're developing something solo from scratch then it's not realistic for your employer to expect more. Even seasoned developers often work like this.
So long as I had internet access I could find solutions for every problem that I have ever been stuck on in the absence of a mentor of some sort.
The alternative is to give up, say it's over your head, and perhaps lose your job.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:49
Kilisi
94.7k50216376
suggest improvements |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
what to do?
Start at the beginning, learn as you go, solve the problems as you come to them. Do your own research and ask anyone you can for help when you get stuck. Same as everyone else in your position. If you're developing something solo from scratch then it's not realistic for your employer to expect more. Even seasoned developers often work like this.
So long as I had internet access I could find solutions for every problem that I have ever been stuck on in the absence of a mentor of some sort.
The alternative is to give up, say it's over your head, and perhaps lose your job.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:49
Kilisi
94.7k50216376
what to do?
Start at the beginning, learn as you go, solve the problems as you come to them. Do your own research and ask anyone you can for help when you get stuck. Same as everyone else in your position. If you're developing something solo from scratch then it's not realistic for your employer to expect more. Even seasoned developers often work like this.
So long as I had internet access I could find solutions for every problem that I have ever been stuck on in the absence of a mentor of some sort.
The alternative is to give up, say it's over your head, and perhaps lose your job.
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:49
Kilisi
94.7k50216376
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:49
Kilisi
94.7k50216376
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:49
Kilisi
94.7k50216376
answered Jan 21 '16 at 9:49
Kilisi
94.7k50216376
94.7k50216376
suggest improvements |Â
suggest improvements |Â
