You Belong Here: Pushing Through Impostor Syndrome in Your First DevOps or SRE Role
Starting your first job in DevOps or Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) can feel like stepping into a world where everyone seems to know more than you. You might feel like you’re falling behind, like you’re asking “basic” questions, or like you don’t belong in the room.
You are not alone—and those feelings do not reflect your actual potential or value.
Many experienced engineers, including leaders in the field, have felt the exact same way. Here’s what you need to know—and how to move forward with confidence.
1.
Impostor Syndrome Is Common in Tech
It’s normal to feel like you’re “not good enough” when starting out. You’re surrounded by systems, tools, and acronyms you haven’t mastered yet. The pressure to contribute immediately can feel overwhelming.
But here’s the truth: Everyone started from zero.
Most of the professionals you look up to struggled when they began. What made them successful wasn’t instant expertise—it was resilience, curiosity, and the willingness to keep learning.
2.
You Were Hired for a Reason
You’re in the role because someone believed in your ability to grow into it. DevOps and SRE work is not about knowing everything from day one—it’s about being methodical, resourceful, and capable of solving problems over time.
You don’t need to know it all to add value. You only need to keep learning and communicating honestly.
3.
Start with Small Wins
Set yourself up for momentum:
- Write a script to automate a single task
- Deploy a test service with Terraform or Docker
- Improve a monitoring dashboard or fix one flaky alert
Every small win builds confidence. Each success compounds over time.
4.
Ask Questions Without Apology
Smart engineers ask questions. Great engineers ask clear, thoughtful questions and then document the answers for others. Don’t mistake silence for competence—many quiet people are still figuring it out, just like you.
Find mentors. Ask why a system works the way it does. Study infrastructure diagrams. Pair with more senior engineers when possible.
5.
Learn in Layers
In DevOps/SRE, learning happens in layers:
- At first, you’ll memorize commands and fix errors by trial and error
- Later, you’ll understand why those commands work and how they interact with infrastructure
- Eventually, you’ll see patterns and anticipate problems before they happen
You’re not supposed to “get it all” right away. Stick with it.
6.
Track Your Progress
Keep a private changelog or journal of:
- What you learned this week
- What problems you solved
- What tools or concepts became clearer
Looking back at where you were 30 or 60 days ago is a powerful reminder: You are improving.
7.
It’s Okay to Feel Behind—Just Don’t Stop Moving
There will always be someone who knows more than you. That’s a fact of tech.
But feeling “behind” doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. It means you’re in a growth zone—pushing your limits, building new skills, and stepping into a career that will challenge and reward you for years to come.
Final Thought
The most valuable trait in DevOps and SRE isn’t flawless knowledge—it’s grit, curiosity, and humility.
You’re not alone. You’re not failing. You’re becoming.
Keep showing up. Keep learning. You belong in this field, and you’re more capable than you think.