Stepping into your first engineering job? The anxiety is real—but it doesn’t have to own you. In this episode, Jake and Steve Maxey break down the exact playbook for engineers in their first year on the job. Not theory—practical, tactical advice to cut through the noise, avoid rookie burnout, and start stacking wins that actually build confidence.
Key Topics Covered
- Why pretending to know everything kills trust and slows your growth
- How to show confidence through curiosity and learning, not posturing
- The 30/60/90-day framework to crush your first year on the job
- Aggressive patience: working hard while letting mastery compound over time
- Systems new engineers should build early to boost efficiency
- How to network internally without wasting time or looking like a social climber
- The trap of chasing salary and status symbols instead of skills
- Why confidence is a skill, not a personality trait—earned only by action
- Handling perceived failure and self-doubt when you feel behind
- How to position yourself for your first promotion the right way
Actionable Steps
- Accept upfront you’ll be bad at new things—confidence starts there
- Carry a notebook, take notes, and summarize key learnings daily
- Leverage AI tools early to speed up your ramp without cutting corners
- Ask sharp, layered questions that prove you’re paying attention
- Focus your first 30 days on listening and absorbing, not “being right”
- Build small systems to make repetitive tasks faster and cleaner
- Create a simple list of what you can do—offer it to teammates as overflow help
- Meet people across the company; build advocates before you need them
- Study the next role above yours and practice those tasks early
- Track and share your small wins—stack evidence that you’re growing
Who This Episode Is For
- New grads walking into their first engineering role
- Engineers stuck in anxiety or imposter syndrome cycles
- Burned-out early-career ICs who feel invisible at work
- Ambitious engineers ready to accelerate into leadership
Why It Matters
Engineering isn’t about faking confidence—it’s about building it. Every win stacked, every system built, every new connection made adds real evidence you can’t shortcut. This episode shows you how to turn the first 12 months of your career into a launchpad for visibility, mastery, and long-term impact.
Where to Listen
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Or wherever you get your podcasts
Share
If this episode hit home, send it to someone. The Impactful Engineer grows by word of mouth—just like the best careers do.
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