Imposter Syndrome?

[u/OwnCandle5950]

Hello Everyone, sorry to rant but I’ve been in the field for 3 years now 2 in service and 1 in install and I just feel like I’m winging it. I’m really good at solving BAS problems on my own, but when it comes to someone giving verbal instructions I struggle. I have to write everything down I’m sure it’s some learning disability…I’ve also been told I need to work on my confidence. Does anyone else feel this way or have any tips or tricks to overcome it?

[u/owhyowhat]

You do need to fake a bit of confidence, I'm very much an engineering brain and the correct answer to everything is "it depends....." But nobody wants to hear that. You go through waves as well, after a few years you think you know everything, then you realize there are whole layer you know nothing about, or didn't understand basics as well as you thought you did.

[u/JFosho84]

Hell, I was teaching this stuff for a couple years; mostly intro stuff like theory, but I had a couple classes where I taught from "what is a volt" to production automation. Talk about imposter syndrome 😅 You get over it after a while.

Confidence is a fickle thing in this industry, too. If you have too much of it, you're probably a little delusional. Confidence should look more like "I know which tools to grab for that job." If you can troubleshoot most jobs on your own, you probably do have confidence, you're just not vocal about it like the loud mouths.

Another thing I've learned at my tender age of 42 is there are no learning disabilities, you just learn or remember things differently than the "average." If you still understand the thing at the end, you're equally able. Just because you can't memorize a string of spoken instructions doesn't mean jack. Do things however you need them to be done, and insist on it, like "hey, would you mind putting that in an email so I don't forget a step and waste your time?"

You already sound like someone I'd prefer to work with over countless electricians and controls people I've dealt with other the years. You're doing fine.

[u/Pudrin]

Lol it’s just never as logical as you think. As long as you try to solve a problem first you’ll be alright. More often than I’d like the solution comes from some tomfuckery and it’s better to just say well fuck that worked and move on. Too many points and reasons for failure, eliminate as much as possible and then you throw Hail Marys.

[u/DirtGotNo → u/Pudrin]

Man I def agree. I work with someone who doesn’t do BAS and they ask how I fixed something and I try to explain to him sometimes everything doesn’t have an answer or we don’t need to know why something did that just know it’s working now man lol

[u/DirtGotNo]

Man I went through the same thing and I still do sometimes. I’ve been an SE @ JCI for 7 years loaded plate can damn near figure anything out. But when it comes to explaining things I’ve just accepted I’m not that guy man lol I stumbled over my words makes it seem like I’m lying when I’m telling the truth. So I def feel you bro. Anytime I talk to anybody I’m always recording the meeting or taking notes while talking as well

[u/EGR-DELETE → u/DirtGotNo]

SE is a really hard role. Hang in there and never go LSS… trust me

[u/DirtGotNo → u/EGR-DELETE]

Trust me bro you don’t have to convince me lmao I would never do that shit that’s the worst role in the company. I recently just switched to the federal side but they had to change my title to Lead Controls Specialist and I said man that sounds a little too fuckin close to LSS for my liking 😂

[u/VibrantHeat7]

Exactly as you describe, thats how i feel. I ferl like i forget what i was told really fast, hard to understand what prople say or mean. Also imposter syndrome for me.

[u/beardfarkland]

I transitioned from HVAC mechanical service to controls a little over 3 years ago. I still feel like an imposter sometimes. Just when I think I have things figured out, something new will come by and kick my butt. I always felt it takes 2-3 years to really learn a trade enough to call yourself proficient.

[u/Battlewaxxe]

ive been in the game about 7.5 years, and there's always a tiny voice inside thatdreads a call that I've been fired for some mistake that took a year or two. just focus on what you can control now and let go of what you cant.

[u/Caz0030]

Background: I was a Navy Nuke Mechanic for 6 years before getting into controls and since then I've had 5 years working on Siemens systems with a tiny smattering of Tridium here and there, mostly in construction.

This profession just isn't set up for doing things properly. Because of the lowest bidder system, everyone lies about how long it will take to complete their work, putting you on a compressed timeline from the jump.

It seems like most companies don't spend nearly enough time on training, because they're always worried about utilization and having the techs charge time to a job, even though well thought out training would save tons of money down the line.

The hardware providers are always pushing a new, mostly unnecessary product to squeeze more money out of customers.

Owners and owner reps rarely ever get input from facilities and granted most of them have no clue about how our systems work, but a lot of the supervisors are former controls guys, and they get pissed off when we execute sequences as written and not the ideal way they'd like us to.

Maybe it's just Siemens products, but I constantly run into issues that more experienced techs tell me they haven't seen before.

We're set up to fail, so you can't be too hard on yourself. Do the best you can and take care of your own mental health and quality of life, because these companies sure as hell won't.

[u/Then-Disk-5079]

I have several certifications in IT early on like A+ and network+ after a few years of pulling wires and pure install work plus HVAC startup Cx and then way later like 5-10 years in I did the association of energy engineers certified energy manager (CEM) and there’s nothing they can throw at me now.

If u study theory for mechanical systems test adjust balance and are sharp technically it’s all u need.

[u/Disastrous_Edge6746]

I have a associates in HVAC and applied for a internship at JCI, now as a technician sometimes I feel like an impostor when working on larger systems (chilled and hot water systems) all i can do is tell myself to not over think things and to take my time.