Playing catch up in entry level role
Hi all. Will ask my question first and then give context.
Question: If you started a new job with none of the knowledge/experience you currently have, how would you familiarize yourself with everything about process equipment, concrete, steel, electrical, piping and control instruments FAST so that people wouldn’t have to hold your hand through everything?
Follow up question: how would you set yourself apart/ make yourself of value to the company in a role where everyone is experienced (and you likely wont out edge anyone in engineering knowledge alone no matter how much catchup you do.)
Ok context- just started new role last month. Was a math major in college so don’t have quite as much engineering experience. All of my coworkers have been here 7+ years. It feels like they know it all and I feel bad that I’m so incompetent comparatively. It takes me so long to even help them on anything because trying to get the lay of the land/ understand the project scope requires so much research and I feel like it’s a brain overload. I’ll hyperfixate on classifying small things (inputting centrifugal pumps for example) and realize hours have passed because of the hyperfixation on all of the intricate details, and I haven’t even gotten to the rest of the equipment. I was always a perfectionist in school, so I hate feeling this way/ burdening others. Definitely doesn’t help that every project is different from the previous LOL!!
Any advice appreciated! Thanks