The problem these days is that people are afraid of being thought of as fools. I don't mean intentionally obnoxious jerks, but when it comes to work experience and for goodness' sake, society seems a lot less patient. People no longer hold your hand as you pursue a goal or career path because everyone wants that kind of man or woman. Most of the industries you turn to tend to require more and more refined recruits, and those employed in them are less willing to help out when it comes to newcomers. I call it the “gatekeeping paradox” of modern work culture. My theory is that it is because the competition in the world has increased tenfold, but the availability of opportunities does not correspond to the net labor force. In fact, we seem to have a new gobbler when it comes to fierce competition for jobs – AI.
The good thing is that all hope is not lost for the beginner. It is said that fortune favors the brave. In order to make it in this ruthless new world, you will have to push the boundaries. The limits of your mind. The biggest limit you will face is the impostor syndrome. Also, people will judge you really harshly early in your career because the quality of your work most likely won't be up to par, no matter how hard you try. This is normal, and you shouldn't be hard on yourself about it. It's ok, be a "fool", ask stupid questions and take what you can. Be wiser and adapt to new experiences. Remember, your future self will thank you for overcoming obstacles.
I've coined a new term for that feeling we get when we start out and keep asking seasoned professionals seemingly obvious questions, then get annoyed by the simplicity of the questions. I call it "beginner's haze". I describe it as a state of mental confusion or uncertainty when starting to learn or do a new thing, often due to lack of experience or saturation with available information, or both. I saw it play today on an undisclosed Discord server for copywriters. There was a certain individual who seemed at a loss as to what to do and asked the members seemingly simple questions. Some of the more seasoned testers took umbrage at what they perceived as obvious questions and disparaged the member and their ilk as lazy and potential industry failures because they couldn't help themselves with such simple matters just by using google. It shouldn't be like that. When you find yourself in a privileged position, always remember to be empathetic or constructively admonished. After all, the beauty of this world is when we hold hands on this difficult journey of life. In the classic words of Jesus, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
So in conclusion, I believe that if you can overcome the obstacles early in your career simply by not taking anything personally, you should be able to navigate the uncertainties of your career and gain the necessary experience needed to advance.
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