Doing It On Your Own

I’m in the technology field. I program, set up, and maintain servers in the cloud for a living. In my field Google is a close mentor for what we do. You would be amazed when you have had a problem how many other people have had the same problem. I don’t know about other jobs but for the most part, in my job it’s kind of like an unwritten rule that you only ask for help when you have exhausted all other options. You don’t want to feel like a fool. On top of that your colleagues will only help you after you have done your homework. This is not a bad environment to work in. There is plenty of help to be had when you need it. However, here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned about asking for help that might help you in your own life as well, no matter what your field is. When I find a problem that may have come from someone else’s code, I don’t throw my hands in the air and say it’s not my problem. I investigate the other person’s code and figure out how it works and if I can suggest a fix before going to them. This not only helps you understand the big picture but it gives you street credibility with the other person because you look like you know what you are talking about. How can you apply this to your field? Never say it’s not your problem. When you look into the problem and come up with possible solutions your colleagues and your boss will respect you a lot more. You will learn about the bigger picture as well. Maybe that promotion that you are waiting for might happen because you have demonstrated that you know more than just what your responsibilities are. Next, Google, Google, Google! When I’m facing an error message on my screen and I don’t know what it is, I simply copy and paste it into Google and about a dozen sites will show up with people having the same problem and how they solved it. Like I said it’s like having a mentor that is always around to help. Give it more than a cursory glance. Really spend time on the problem and think about it. Now what kinds of questions you need to ask before asking for help. If you don’t know the proper questions, how will you get the proper answers? Finally, when you do ask for help don’t let the person do it for you. That’s not how you will learn. Have them walk you through how to do it yourself step by step. Ask questions along the way if you don’t understand something. But actively learn instead of passively watching. I can’t stress how much better off you will be if you try to solve a problem yourself. Or at least giving it the old college try. You may surprise yourself and learn a lot more than you had originally intended.