Getting a degree, landing my first job, loving my first job – everything felt great. But then, responsibility kicked in. Suddenly, I wasn’t onboarding anymore. I had to do the actual work… and try not to delete the production database.
I joined the team as the youngest member, and by the time I came on board, everyone was more senior than me. Starting a new job in a field I’d never worked in was overwhelming enough – but then I realized some of my teammates had started their careers the same year I started first grade.
Let’s just say overthinking quickly became my new best friend.
I’ve always tried to do my best, but working alongside seasoned database administrators pushed me to aim for perfection. Naturally, perfection isn’t realistic – so along the way, I picked up a few lessons.
Listen, learn, observe, and ask questions
Working at a large company like Infobip comes with its pros and cons – and the complexity of the system is both.
On one hand, it offers endless opportunities to learn and grow as you explore new areas. On the other, without much experience, it’s easy to underestimate how your actions can ripple through the entire system. During our internship, we were introduced to one of Infobip’s core values: “learn by doing.” I thought I understood what that meant, but it took a few months on the job to truly get it.
Then the day comes when you get your first task from a senior, and trust me, you won’t understand a single thing.
Suddenly, it feels like the person talking to you is speaking gibberish, and that overwhelming feeling of ‘I can’t do this’ kicks in. I’m sitting there, listening to what I need to do, just trying to remember as many keywords as possible to Google later – Profiler, indexes, optimizing, checking the query. Nodding along like I understand everything, when in reality, I have no idea what we’re talking about. And that’s okay!
When working with a specific technology like SQL Server, no one really expects you to know much, especially since it’s rarely mentioned at university, let alone used. What’s expected is that you learn, ask questions, explore, and observe how things are done. We all know there are “stupid” questions, and that held me back at first. The key is to let go of the fear of asking. Just remember, it’s only work, and in a few months, no one will even remember your question.
Give a high-five to the little victories
As a junior, it’s tough to find tasks that stand out when everyone else seems to know everything. You can’t yet tackle high-level work because it takes years of experience. But give yourself some slack and celebrate the small wins – each task, no matter how small, is a valuable step in your growth.
What you need to remember is that installing SQL Server is a big task for you, even if you’ve only done it two or three times, while your teammates have probably done it a hundred, it still counts as a win.
You’re still stressing about making mistakes, so don’t let anyone downplay the importance of successful backup restores. The second step in this guide is to always give yourself credit for everything you do – your team members will surely do the same.
Find your way of doing things
Senior and staff engineers often have their own ways of doing things, shaped by years of experience. It’s okay to find your own approach, especially when there are no strict rules.
You might open a query and think, ‘Great, I don’t even know how to write code anymore.’ But that’s not always true. While clean and well-structured coding practices matter, you can still find a style that works for you. For example, if you don’t like putting commas before columns in a SELECT statement, then don’t.
My third step in this guide: don’t just copy everything senior engineers do – find your own path.
Do your homework before asking questions
As mentioned before, asking questions is important, but a key to fitting into an experienced team is doing your homework.
SQL Server is widely used, and there’s plenty of documentation and videos online. Try to research as much as you can before asking questions. Your team will be impressed by your knowledge of publications and replication, and they’ll likely give you quicker, more detailed answers.
Do they need to know that just 10 minutes ago, you thought replication and publication were the same thing? Probably not.
For the fourth step, always investigate as much as possible. Everyone appreciates juniors who are eager to learn and actively seek answers, rather than just waiting for them.
Don’t be afraid to try things yourself
Maybe don’t apply this advice in a production environment – just in case.
You’ll always run into issues or new challenges that aren’t covered in your internal documentation. So, what do you do? You Google a solution. But then, as you consider trying it, you realize it might not be the smartest move, and you remember your mom always said not to trust everything on the internet.
Here I am, staring at an alert about no space left. I shrink the files – nothing happens. I Google some steps that look legit, try them (always in the test environment, of course), and boom, it works! Now, I’m the hero.
Sometimes all that it takes is to have a little bit of courage and try something out. So for this step remember to always try new things in a safe environment, but back up that database before!
Express yourself and share your interests
Sometimes, it can be tough to join conversations about personal topics like family or children, but try to participate. Building relationships outside of work helps you integrate with the team, so don’t skip those after-work coffees too often.
Even if you can’t fully relate, showing interest in these conversations can make a big difference in connecting with your colleagues. You might express yourself differently, have a different sense of humor, or prefer to keep work and personal life separate, but sometimes, you need to mix them – at least a little. And don’t be afraid to show who you truly are. Send that Slack emoji! No one will mind you being yourself, as long as you’re genuine and respectful of everyone.
So, to resume: starting as a Junior DBA in an experienced team can be overwhelming, but with time and patience, things do get easier.
Embrace the small wins, do your homework, find your own way, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Mistakes are part of the learning process, and no one will judge you for them. Looking back at my early days, I’ve learned that every senior was once a junior. Keep learning, stay curious, and celebrate your progress. This guide is here to help you navigate the journey and thrive in your role.