3, 2, 1 .... And We're Live!

This past week has felt pretty crazy for me..when one thing picks up, it's like everything else feels left out and picks up too! I think it has something to do with the fact we had our quarterly planning sessions (I know a bit out of sync) for the extended team. It always gets the brain cells wurring about what more could be done.

Up until now, since I started this job, I've been working largely on internal projects to further the maturity of the Machine Learning Engineering team and then also on the women's health project. It's been great, there has been a variety to do but I've had the focus time to spend on each of those projects as they've ticked over. This past week or two suddenly lots is ramping up: there's more to do on the internal project, decisions made and applications approved for the women's health project and also being onboarded onto my very first live Data Science project.

My brain feels like it's about to explode, I'm simultaneously super excited and super nervous. My main nerves are around how I'm going to fit everything in, I want to do everything but it reality I can't - that's what prioritisation is for. Then it's just, ha "just", a case of getting my onboarding sorted, learning the ropes of the project and getting cracking. Easy. Ha..

Here is my game plan for getting through this time, hopefully it might help you too!

Prioritise

You can't do everything. That's just a fact, unless you have a time turner (which my money says you don't!) In every business, in every team there is a priority list, there's just got to be. If you don't know the priority, it's not on you as a junior to figure that out by yourself. ASK. Ask your line manager or the seniors on the projects. In the end, there's only so much time in the day, so what needs to be at the top of the list as a MUST do and what can happen if there's time. The answer "everything is important" isn't an answer, a priority list isn't saying some things aren't important, it's just saying what needs to be done first.

Get Access

The process of onboarding to a new project should include getting access to the tools you need to be part of the team. That might be GitHub repos and access to data, but it might also include team chats, channels and regular meetings that enable you to communicate and work with the team. No matter how good you are, without this you can't work as part of the team.

Learn

Of course, learn is here! It pretty much is a huge factor in everything we do as juniors. Learning comes in two parts for this in my mind.

The Project

What is your project about? What will you be working on? What's the business value? What models are being used? What tools will you be using? Just get to know the project you're going to be joining. If it's an established project there'll be other people working on it, hopefully a senior Machine Learning Engineer for starters. Depending on how well you know the team involved in the project, you might already know a Data Scientist or your senior ML Engineer to be able to ask them some of the answers to the questions mentioned. If you don't, find one to ask. People are generally friendly, but to be honest, everyone wants the project to run well and to run smoothly. Helping get you on board helps that process. Even if you don't have someone to talk thing through with you, ask for resources e.g. the docs to help yourself get the knowledge.

The Skills

Once you know what you're going to be doing and the tools you are going to be using, it's time to start learning/brushing up on your knowledge. There are plenty of docs and blogs and all sorts of learning resources out there for most common tools you'll likely be using. You're not going to be expected to know everything, and theory is never the same as in practice but it gives you a good foundation. A place to start so you don't turn up looking like you need everything handed to you. Proactivity looks good, and it is good for your development too.

3 simple steps, that's the rational side of it for sure, but hopefully it helps to have those steps in your head to get through this slightly intimidating time. At least that's what I'm hoping! When I get overwhelmed with the worries, I'm grateful to have some supportive people in my home and work life to keep me grounded and remind me of what I know, how far I've come and that there is a solution. Besides, you wouldn't be trusted with something live if your line manager/seniors didn't think you could handle it. You've got this.