Learn and be Curios!

Situation: 

When I started working on high-capacity (high cap) tickets, I quickly realized that my knowledge in this area was limited since these tickets were new to me. However, I was eager to improve my understanding and become proficient in handling them.

Task: 

I knew I needed to build my expertise in high-capacity tickets, particularly around S3 storage, to close the knowledge gap and ensure I could manage these tickets effectively.

Action: 

To address this, I began by reading through several runbooks on high-capacity issues, especially related to S3 storage, to build a solid foundation. I also reached out to our senior techs and requested shadowing opportunities to observe how they approached high-capacity tickets. I shadowed them three times, and after that, I started handling my own tickets. I became even more curious, so I began working with Kevin on unresolved complex tickets, discussing approaches and troubleshooting methods. We went over these tickets together multiple times, and I also joined the S3 Slack group, where I could learn from discussions with other experts.

Result: 

Through my research, shadowing sessions, and discussions with senior techs, I gained a much deeper understanding of high-capacity tickets. I became more efficient in analyzing and resolving these tickets, and my confidence grew significantly in this area.

Reflection: 

If I were to approach it differently, I might have asked for shadowing opportunities even earlier, as this hands-on experience was invaluable and accelerated my learning curve.

What did you do about it?

To gain the expertise I needed, I first read runbooks on high-capacity tickets, focusing on S3 storage, to understand the basics. I also approached senior techs and asked if I could shadow them as they worked on high-cap tickets. I shadowed them three times, which helped me get comfortable enough to start taking my own tickets. Afterward, I deepened my learning by working with Kevin on unresolved complex tickets, where we analyzed issues together. I also joined the S3 Slack group to stay informed and learn from ongoing discussions among experienced techs.

What was the outcome?

After studying the materials, shadowing senior techs, and collaborating with Kevin, I became much more confident and efficient in handling high-capacity tickets. My ability to analyze these tickets improved significantly, and I was able to resolve issues more independently, contributing more effectively to my team.

Is there anything you would have done differently?

If I could do it differently, I would start shadowing the senior techs even earlier. That hands-on experience was incredibly valuable and accelerated my learning and starting sooner could have helped me gain confidence more quickly.

Situation: 

When I started working on Rattlesnake hosts, I found myself outside of my comfort zone. These hosts, particularly due to their use of Rails and the integration of expensive GPUs, required a deep understanding of the system and careful attention to handling. With my limited experience in this area, I saw this as a challenge but also a great opportunity to expand my skills and become a more effective team member.

Task: 

My goal was to develop the expertise needed to handle Rattlesnake tickets confidently, focusing on high-capacity troubleshooting and mastering the specifics of the host.

Action: 

To build my expertise, I took a systematic approach:

1.      Studied existing resources: I started by reviewing relevant runbooks to understand the technical foundation of the Rattlesnake hosts.

2.      Learned from experts: I reached out to senior technicians and arranged to shadow them as they worked on similar tickets. This allowed me to observe their troubleshooting methods and learn real-time strategies.

3.      Hands-on practice: After shadowing, I gradually took on my own tickets, starting with simpler issues and progressing to more complex ones.

4.      Analyzed past resolutions: I researched previously resolved tickets related to Rattlesnake hosts and studied solutions, looking for patterns and best practices.

5.      Ongoing self-study: I utilized external resources, such as Global Datatech, to deepen my understanding and stay updated.

Result: 

Through this combination of self-study, mentorship, and hands-on practice, I successfully met my goal. I not only developed the technical skills to handle Rattlesnake tickets but also gained confidence in independently troubleshooting and resolving issues. By the end of this experience, I had replaced a faulty rail for a Rattlesnake host and established myself as a reliable resource within the team for managing these complex systems. This experience significantly broadened my technical expertise and enhanced my contribution to the team.

Describe a time when you took on work outside of your comfort area. 

When I started working on Rattlesnake hosts, it was outside my comfort zone because I had little experience with these systems. They used Rails and had expensive GPUs that needed careful handling. To get better, I studied the runbooks, asked senior technicians for help, and shadowed them to learn how they worked on similar issues. I also practiced with simpler tickets and reviewed older tickets to see how others solved problems. Over time, I gained the confidence to handle tickets on my own. Eventually, I was able to troubleshoot and fix issues, including replacing a faulty rail. This experience taught me a lot and helped me grow my skills.

How did you identify what you needed to learn to be successful? 

I identified what I needed to learn by first understanding the specific challenges of working on Rattlesnake hosts, especially their use of Rails and GPUs. I studied the runbooks to get familiar with the technical details and reached out to senior technicians to ask questions and learn from their experience. Shadowing them helped me see what skills and knowledge were necessary to handle these tickets effectively. Additionally, I analyzed resolved tickets to identify common issues and solutions, which showed me the areas I needed to focus on to be successful.

How did you go about building expertise to meet your goal? 

I built expertise by taking a structured approach. First, I studied runbooks to understand the technical details of Rattlesnake hosts. Then, I shadowed senior technicians to watch how they handled similar issues and asked questions to learn their methods. After gaining some confidence, I started taking on simpler tickets myself and gradually worked on more complex ones. I also reviewed resolved tickets to learn from past cases and searched for additional information through online resources. This combination of study, mentorship, and hands-on practice helped me develop the skills I needed.

Did you meet your goal? 

Yes, I met my goal. Over time, I became confident and skilled in handling Rattlesnake host tickets. I successfully resolved complex issues, including replacing a faulty rail, and was able to troubleshoot problems independently. This experience not only helped me achieve my goal but also expanded my technical knowledge and improved my ability to contribute to the team.

Situation: 

I was working in the data center when I noticed that a server, "Rattlesnake," had come partially out of its rack. When I tried to push it back in, I realized that the rails were broken and couldn’t support the server properly. This was my first time dealing with a broken rail situation, so I wasn’t sure how to fix it right away.

How I learn what I don’t know:

Since I had never dealt with broken rails before, I reached out to my team lead to let them know about the issue. While waiting for their guidance, I took the initiative to research the problem. I read through the server’s manual and watched YouTube videos on replacing broken rails to understand the process better and learn how to securely mount the server back into the rack.

Options I considered and the best path forward: 

There were a couple of options:

1. Try to push the server back with temporary supports, but that would be risky and unsafe.

2. Attempt to repair the broken rails, but they were too damaged to be fixed properly.

3. The best option was to order new rails and replace the broken ones entirely.

After evaluating these options and discussing with my team lead, I decided to order new rails. This would ensure the server was securely mounted and avoid any further issues.

Outcome:

Once the new rails arrived, I followed the steps I learned from the manuals and videos to replace the broken rails. I successfully re-secured the server in the rack, and everything was working as expected. The problem was resolved without any further issues.

What I learned:

This experience taught me the importance of taking the initiative to learn when facing unfamiliar challenges. By researching solutions and consulting with my team, I was able to resolve the issue efficiently. I also realized how critical it is to ensure the right equipment is used for hardware installations to avoid problems down the line.

Situation: 

During my last it projects in university, I found it challenging to manage my time. I was balancing multiple assignments along with this project, and I often felt overwhelmed, which sometimes led to missed deadlines or rushed work. I realized I needed to improve my time management skills to keep up with all my responsibilities.

Task:

I needed to find a way to organize my project tasks better and manage my time effectively so I could complete all my assignments and meet the project deadlines without feeling stressed.

Action: 

To improve, I decided to start using Trello to break down the project into smaller, manageable tasks with clear deadlines. I also took a short online course on time management, where I learned about the Pomodoro Technique, which involves working in focused intervals followed by short breaks. In addition, I reached out to a few classmates who seemed very organized to ask for their tips on managing workloads.

Result: 

Using Trello and applying the Pomodoro Technique helped me stay on top of my tasks. I was able to focus better on each task, complete work more efficiently, and meet deadlines without last-minute stress. My professor noticed an improvement in the quality of my work, and I felt more confident in my time management skills.

What I learned:

This experience taught me that effective time management is crucial for handling large projects and multiple responsibilities. I learned that breaking down tasks and setting small goals helps me work more effectively and feel less overwhelmed, leading to better results on my projects.

Situation: 

During a big university project, I found myself struggling with time management. I was juggling multiple assignments and project tasks, and I often felt overwhelmed, which sometimes led to missed deadlines or last-minute work. I realized that improving my time management would help me stay on top of everything.

Resources I identified to help me develop:

To improve, I decided to use a tool called Trello to organize my project tasks and deadlines. I also took a free online course on time management, where I learned techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, which involves working in focused intervals with short breaks. In addition, I talked to some classmates who seemed well-organized to get their advice on managing workloads.

Impact:

By using Trello to break down my project into smaller tasks and using the Pomodoro Technique, I became much more organized. I was able to focus better on each task, and I completed work more efficiently. This reduced my stress and helped me meet my project deadlines without rushing at the last minute. My professor also noticed the improvement in my work quality.

What I learned: 

This experience taught me that good time management skills are essential for staying organized and completing tasks on time. I learned that planning ahead and setting small, clear goals made me more effective in my work and less stressed, which led to better results on my project.

Situation: 

In one of my previous roles, I was working on improving the website for a small business. While my main responsibility was to maintain the website’s theme and functionality, I noticed that the site lacked any form of analytics. Without data, it was impossible to understand how users interacted with the site, which could impact customer engagement and sales.

Why it hadn’t been explored already: 

The team had been focused primarily on making the site visually appealing, so tracking user behavior was overlooked. Since adding analytics wasn’t part of my original responsibilities, it hadn’t been explored, especially because there was a lack of experience in the team with analytics tools.

Why I moved forward: 

I knew that understanding user behavior was crucial for improving the site’s effectiveness, so I decided to look into adding basic analytics. I researched different tools, such as Google Analytics, and presented the idea to my manager, explaining how it could provide valuable insights into user activity and identify areas for improvement. My manager agreed it was worth exploring, so I moved forward with setting up and testing analytics.

Results/Impact: 

Once analytics was set up, we quickly discovered valuable information about user patterns, such as which pages had the most traffic, where users tended to drop off, and which products were most popular. This data helped us make targeted updates to the website, like improving the layout on high-traffic pages and simplifying the checkout process, which led to an increase in conversions. The insights we gained helped the team see the value of using data to guide decisions, and it led to ongoing use of analytics to improve the site over time.

What I learned: 

This experience taught me the importance of looking beyond immediate tasks to find ways to add value. By taking the initiative to explore a new area, I was able to make a positive impact on the project and help the team become more data-driven in their approach.

Situation: 

I was working with my team on a project to make our website load faster. My plan was to focus on making the images smaller and cleaning up the code, which I thought would be enough to solve the problem.

How I responded: 

One of my teammates suggested that we try a different approach, too. He recommended “lazy-loading” for some images, which means only loading images as the user scrolls down to see them, instead of loading everything right away. At first, I thought my plan was enough, but I decided to listen and understand his idea. After talking it through and doing a little research, I realized he had a good point and that adding lazy-loading could really improve our results.

Outcome:

We combined both ideas: we made the images smaller and optimized the code, and we also used lazy-loading for some of the images. This combination made the website load noticeably faster. The project was a success, and the website’s speed improved more than I expected.

What I learned: 

I learned that listening to different ideas can lead to better solutions. By being open to my teammate’s suggestion, we achieved a better result for the project. It reminded me that teamwork and considering new perspectives are really important.

What was the situation? 

We were working on a project to improve our website’s load time. My initial plan was to make images smaller and clean up the code, which I thought would solve the problem.

How did you respond? 

One of my teammates suggested we also use “lazy-loading” for images, which means only loading images as users scroll down to see them, rather than loading everything at once. At first, I thought my original plan would be enough, but I decided to listen and consider his idea.

What was the outcome?

By combining both approaches—compressing images, cleaning up code, and adding lazy-loading—we achieved a noticeably faster load time for the website. The project was a success, and we ended up with a much more efficient website. This experience taught me the value of being open to new ideas and working together to find the best solution.