Have you ever scrolled through LinkedIn and felt like everyone around you is achieving more, faster? You’re not alone. I recently saw a post from someone who became a ‘Senior DevOps Engineer’ after just a year on the job. My first reaction was congratulations, but my second thought was, ‘Am I already behind?’
I think it’s natural to feel this way, especially when job listings ask for ‘5+ years of experience’ for junior roles. Meanwhile, some people with fancy titles have been coding professionally for only two years. It’s easy to wonder if you’re doing something wrong.
I’m still figuring out my direction in tech. Some days I want to be an SRE, and others I think about front-end development. Committing to one path feels premature, but it also feels like everyone else has already chosen and climbed half the ladder.
It’s essential to remember that social media platforms like LinkedIn only show us the highlight reels of others’ careers. Nobody posts about their struggles or self-doubt. I’ve learned to focus on my own journey, and I’m trying to frame my generalist experience as a strength, not a weakness.
So, when did I know which part of tech I wanted to focus on? Honestly, I’m still figuring it out. And I think most of us are in the same boat. We’re all just trying to make sense of this complex industry, one step at a time. The key is to stay focused, keep learning, and not compare our behind-the-scenes moments to everyone else’s curated online presence.
What about you? Have you felt like you’re falling behind on LinkedIn? How do you deal with these feelings?