Welcome to Don’t Panic Labs

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| August 31, 2011 | in

Don’t Panic Labs is not your traditional work environment. You’re given a lot of freedom, but you’re also given a lot of responsibility, and that responsibility pretty much starts your first day in the office. No break-in periods here. Obviously this can sometimes be a bit overwhelming for the new employee. Being one of the new guys in the office, I thought I’d share what I’d tell someone during their first week at Don’t Panic Labs.

Welcome to Don’t Panic Labs. Are you panicking? Good, that means you are in the right place. Like most of us, you are probably questioning your ability as a developer, your ability to learn new things, and your ability to “cut it” in a new environment. You may even be questioning your decision to leave the comfort of your old job and wonder if they will take you back.

OK, relax. If you are having these healthy concerns, it means that you have decided to take the challenge head on and that is one of the things we look for. Here at DPL, there is a great balance of freedom and accountability where the “grab a challenge by the horns” personality shines. A great leadership team will motivate you to do things you did not feel capable of doing, and a very talented group of peers will be around to help along the way.

Do you feel that your skills are outdated? No problem. Your desire to learn new things is more valuable than the knowledge you already have. We face a wide variety of complex problems on a daily basis so researching, learning, and implementing a new technology is a key part of the job. When it comes to the “v.next”, we are all noobs.

Finally, you are here because a very smart group of people believe that you can bring something to the table. Whether you are a new grad or a 10+ year veteran, chances are that you’ve learned a trick or two along the way that we can put to good use.

Still panicking? Trust me, you are going to do just fine.