I started working as a backend developer about 8 weeks ago. Yesterday my team lead gave me a database migration project to work on. I spent the entire day trying to figure out the implementation but couldn’t get the logic right no matter how hard I tried.
My team lead eventually came over and said something like “What’s taking you so long? You need to concentrate better. Don’t you get this stuff?” Those words really stung.
I also rely on AI tools like ChatGPT quite a bit. I don’t just copy and paste code blindly but I use it to help me understand concepts and get things done faster. I’m worried about getting fired if my performance isn’t good enough. Some of my coworkers make jokes about it though, saying stuff like “There goes the AI coder again.”
I only use these tools to help me finish my work properly. But after yesterday’s failure with the migration task, I’m seriously questioning whether I have what it takes to be a programmer. My team lead probably thinks I’m incompetent too.
wait, how much db experience did u have before this role? migrations can be tricky even for senior devs depending on complexity. what specific part was tripping u up - schema changes or data transformation? your team lead sounds like they need better communication skills tbh. have u tried asking other teammates for help?
Database migrations are genuinely tough - even experienced devs struggle with them. You’re dealing with schema changes, data integrity issues, and rollback scenarios all at once. That’s way more complex than normal development work. Your team lead’s reaction was unprofessional and shows poor management, not your abilities. You’ve been there eight weeks - that’s still super early, especially with legacy systems and existing codebases. About AI tools - they’re standard now. Most good developers use them for efficiency and learning. The colleagues making jokes probably use similar tools themselves. Keep documenting what you learn and ask specific technical questions when you’re stuck. Ask for better onboarding or mentorship if it’s available. Struggling with one complex task after two months doesn’t mean you’re incompetent.
your team lead’s being a jerk. migration work is complex and you cant rush it. don’t let one rough day convince you that you’re bad at programming - we all have days where nothing works. keep using AI tools if they’re helping you learn, that’s exactly what they’re for.