I Don't Know, but I'll Find Out

"I don't know, but I'll find out." I would rather hear that phrase than have someone pretend to know more than they do. It can be hard when one is starting out in a career to admit they don't know something. Will you be considered unqualified, uneducated, or less in some other way? It can be even harder when one is established in a professional to say the same phrase. Aren't you supposed to know everything by now? Actually, no, you're not. You are, however, supposed to be able to find out by using your resources and network.

In my Industrial Water Treatment cartoon series, I have a recurring character simply referred to as Newbie. As expected, Newbie is new to the profession and makes mistakes. That's ok. I was new to the profession and made mistakes once, too. I still make mistakes. One mistake I try not to make, though, is pretending I know more than I do. I feel the best policy is to admit it up front but let them know I'll find out.

Now, the second part of the phrase is perhaps more important than the first...

Now, the second part of the phrase is perhaps more important than the first: "...but I'll find out." While you most likely won't lose much or any credibility for admitting you don't know something, you can lose total credibility by not living up to your commitment to find out more for them.

Of all the advice I can give to a "newbie" starting a career or even someone who's been at it for awhile such as listen, ask questions, use your first days to learn, etc., I would be remiss if I didn't also include using the phrase "I don't know, but I'll find out."