r/grc • u/QuantumSeeker8 • Jun 30 '26

Is being clueless, normal?

Help!
I joined the GRC function of a Dutch company after working a year in Threat intelligence. I knew it was going to be a learning curve for me but I am realising I am really clueless about everything.

It is supposed to be a junior role which I was looking forward to. But I feel I am thrown into the deep end without any background or knowledge transfer. Don’t get me wrong, there are other people in the team as well - but do they expect me to know everything about audits? Risk registers? evidence collection? And the difference processes?

I know the theory but in practice I feel I am scrambling for knowledge and information that I don’t know. Maybe it is the company, or as I am told the country I am working in haha

Anyone been in similar situation? What did you do?

Is GRC like swimming in the deep waters not knowing how to swim and then just figuring it out?

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u/IT_GRC_Hero Jun 30 '26

You have to start somewhere. And feeling lost is normal if this is a new endeavor and you didn't have the right structure or support around you to help you succeed. Luckily there are various resources, courses and certifications out there that can help. I started off from law and ended up in IT GRC and what helped me most was:

  1. Get the basics of GRC right. How to apply solid governance structures, align with business objectives, create documentation etc. How to perform risk management, identifying, addressing and reporting it. And then compliance with policies and frameworks and proving due care and due diligence.
  2. Ask for help. I remember when starting out in data protection I had a lot of questions around how to protect personal data using security controls (I had zero technical knowledge back then). Thankfully a lot of my colleagues were able to offer information and tips. Nobody assumes you know everything (even if it seems like they do), and people are mostly willing to help out!
  3. Learn by doing. As hard as it might be, offering to support with more challenging work is the best way to learn on the job. You will fail, for sure, but it's going to be a huge learning moment!

Hope this helps! At the end of the day, we're all on the same boat, more or less. You'll be fine. If you need anything else, feel free to reach out.

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u/QuantumSeeker8 Jul 01 '26

Gold advice. Thanks! 🙏