Corporate Life @ 10

When I graduated from college, I did apply for a job with the purpose to earn money. I cannot just keep on asking money from my mother. I want to earn to have something to spend with what I want or need. But I guess, everyone really wants to find a job after graduation.

I applied to whatever jobs I find online that I think would suit my credentials. A fresh graduate of BS Computer Engineering. With a little experience from being a working student (office assistant) and the number of hours during OJT.

But like any other young adults, I also didn’t know what I really want to do. What I knew was that I need to have a job.

Graduating from Computer Engineering opens to a lot of various job choices. Be it in a software or hardware field of jobs.

And then, fortunately, I was hired in an ICT Company as a Network Engineer. With really zero experience and a little knowledge from our Elective Subject, I accepted the offer and prepared myself to “get my hands dirty”. Literally! From working with different equipment into different sites.

I worked as Network Engineer for a year or two until I also did tasks for Project Manager. Until I was really focused as Project Manager. I’ve been with my first company for more than 7 years.

Then I moved to another company still as Project Manager. I moved because I want to see what’s outside my comfort zone, my home.

They said that it’s not always greener outside. Indeed it is not. And people see it as a failure. But for me, failure is not doing something you want and ends up regretting. Failure is always wondering what could have happen if you try. Failure is having all the what if’s just because you’re too scared to even try.

If it’s greener for you outside, then good. If it is not, still good. In both cases, you’ll find out what you really want and what will make you happy. And eventually, you’ll learn from it.

I stayed with my second company for almost 2 years until I transferred again. This time? I resigned because I need to be in a different place, outside the hustle & bustle of the city. The pandemic triggered my anxiety and it helped me figured out what I want to do. And it’s to go home in the province.

Fortunately, I think God’s helping me coz I was hired in a company wherein I can work anywhere. So now, I have been working anywhere (mostly at home in the province) for 8 months. And we’ll see what will happen. 🙂

But everything has its own sacrifices, has its own perks, and has its own lessons. These things that I am so grateful about aside from the people I met, became friends and some were even like family to me.

Shaping Tomorrow With You ❤️

The best perk I would say working with Fujitsu was first, traveling all over the country. Airport has been like another home since I kept on flying. I had flight when the weather was good, when there’s a little turbulence, when we had to go back to Cebu coz of zero visibility and everyone’s panicking coz of the turbulence (it’s like the airplane would fall anytime), when it’s dawn & it’s sunrise while we’re in the middle of the flight, when it’s in the middle of the day, when it’s sunset time, when it’s late at night. I had encountered number of delays, cancellation and even got offloaded coz I was late.

Another perk was meeting different type of people. From staff to the C-Executives to suppliers to partners. Encountered easy going people to troublesome to very demanding & intimidating ones. I have zero courage and confidence when dealing with people but it was developed over time. Dealing with different types of people required really good people management skill. And I think the very basic is communication.

Third perk, the endless possibilities of learning and developing your skills. Fujitsu is very supportive in the growth of their people. Like we were sent for trainings (some were outside the country), we were encouraged to take certifications, and the first-hand experience when you’re in the client’s site either to do the installation or troubleshooting.

Fourth is the amazing people. Working for 7 years, I made good strong relationship with my colleagues and supportive bosses. Up until now, we still communicate and meet up. I still got the chance to join them for celebrations. Indeed, Fujitsu did not just give me a job but also people that I call family. And I think this is the best of the best perk I got. 🥰

One Fluor 💙

Working with Fluor in the beginning is a new thing for me. The office setup, the environment, the number of people in the team. The adjustment was like starting over again. But I am again fortunate that I came into a team of very welcoming and accommodating people. Everyone was so helpful that I was able to adjust so fast with the team and the job.

One of the perks was that I got to learn the world of HR. Everything’s new to me since I don’t have experience with HR. But over time, I learned how it works.

Another perk was the lesson I learned with communicating and managing people. Since Fluor has offices all over the world, we were also dealing with people from other countries. Though I have prior experience with dealing different types of people, but this time, I needed to connect with people from different countries. And that means, dealing with different cultures. It was so hard at the beginning but as I was able to build good relationship with them, things ran smoothly and naturally.

Third, the team. Coming from a company dominated by men, I came to Fluor and in a department dominated with women. I was able to make friends and even still connect with them until now. I was able to know the amazing team and learned from them.

Fourth, I became a morning person. By default, waking up in the morning was so hard for me. I would rather stay up late than wake up early. But working at Fluor changed that. Since our shift can start at 6AM, I would wake up at 5AM so that I can start early and go home early. Eventually, I was able to do it.

Lastly, the work from home setup. Since I joined a few months before the pandemic, I only worked in the office for 2 or 3 months. The rest was at home already. And this setup opened my desire to work from anywhere. Though it’s work location specific, but still thankful that I got the chance to work from home. Wherein I would directly open my laptop, log in and start working the moment I woke up. Without the worries of what to wear, the traffic, etc.

ORANGE ENERGY 🧡

The pandemic had triggered my anxiety, made me think on what’s important & how uncertain life is, and opened up my desire to be at home with my family. At least being with them physically would make me at peace. I had all the negative thoughts and sometimes I would wonder if I can wake up the next day. I had fear of getting the virus while I’m out for grocery run. And that’s how my paranoia and anxiety started to kick in.

Again, so blessed that I was able to find a job that would let me do that. Be at home, be with my family. And it seems like this is the answer to what I’ve been praying for the longest time – to never leave home again to work.

And this is the biggest perk of this job. To be able to work not just at home but anywhere. Since then, I was working mostly at home. Sometimes at the resort, sometimes at the port, at the car, at the ship, sometimes at another province, sometimes at the beach, sometimes at the hotel, one time at the hospital, another time at the jungle. And now I feel like I’m becoming a Digital Nomad.

Since I am working anywhere, I do not have to worry on what would I wear. I do not have to be on my office attire. In most times, I am just in my shirt and shorts combo. As long as I look presentable when there’s video calls, all good.

Another perk was that the people I work with. Though I am a one-man team and directly working with my boss (the CEO), I also had chances to work with other teams. And they’re just amazing and supportive. And I have a very understanding and thoughtful boss.

Though the downside was the working schedule which is a night shift but I am slowly adjusting to it. And I guess this is another perk – to work on a night shift. Few years back, I said that I cannot do a BPO job coz it would be difficult for me to work at night. But here I am, awake as of this writing, preparing for my dawn snack before heading back to work again. 😊

So there you go! My 10-year journey in the corporate world. This may be so young but I am still grateful. For the people, the lesson, the challenges, the discoveries. I still don’t know what’s gonna happen next. Coz as we all know, things could change.

But what will not change is how grateful and glad I am to what I’ve been through and to where I am now. And I am thankful to God as always for guiding me and for holding unto me when I am about to give up.

I am still not rich and still has tons of bills, so I still have to work. Harder, better. 😅

Til here… Hope this post makes sense. Haha This is my 2AM self doing all the writing. 🤭😀

P. S. The hardest part of working is leaving. Especially when you already created a strong bond. But, you gotta do what you have to do. As long as you’re not burning bridges, things will be fine. 😉