thoughts on my career
after reading leilanie's post on you hate your job when ...i have a thing or two to share too about my experiences with my bosses. unlike leilanie though, i don't hate my job...in fact, i like it a lot..and it's the first ever job that actually brings some value for me, my everyday life and my future..other jobs i've held before didn't have that value which i could bring with me.
for instance, my first job as an engineer in a big MNC in the US was more of me taking a huge paid vacation and not learning anything at the end of the day. i can't even remember exactly what i did except sitting in front of machines and running simulations after simulations of board testing..(yeah i know..fun...NOT!) but the nice thing about it was i got to make some new friends (mostly of foreign race) and get to experience of working with them. the work ethics there are also quite different from ours here. of course, people are expected to come to work on time, and if we arrive late, we wouldn't get "the look" as much as we would here. taking a break means taking it whenever you feel like having a cup of coffee or just say hi to your friends..here, it means you have to take it a certain time, and only for a certain amount of time, or you would be getting "the look" again..but i guess this is not applicable for private companies...they should be pretty laid back.
anyway, my second job was again, not too fulfilling for me, even though i kinda enjoyed the meeting with people from other companies and the eating here and there part. but when it came to the nitty gritty of it...i really didn't like what i was doing. i mean i was an engineer, in an engineering post, and 70 per cent of my job required me to draft/proofread legal documents which sounded too alien to me...so, i was more than happy when i gave up that job . but my boss was nice..even though she (yea SHE..my only female boss so far). even though she changed her mind like she changed her clothes, i still liked her...and she was nice to me..despite some (very small) incidents which proved to be otherwise..she even took me as far as Hong Kong on a business trip. and there, we bonded :) we went shopping for bags, shoes, and clothes..we ate at restaurants together, and went sight-seeing together..hahah...i haven't seen her for 3 years now..i hope she's doing well..
and then..my third job...as a lecturer..a career i never thought i'd get myself into ever..i still remember..the night before my first class, i cried myself to sleep in fear that i would not be able to face the students tomorrow, as i had no teaching experience, etc...but that was that...hahah i've passed that fear stage..and have become quite adept with talking in front of a big crowd..being a lecturer doesn't confine you to the "meeting with your boss" ritual like other jobs. you're expected to be independent...do your own thing..go to classes whenever you have them...meet your students when they need you..but interaction with the boss is pretty minimal...my bosses then were alright...didn't really work with them at a personal level...more of a collective work...
and finally, here..at my forth job, also as a lecturer but at another learning institution, the practice is quite similar with my previous job, but with more essence...here i get to explore on what i want to do within the next 5 years...and learning so many new things..things which i didn't get to learn while on job number 3, like research work, publications, and what's it like to be a real academic...i think it has to do with the environment that i'm exposed to now..and also having a boss who, from day one stressed the real meaning of being an academic. it's more than just teaching..it's about enriching yourself..to be in a life-long learning process..and i could say the "fear" of the boss too has something to do with it..hahahah..fear of not being as smart as he expected you to be...fear of not being able to talk the talk and walk the walk..and right now i am "fearing" of what the heck should i be talking about with my boss as a report routine which he has enforced. ok gotta look for stuff to talk about now...
for instance, my first job as an engineer in a big MNC in the US was more of me taking a huge paid vacation and not learning anything at the end of the day. i can't even remember exactly what i did except sitting in front of machines and running simulations after simulations of board testing..(yeah i know..fun...NOT!) but the nice thing about it was i got to make some new friends (mostly of foreign race) and get to experience of working with them. the work ethics there are also quite different from ours here. of course, people are expected to come to work on time, and if we arrive late, we wouldn't get "the look" as much as we would here. taking a break means taking it whenever you feel like having a cup of coffee or just say hi to your friends..here, it means you have to take it a certain time, and only for a certain amount of time, or you would be getting "the look" again..but i guess this is not applicable for private companies...they should be pretty laid back.
anyway, my second job was again, not too fulfilling for me, even though i kinda enjoyed the meeting with people from other companies and the eating here and there part. but when it came to the nitty gritty of it...i really didn't like what i was doing. i mean i was an engineer, in an engineering post, and 70 per cent of my job required me to draft/proofread legal documents which sounded too alien to me...so, i was more than happy when i gave up that job . but my boss was nice..even though she (yea SHE..my only female boss so far). even though she changed her mind like she changed her clothes, i still liked her...and she was nice to me..despite some (very small) incidents which proved to be otherwise..she even took me as far as Hong Kong on a business trip. and there, we bonded :) we went shopping for bags, shoes, and clothes..we ate at restaurants together, and went sight-seeing together..hahah...i haven't seen her for 3 years now..i hope she's doing well..
and then..my third job...as a lecturer..a career i never thought i'd get myself into ever..i still remember..the night before my first class, i cried myself to sleep in fear that i would not be able to face the students tomorrow, as i had no teaching experience, etc...but that was that...hahah i've passed that fear stage..and have become quite adept with talking in front of a big crowd..being a lecturer doesn't confine you to the "meeting with your boss" ritual like other jobs. you're expected to be independent...do your own thing..go to classes whenever you have them...meet your students when they need you..but interaction with the boss is pretty minimal...my bosses then were alright...didn't really work with them at a personal level...more of a collective work...
and finally, here..at my forth job, also as a lecturer but at another learning institution, the practice is quite similar with my previous job, but with more essence...here i get to explore on what i want to do within the next 5 years...and learning so many new things..things which i didn't get to learn while on job number 3, like research work, publications, and what's it like to be a real academic...i think it has to do with the environment that i'm exposed to now..and also having a boss who, from day one stressed the real meaning of being an academic. it's more than just teaching..it's about enriching yourself..to be in a life-long learning process..and i could say the "fear" of the boss too has something to do with it..hahahah..fear of not being as smart as he expected you to be...fear of not being able to talk the talk and walk the walk..and right now i am "fearing" of what the heck should i be talking about with my boss as a report routine which he has enforced. ok gotta look for stuff to talk about now...
posted by fara-k @ 2:17 PM
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