Well, I won’t allow that I would not have any write-up about my first year in job!
And here it is!
Yesterday night (Sunday), when I was about to sleep, I suddenly asked myself if why should I set my alarm clock that early. I was initially thinking then of going to office early or at least on time. To admit it, lately, I have been arriving in the office past 8am although we are supposed to be there at the said time. Well, this is with the fact that I have so many tasks to do. My work load had just increased lately! Well, that moment made me asked if I have lost motivation in work. Or am I just lazy? Am I that not performing well? How long have I been like that? Have I lost myself?
Until now, I could not believe that I’ll be turning one year in my job tomorrow! Everything just seems so fast. I felt like everything was horizontal. No significant rise and at least no dramatic fall. It is like at least I’m on a status of, “just keep going.” Well, that is how I described my work life and generally my life after the hardwork and dramatic exit from college. In a general view, it is like if where you found me last year, it is still where you can find me today. But mind you, maintaining “this keep going” pace is not really easy. At a closer look of my first year of being a “young professional” it was like a roller-coaster (as how I often described some happenings in my life). Indeed, there was a fluctuation of emotions, mental state and so on. And yet I am happy that in the span of one year after college, my learning in this real world has been incremental! Well, that does not only pertain to the technical knowledge that I should be acquiring but more importantly, on how to live this life now in this jungle of “real” world.
Dress down. A Friday moment in the office wherein we are allowed to dress down after wearing semi-formal attires from Monday to Thursday.
Let me recollect of what were really my plans before graduating. I was a guy then who had full of dreams (well, until now). I thought that my college degree could easily bring me to where I want to be—high paying and fulfilling job. Though, I have been always aware that I am so innocent of many things in this world due to limited exposure of how really the system works. That made me decided to get away from my comfort zone. I did not want to work in Los Baños, which until now I treat as my second home. I did not want to teach in any college or university which I know where my passion is. I love to talk in front of people and share “what I know.” I love to make lectures and handouts! The desire of getting away from the comfort made me firmly decide to work in Manila and at least practice my degree.
After a month from graduation then, I was hired. I started to work June 1, 2009. Relatively, I was quite fortunate that I did not find it hard to look for a job. Although the weeks of sitting and waiting for something to do was really an agony for me. There were also moments that I asked myself if what is wrong with my resume or me? That question until now actually haunts me. I felt also bad because some of the organizations which I applied for called me on my first week in job. If they have contacted me earlier, how I wish I could have demanded to all of them (evil laugh) so that I was able to choose the best of the best in the midst of my boredom. Because of lack of patience in sitting and waiting and a good opportunity of working with prominent people, I accepted my first official job offer which gave me also my first (quick) job interview.
Because of my love to my degree and as on how I described myself during the job interview, first assignment was about people. It was not easy, as my big boss put it: challenging. However, as time passes by, as my immediate supervisor told me, I have to learn the business. And so work assignments evolved. From community relations I experience property recovery, various researches, organizational development, recruitment, and marketing among others. Definitely, it was not easy. There were times that I was stressed and pressured because there were really moments that I was doing things that I was not trained for. I felt like on those moments, I was misplaced. But I know deep inside, God has a very good reason of why he put me here. Besides, I am learning a lot.
Over the months in my first year in job, of course I cannot avoid various comments from various people in my life about to where I am right now and to what I have been doing. Some were happy of where I am. Some cared for me because there was a danger in my work. There were also some who were envy. Some where shocked because I am not directly applying my degree after graduating with flying colors. Some believed that I could have been in a better position. Some were amaze on how I perform on those tasks that I am clueless with. Absolutely, these various opinions made me both happy and disappointed in my life. That required me to have a regular introspection.
Amidst the not so remarkable one year in work, contrary to what achievement one can get in a semester in college like being a university scholar, I believe that I have been so blessed of so many things in life. As my roommate said, at least I can buy now some of the things that I want with my own money. In addition, I can help now my family financially. I was able to treat some of my friends. I was able to meet different and prominent people. I am learning the ropes in real estate and property development. I am learning how a private company works. And above all, I learned what I really want and where I should be. I realized to follow further my dreams.
