My 18 years journey in Workforce

18 years of working. I started my career in 1995. 

Looking back, now I know how lucky I was. 

I always have passion in IT world and I wanted to work in Private sectors. I knew what I needed to enter the IT world. I got to know about my first job from 7 Eleven ad. I remembered I saw this little black and white poster on the display. I took the number, gave them a call the next day and I got the job the following day. While most of my university mates were enjoying their semester break before entering the work force, I started my first day in real adult world - as an employed person the day after I took my last final year paper. The feeling was great. Being the eldest in the family, I was relieved that I no longer a burden to my parents. Now, I can even pay them back and took over the responsibilities in helping with the education of my other siblings.
While the company I worked with was a great place to be, I knew to grow in this field, I must leave. My next opportunity came and I joined one of the biggest financial conglomerate in Malaysia. It was the best decision I'd ever made. 

Here where I started my career in Project Management. I had a great manager back then. It was my second year as a working person, and technically I was still green. I was eager, full of energy and definitely highly ambitious. I volunteered in many events held by the company, I put up my hand for many new projects. I wanted to learn, my thirst for knowledge was overwhelming. My first failure happened not long after I joined the company. I was asked to design a "library" systems - a.k.a built database. It was a total disaster. 

But I was lucky. Why did I say so? Because my manager back then looked above and beyond that. She pulled me aside, told me programming was definitely not my forte, and recommended that I focus on project management as she saw that it was my strength. I was assigned the first project for the company - rolled out Intranet. It went successfully. It was the start, the best start ever, and I never looked back since. Until today, I'll never forget what she had done to me. I adapted her best practices, and I applied what I learned from her until today. Once a while, when I was around Yap Kwan Seng area, I will call her up and catch up with her. She was my manager since 1996, and I still have the highest regards on her until today.

Then I met my husband, and I migrated to Perth, Australia. 

I learned first hand how hard it was to penetrate Perth market. It took me nearly 9 months to get a job there. After applying 100 managerial jobs and still failing to secure a place - I discovered there was no way I can penetrate it without having the "Perth working experience". Then I decided to start from scratch. I got the first entry level job I applied. I grabbed it even though the pay was low and the position was something I did 5 years before. I knew I won't stay long in this job. 

I had great experience working in this company. It was totally different culture and environment. A little bit more relax than I used to. Where when I was working for the bank I usually clocked at least 12 hours a day, minimum 6 days a week whereby this Perth job, I got the luxury to go back home right on the dot, without any consideration to work in the weekends. It was difficult to adjust, but eventually I got used to the working environment. I remembered fondly, how I struggled to understand the thick Australian accent. Many times I asked my colleagues and customers to repeat their statements. I was lucky as I had such supportive colleagues who continuously gave me the boost to adapt and to get use to the lingo and accent. 

I also had such a wonderful manager and a colleague whom I learned a lot from. Both of them made my adjustment to Australian working culture and way of working as an enjoyable experience. It was indeed a great experience, and I left the company as I intended to grow and move towards Project Manager role in Perth market. I still get in touch with my manager and my colleague. Whenever time permit, I will make an arrangement either to call or meet up with them when I am in Perth. 

My second job in Perth was with an international company, headquartered in Perth, to be precise, just 5 mins from where I used to live. What a lucky person I was. This was an important move to me as I intended to make it as my ticket to move towards bigger player and bigger picture. Once again luck was on my side as I had a great manager - who also a Malaysian, opted to be an Australian citizen. It was fun as whenever we needed to speak in secrecy, we switched to Malay. I was impressed, even though he has been in Australia for more than 35 years, he did not miss a bit in his Malay lingo. He actually helped me built up my network that I ended up managing significant projects for the company, which was a great bonus for my CV.
As some says, we can only planned, but the Almighty dictate the path. 

My husband and I decided to move back to Malaysia, and in 2007 we returned home. My oversea working experience opened doors of opportunities. Within 3 months after our returned, I got the job with one of the biggest Oil and Gas in the world. I met with one of my great mentor in my career. He is a Kiwi. I can't pin point exactly his strengths, as I think that exactly it. He was someone who rolled in as a leader with all pre-requisites - he got all ticks next to list items.
The Oil and Gas company later outsourced it to an ICT company specializing in outsourcing, and I joined the new company, together with my Kiwi manager. 

He was someone who directed subtly, who worked as hard as his direct reports, if not harder. He took in his staff suggestions, never turn them down on the spot, but came back with his decisions thereafter. He took his time to explain the reason he thought the suggestions won't work, and engaged us to work together with him to achieve the goals together. He allowed me to take the risks on something I passionately believed in, and did not reprimand me when I failed. In fact, he backed me up all the way, and worked together to clean the mess. The experience he introduced was so great that I grew heaps and bounce under his leadership. Under his guidance-ship, I successfully completed a complex program ahead of schedule.
One thing I learned from him, greatly, was the power of working together with your project teams through empowerment and close engagement. Transparency is the key and then it builds trust, which naturally followed by great cooperation from the staff. This definitely spell a great success. 

After completed the program, I was offered to join an international team in the Netherlands. I gladly accepted the offer and migrated to the Netherlands with my family.
2010 was the year. Great leaders are born. That's my conclusion. 

Here, working for international client in a consumer market, I worked for a great leader from South Africa. I watched how he pulled the business from below red line to above it and towards safety zone. I watched him managed the customers - who started off as very unhappy customers and he turned their perception to positiveness in less than 3 months. I watched him innovated the way Service Delivery should be, introduced many new ideas and implemented them successfully. I watched him turned a highly complex organisation, with resources scattered all around the world, where resources came from various countries - into one great team. Under one year, he drove all of us to work as a family - with common goals. We trusted each other. We supported each other. I learned the true meaning of a great leader. I am not sure if I am able to be like him. I want to grow up to be like him. I want to be a great leader - a great mentor - a great person. He also a very passionate and caring person, who care genuinely and really put aside his busy schedule for the development and welfare of his direct reports. He listened, he empowered and he lead. Customers love him, respect him and listen to him. He has returned to his homeland to be with his family, and he definitely left behind a great legacy with foot prints that hard to measure up to. 

I returned to Malaysia after 2 years servicing the account. A great experience that will forever be part of the best moments in my life. 

Now, I am on the verge of changing my job functions. Still within the same company, but for different role. Back to my area of expertise - Project Management.

I believe with my experience, and what I've learned over the past 18 years, I am able to steer and manage my new challenges successfully. 

The bottom line, I want to be a great leader : respected by my team members, supported by them and trusted by them.
I want to be a great player with my peers.
I want to be a reliable and highly dependable staff to my manager.
I want to be a great wife to my husband.
I want to be a good mother to my son. 

Hard chores I set myself here. But I believe I can make it with the blessing from Him and  my families. 

Friends, Friendships, Love and Care

41 Years of living. How many more to go, only God knows.
 
I am sitting down at home now, when one thought suddenly strike me.  Friends that I have around me.  I just realise they are different... in many ways, but they are all connected to me.  How strange it sounds?   How logical is that?  How real?
I try to "categorise" the friends I have.  Yup.. I am no different in personal and professional life. Don't know whether to take this as my strength or weakness.
Always people say, friends are those who are there for you in bad in and in good time. I have to confirm that statement.  I experienced it first hand.
Now, I must say, I have friends I made when I was in elementary/ primary schools, friends whom I met when I was in secondary schools, in University, from work, and friends whom I have as part of my social gathering, friends of friends. I simply lost counts.  But they are all my friends.  I call them friends.
My father was an army.  So, when I was younger, my family always travel all over Malaysia.  As the result, I met with a lot of friends in my school days.  I attended 3 elementary/ primary schools, and 3 secondary/ high schools.  I have 2 friends whom I can declare as my closest and best friends back then.  Friends whom I shared all my secrets, my wishes, my hopes.  Thanks God, we still keep in touch until today. I met them again through Facebook.  You know who you are.  
I also have a bunch of friends whom I met when I stayed in a hostel.  I saw some of them form unbreakable friendships with each other.  Truly lovely to see.  Such strong bond formed when you were together since 13 years old. Though I was not one of them, but I am happy to acknowledge they are my friends too, not close, but friends nevertheless. There are some friends whom I keep in touch from high school.  
Thanks for keeping the friendship alive. Though virtually, we still keep in touch. 

When I entered University, I have one strong determination back then.  I took a Degree in Mathematics, with minor in Education, and English.  I am a certified teacher, but from day one, I vowed that I will never be a teacher.  I know who I am.  Though I know deep down I can be a good teacher, but it is simply not a field I can excel nor satisfied with.  So, I surrounded myself with positive thinking people.  Friends who can push me to be the best, and to improve myself further in order to achieve my targets. English was not one of my strongest point.  I was laughed at a few times, chuckled and smirked at because I was not good at it. But those chuckles, smugness, and arrogance were the exact reasons that lead me to succeed.  I have two closest friends, the person whom I can call my best friend back then.  The person with whom I shared my dreams and my ambition. Thanks God we still keep in touch as well until today.  We still know each other progress, marriages, kids, schools.  Wonderful feelings.  Even though the contacts were not as regular as I want to, but I know today if I raise my hands for help, they will run to offer me one. 

A day after I completed by final paper, I received a job offer which I accepted immediately. While my other friends were still enjoying their study break, I already started working, earning my first dime. Here, I met with a friend, through a friend.  She has become my best friend, the friend who always there for me, until today.  She was the anchor during my wedding, together with other friends.  Something I will never forget, for sure. Through her, I knew other friends who has become the best circle of friends I've ever encountered.  They welcome me so warmheartedly despite the fact I hardly knew them back then.  10 years on, we still keep in touch regularly with this group of great friends.  Amazing! As a direct result, I also brought into the same circle my good friend whom I met while I was working in a bank.  So, the family became bigger and greater. 

Then I have friends whom I met at work.  Some have become my good friends as well.  Still keep in touch, still care for each others.  
I worked in 3 different countries, with 4 different employers. Naturally, I have friends from all walk of life, different cultures, different beliefs, different countries.  I met with so many wonderful souls, lovely people, caring friends.  

I have two great friends from Down Under. We still keep in touch until today.  We continue to put effort to get in touch regularly, dropping in news every now and then.  Whenever I am back in Perth, I will try to meet up with them, tough  though, but still put the effort nevertheless.  Thanks on the friendship.  I really treasure it. 

Then when I moved back to Malaysia, to my pleasant surprise, a pilgrim to a big international company has opened up completely new doors to me.  I found out that my most satisfying friendship ever comes from my latest assignment abroad.  Working with a group of friends, how good does that sound to you?  But, that's exactly how I felt.  These are the people who not only provide support to me professionally, but also personally.  Their care are genuine, the friendship are warmth.   

Then the friends I made while lived abroad.  You are truly amazing.  I was just bedazzled by all of you.  The experience with the passing of my mum has shown me how great friends you are. Thank you! 
A friend who shared office with me for the past 2 years.  You are a good friend, hopefully we can still be after I leave the account.  Must keep in touch! 
I also met friends from my professional circle. 
A lovely lady in Stuttgart, an American who lives in Germany.  And another one; a Colombian who is also now an American. 
Then the lady who looks after my boss. She is just a wonderful soul.  
A friend who looks after another boss, another wonderful lady.  
My boss, such a great person, and a great friend too.  Caring and loving for sure.  
His fellow country man, also a great friend I have.  
I also have the pleasure to have my path cross with two friends, who used to be my direct report.  One who was so helpful and caring.  Who shed her tears when she knew I was leaving.  You are so wonderful. I thanks you all on your help and support.  The other one, we continue our friendship after she left the company. She drove for 1 hr just to express her condolences to me face to face. She baked a cake for my farewell too! Thank you dear! 
My professional friends, who now become my friends as well.  My direct reports, now turn to be friends.  Thanks on the friendship. 
When one abroad, we always tend to form a formidable friendship, somehow we are better united when we are out of our country.  So, I met these wonderful Malaysian friends as well. One in particular, who came to express her condolence, who came to wish me goodbye, who again invited me over to her house when she knew I was coming over.  Thank you to you. 

Wow, what a list of friends I have. 

I hope 1, 3, 5, 10 years down the road, we all can still turn back and think all the lovely memories, the great dos, the wonderful laughter and tears together.  I cannot imagine when someone told me, the person never has a friend. I simply cannot imagine if I don't have one! I am not sure that is the world I want to live in. So, thank you so much all for the offer of friendships, for taking me in as your friend, to be there for me in needs, in tears, in joys. 


Thank you...