My working experiences

Wow! I was tidying up my employment and academic documents just a while ago and realized that I started working since 1997 at the age of 17! My first post was at a private company (I can’t remember what is the industry now) as a Production Clerk then promoted to General Clerk. Back then, a General Clerk is equivalent to a Administrator position of now. All that I can remember are the stares from the Malaysian workers, working in a ‘fish tank” looking office with two other colleagues, checking and calculating workers’ timecards, doing data entry and being asked by the manager to help out his ex wife doing some textiles sample during OFFICE HOURS. The workers there dotes me lot and would happily dropped by our office to ask if we need help to buy roti prata for breakfast or anything for bee hoon. I always have fond memories of the bee hoon soup which cost only $1.50 with so many ingredients in it.

I left the company to pursue my Diploma and did my internship in 1999, in a Syringe making company, attached to the MIS dept, doing programming, upgrading the company system to Y2K compliances, clearing bugs for the staff, and running reports. I hated that department the most because I have to work in a all men environment. There was no one to talk to and to them, females are dumb (like how dumb their mother has bore them). It was a horrible experience when my supervisor expected me to know programming and passing sarcastic remarks making one feel so useless. But I am from an electronic background, and I have said that programming is not my main strength! Its all about the poor allocation that got to be blame! However, they certainly paid me better than the rest of my classmates back then. :)

During my three years of studying in TP, I did part time tuition for night classes in a primary school. Home tuition, and in tuition centre. The earnings from the tuition had made it easy for me to put me through my three years programme in TP without adding on financial burden to my family. I could easily grab a cab and travel to campus on the days when I have laboratory lessons at 8am. When my classmates prefers to have lunch at canteens, I chose to had mine in the air conditioned cafes. But when I eventually found my regular kakis, we will gather and have long talking and eating sessions in the canteens which was what I enjoyed the most.

In 2002, I joined a supercomputing company in Science Park I, under the sales and marketing department but mainly acted as a secretary to a regional director. My working experiences in this company were a pleasant one because I mainly report to one administrator and my director and I could have my lunch own time one target. Whenever there are product launches, we will have to plan events at hotels like fullerton, entertain the press and customers, then we will have celebrations at Brewerks. The only thing I do not like is to do lunch reception duty once a week among us admin/secretaries and meeting pple is not something I enjoy doing.

After a year of contract, I didnt want to continue my service because of the expenses (traveling and food), therefore I found a working place near where I stay. So, by chance, I joined a semi government organisation which is just a few kilometers away from where I stay. I was with this organization for almost 6 years, doing their yearly annual reports and internal publications until I decided to have a change of environment.

Leaving my lovely boss and colleagues behind me, I went to embark a new challenge at a local Chinese company doing processing their sales and purchases order but couldn’t get along with the Malaysian girls. A simple email sent to them means a disaster to them as if I am challenging them. Then they will form their “own clicks”, and gang against one (me), making it difficult for me to work smoothly. After working in a few places, this was my worst experience. Our HR Head is the patrolling police who will send email to your boss if you are caught wearing slippers or sandals walking out from your department to the nearby washroom. There were many factors (Culture, politics, and work nature) that drove me to tendering my resignation within 24 hours.

Eventually, by chance again, I found my current job, back to what I was familiar. The culture in this organization is a complete change. I could talk freely with my colleagues, we could voice our opinions and make any changes as long as it is justifiable and helps to improve our working procedures. Of cos, there are some nasty people that I have to deal with as and when but nasty pppl are everywhere, just like good ppl.

Nevertheless, looking back at the experiences I gain from the past organizations I worked in, I am glad to have been chosen to work here.

Minus off the years that I spent studying in between the years I have started working, it’s been almost 10 years of working experiences till date and still counting...