Tuesday 14 September 2010

How does it feel to be in my current modern slavery position

Obviously, the initial feeling is pretty good. I mean… moving into a head office position, it does gives you a glamorous feeling.

When I first arrived in the office, almost all the administrative and logistic matters were already settled… gadgets were cool and they gave me an i-Phone!… linked to my work mail server of course. But still… very cool. So yeah… it was a good feeling…

Next, the composition of colleagues within my team is quite over-whelming. I am the second youngest guy in the team and the only person without international exposure, the rest are all very experience people in this function I am in.

Sometimes, during discussions; the level of conversation is so high level and so corporately intellectual, I am left thoroughly amazed. I would like to believe that I am quite a quick thinker but man… these guys whom I work with are way too fast for me. I am like a small child feeding off the experience and knowledge of others.

And then, there will be days where I do feel quite powerful. With just 1 e-mail, I can (if I want) send chills through some people’s spine. With just 1 e-mail, I can instruct people to do a lot of things involving quite a lot of $$$. The details are beyond sharing boundaries but yeah… such are the days when I feel powerful.

Then there are days where I feel I am being put on the spot. Today – was a classic example. I was thrown with about 15 slides and was then asked to do a presentation… 10 minutes before a meeting. Fair enough, I am fairly familiar with the stuff but shite… 10 minutes preparation!

I think my boss did it on purpose because he has put me on the spot several times. Maybe it’s a training process, I should ask him the next time we have our 1-to-1 talk. Anyway, I have to say enjoy it. It’s actually very satisfying when you pull it off.

Apart from all that…

I have to admit that it can be quite frightening being in this position. I would even go to the extent to say that there were times where I really felt very fearful. I am fully aware that this organisation has very low tolerance for mistake. If I am fucked… I am really fucked…

Yeah… it’s glamorous to feel powerful and all but if I made a wrong call, I know my job is on the line.

Life is like that… I guess…


1 year ago…
The unforgettable accident experience Part 3Are you racist?

3 years ago… Whack it over the weekend

20 comments:

sinlady said...

corporately intellectual? that's funny somehow :)

granted there is always a lot more to learn, but keep in mind too that oftentimes people who come across like so smart are just great b-s'ers.

norick said...

A challenging work is good to keep abreast one’s competency!! How envy I'm with you..

Wonder when will my mushrooming position turn in to a challenging mode..~~

P/S: Happy to see you have time back on blogging

doc said...

everything else notwithstanding, isn't the paycheck worth the slavery???

fufu said...

well it's not easy to be there, that level you know? all the best :) but i know you can make it! beautifully =p

Unicorn Girl said...

do you face the same scenario's working back in M'sia ? Sometimes it's a culture shock working in a totally different enviroment and country .

Yvonne Foong said...

I won't want the job. Is it a guy thing to take up jobs with your kind of pressures and challenges? There are many women who would take on the challenge toom, but even more women prefer to make peace and security. :D

eiling lim said...

then i wish you all the best and may you never get f*cked!!!

Anonymous said...

It's all about taking care of people's $$ . . if you ask me

More importantly, don't forget to constantly remind yourself to upgrade yourself on paper . . that's personal achievement in addition to all the corporate networking and know how =)

best regards,
Oz

Anonymous said...

Indeed life is like that.

I have a very strong feeling that you are loving this challenge because it makes you feel useful and wanted in a different level and environment. Enjoy! :)

Mrs.Zewt will be a Tai-Tai soon. :)

All the best,
ABTT

eyisalsostressed said...

sounds stressful, dude....

Starmandala said...

But what do you actually do, Zewt?

Anonymous said...

politcks politics... is the way to freedom...

Cruel Angel said...

stick to the shore... & u will not find new land...

dare to change?

Anonymous said...

update ur blog la for god sake!!! waiting for so long ;[

Ummie said...

interesting reading. blog more of it.

zewt said...

sinlady - i struggled to find a phrase for that really :)

norick - well, with travelling coming into the picture, may have to take more breaks.

doc - not enough :P

fufu - i am hoping that i can survive... that's all...

Unicorn Girl - it's different. in malaysia, things are a bit relaxed i must say. and generally, malaysia just try "not to do thing" and "not to take up responsibility"... will blog more about it.

zewt said...

Yvonne Foong - i would love peace and security too... but, hard to find.

eiling lim - thanks!

anon aka Oz - you mean... get a MBA? :P

anon aka ABTT - in a way, i do feel good about myself... but, being in such pressure all the time is no good...

eyisalsostressed - get out from there dude...

zewt said...

Antares - unfortunately, i cant really disclose here... but i have left some hints :P

Edi - hahaha... join MCA?

Cruel Angel - absolutely...

anon @ 23/9 2.13pm - got work mate...

Ummie - certainly...

Anonymous said...

Very enlightening blog, especially for an about-to-graduate-student like me. I have tasted a bit of the corporate world and the 9-5/Mon-Fri in the office gets SO draining sometimes. And now I read about all this crap that goes on in the Msian workplace I'm a bit depressed will it break me or my values? But thank you, I also now know that I have many flaws I need to sort out in order to be truly successful in the prof environment

zewt said...

anon @ 4/12 4.02pm - the truth is... is prof career your dream... try chasing for your dreams first... then only join the corporate world...