I just wanted to take this off my chest and wanted to tell you about my first day of work.
I was overwhelmed. This is my 4th employer - but for the first time, i had a "programme checklist" that was handed to me as my so called "induction process". Therefore I had the pleasure to "tick off" the names of whom ever was assigned to brief me (BTW, I counted more than 5 ppl for this briefing procedure). This briefing is systematically done with dates and time which will last until end of next week. In my opinion, "this is kinda cool.."
So the place I was assigned to had no PC. "Standard laa..." I had never received a PC on the first day by my other 3 employers. So it's no biggie. But as I understand it, my bosses and my buddy (the colleague who will help me around) was "upset" that I didn't get my PC yet. Their reaction overwhelmed me.
Okay, one of the programmes in my list is a session with the Director. It went fine,... until he pulled out a slide presentation which informs on the progress to internal clients in Canada done in early Oct. All I saw from the presentation was "numbers, bar charts, line graphs, and more numbers". And I'm like "holy shit!" here. All of these numbers are figures of the past 6 months divison achievements. Hence, indirectly telling me that each month, there is a target to accomplish... And it's a lot of numbers....!!
What's more surprising is.. - my NAME and my PICTURE was highlighted (in that slide presentation!!) as one of the new faces to the team. "Damn Overwhelming man..."
Since I don't have a PC (well.. I wasn't shaking my leg! I was reading thru some ISO documents), some other pretty fella just shoved a notebook at my face... - informing that this is the Director's notebook, for temporary use.
"Hurray!" I was in dire need of Internet connection!! But unfortunately the notebook couldn't get connected properly. So I only managed to see their network drives
...And that wasn't even lunch time yet...
Surprise Surprise!! The team did a welcome lunch for me. (For ME?!!! -- fuuhyooo!).
Ate at Sri Melaka (nice food - something like Cozy Corner) with another 14 colleagues.
...And the most overwhelming programme came right after lunch...
After lunch, my programme was with my immediate boss - going through the project
that I will be involved in and handling it.
Well, It Serves Me Right! Padan Muka myself!
What I wanted was more than I expected! I thought I will be handling Asia Pacific region - who says?!!! I will be handling it "Globally" as for now..- when software is deployed/released - my buddy wil support and train on it for Asia Pacific... - and "ME" here will be handling, - well, basically "the rest of the World!!"
"What I am thinking?"
And, "ha ha ha", even before the deployment, I have to get my hands dirty and really know the inside out of the project. Since the project should deploy "Globally" (to internal clients), my Project Director is in the States. The I.A. (they called it Business Analyst) is also in the States!! Software is being developed in Canada! So basically key decisions makers are in the States!
I can feel my head spinning already....
And...ooo...yeap! They LOOOVVEE meetings! There's monthly meetings - talk about progress (more numbers) with ASEAN region. There's fortnightly meeting - knowledge sharing presentation where everyone will take turns and present (mine will be somewhere in 1st Q 2007) and Weekly meetings with the project team (that I am involved) - i.e. via teleconferencing with ppl in the States and Canada - and talk about progress (and more numbers..!).
Shit
And there's other internal activities like Conference in April, Einstein Challenge, Accreditation Trainings and Test, etc. Basically, they've planned MY LIFE until Nov 2007!!
Major Shit!
And almost at the end of the briefing session with my boss, I was already half-listening to the words she said. All in my mind was, my brain was already in "daze" mode.. - and my brain could only tell me "breathe Rini, breathe..."
And then, I just realised that:
I will be doing all of these work --- alone
When they mentioned "Globally". they really MEAN "Globally". My boss showed my an email that broadcasted my NAME to all these Directors (all over the world) on my coming aboard to ACN
I'm the only "Malay" in the department. The rest of them are Chinese, Indian and Mat Salleh
Do I "actually" have the right skill sets to do what they actually want me to do?
Why on earth did I actually want to choose this job anyway?!!!
Well... look at the time.... the session was over at 4:30pm.
--- WHAT?!! It's just 4:30pm?!! I have one more hour to survive!!!
I got to my desk, and found a spanking new HP notebook next to my Director's "shabby" Toshiba notebook. "Ha! I got a notebook! Yay!"
But the notebook was heavier than the Dell i used to carry from SKALI... and the
case is a "backpack". I kinda like the "sling/shoulder" bag (like before) better
...and "whoop dee doo"... I have 20 emails already!...
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Now, I feel relieved that i wrote all of what OVERWHELMED me on the 1st day.
I'm sharing this to you because these are also pointers to SKALI to improve internal processes.
The "programme checklist" is a good way to involve a lot of people to share / teach the new employee on all the systems, process, and procedures - hands on.
The ISO Process Procedure. I managed to run through documents that shows details of the processes of Project Management.
Khairul -- they've even have processes for Requirement Study. So it's a bonus point to the Usability if I can get a copy of digest/download/scan into my brain. Hence next week[end], I can sit down and run through with you.Yes.. they do have TimeSheet application that I have to conform to
They have a LOUSY Intranet site! No updates since Nov 2005. SKALI, do come and fix them up!
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Anyway, that's all. All the best!