I went from working for an MNC with thousands of employees to a start-up with only 10 from the day I joined; a hierarchical organization to one that is flat; and the most challenging one of all would be from an R&D circuit designing field to an IT software field. It was a literal 180 deg change that I had to tell myself the day I left my former company – you better not screw this up.
With close to being 1 year in Orangeleaf Consulting, I’m now able to see what I’ve done both right and wrong, since the first day I joined the company, and how I learned to adapt to the new cultures and new technical skills.
✓ Starting early – Knowing that I had 3 weeks off in between jobs, with close to zero experience in programming, I requested access on Mendix Academy so that I can get a head start. Every little effort counts!
✓ Imitate – Email writing style back in my former company is completely different than my current, as the latter deals with clients rather than just for internal use. To learn the new style of writing, I would always place myself in client’s shoe and imagine someone else writing it to me, how would I want the email to be written.
✓ Ask – As I am aware that I have changed my field, to ensure I do not over promise things, I ask every single question I can possibly think of, to ensure that I get all requirements and enquiries clarified, to properly judge if I am able to complete a certain task in time. On top of that, requesting colleagues for a crash course on something that you have zero clue on also helps a ton, rather than spending too much time figuring things out yourself (but of course, don’t expect to be spoon fed). Ask and you shall receive!
These lessons did not come easy, some came from self-reflection, some came from feedback of others. One thing that I’m truly grateful for is having colleagues and superiors who are able to tell you what and how you can be better, and at the same time able to appreciate your efforts, and to comfort you that you are doing okay.
Looking forward to more growth!
