Aug 31 2009

Thoughts After Finding My Job And Its Ups And Downs

Posted by Simon Zhen in Career, College, Debt
1 Comment

Almost 3 weeks ago, I was offered an interview for a position that would support my applications for dental school. It was a coincidence that the interview was on my birthday and I had hoped it would provide some luck for this birthday boy. And certainly enough, I got the job!

As my first full-time job coming out of college, I was fully devoted to it. Since the position would be an essential stepping stone towards my dream career, I’m not going to disappoint my boss and, most importantly, myself.

Honestly, the first few days of work were quite an overload on my body and mind. I was expected to learn everything from the previous employee in about one and a half days. I’ve always thought of myself as a quick learner so it wasn’t so bad. Also, 12-hours workdays were quite overwhelming. I return home ready to crash the bed. With the many responsibilities put on me, I believe I’ve become a valuable part of the office.

Everything has gotten to be routine for me at work and that makes it much easier. My boss has expressed much content with my performance and the great part is that I’m learning a lot. A boss that is easy to talk to and is willing to teach is very hard to come by nowadays. After 3 weeks, I am now helping to train others.

Ups

Learning a lot.
Stable source of income.
Adds to my dental school applications.
Flexibility in work hours.

Downs

Less time for family and friends (especially after long days).
Deprived attention for the blog.

Now that I’m somewhat acclimated to work, I should be able to make the most of the time that I do have. With income, I also should be saving for a large payment towards my college debt (first payment in December), which I expect to deviate from the set repayment plan.

Photo credit: Joe Mabel