I'M in my 31st year in the corporate jungle, yet, I still feel the fire burning. I must admit there were tough times, but at the end of the day, you're grateful.
It was 1991. I rested for a year after graduation. It was my father's decision because of this notion that once you start working, you won't have much rest.
Who was I to complain then? I had an allowance just like I was still studying. That continued for close to a year. Eventually, he gave me an ultimatum. I was given seed money with the tall order of getting employed before funds were exhausted. Otherwise, I'm on my own. Although, he still told me to deposit it in the bank.
My father was right. Once I started working, there was no gap since 1992, even when I had to change jobs.
I sent out my resume to different companies and was accepted by a few. I narrowed my choices to two and chose, only to end up with the same company I'm with now. And this is after 17 years of working with four different companies.
I grew up and studied with the typewriter as an alternative to handwritten work. Imagine the horror of meeting the computer with DOS as its operating system and using FOX software. It was a struggle, and my fingers were too heavy on the keyboard. I often forgot that I was no longer using a typewriter.
I saw and experienced banking from its manual days to where it is now. My officemates and I were giddy with the first talking ATM. We had fun thinking that it would say out loud your balance.
From pager to digital telecommunication, we've seen and experienced it all then. During my years in the telecom industry, I've seen it grow from short message service (SMS) to multimedia messaging service (MMS) and internet messaging platform.
Present day.
Technology is only a fraction of the changes. Management style has also changed, and so with the corporate policies and culture. What used to be taboo then is now allowed.
I belong to Generation X and first worked with Baby Boomer bosses. Now, I have Millenial and Gen Z colleagues. To survive, you need to adjust and continually update yourself.
It's two-way traffic, they learn from your experience, and you have a thing or two to learn from them.
The time has come when the mentee becomes the mentor.
