this is my first all-nighter at work. Reminds me of the school days when I used to stay on campus all night working on projects. But this is so different. Now I don’t have to worry about exams and grades. Whatever I do here will directly benefit my career. And I like what I do so its even better.
The system is being tested. Co-workers joking and laughing. Mom’s calling every hour asking when I will be home. Not tonight, mom. I feel the real work starts after working hours, when there are only tech people in the office, and when sales people don’t bug you every 15 minutes to fix their computer. Arghh!! I was hired as a system engineer, not as internal support agent. But it’s life I guess. It’s all cool. I have stopped caring about how relevant my job is to my degree. It’s doesn’t really matter. I am sure 10 years from now I will be doing something completely different, not even remotely related to my education. So what’s the use of bitching about work. I forget about it as soon as I get home. I’ll just follow the path where ever it takes me. I’m tired of swimming against the waves, trying to control my fate. Truth is, nothing is under your control. You just get whatever you have to get. The choice has been made for you. All you have to do play your part. If you try to deviate the path you are supposed to walk, it will only harm you. The world goes on. Nothing changes. So be a good boy and stop wishing for things that is beyond your reach.
Ok, gotta get back to work.
When you are in Pakistan, you are by default placed in a river that is slowly taking you towards a giant water fall.
So, now, better start paddling against the waves to find yourself a stable position near the bank, otherwise you are dooomed!
“And oh one more thing, DONT BE A MANIAC working late hours at work. Such efforts are not really appreciated here. Work smart, not hard, that’s the law.” Words of wisdom from my 4 years of work at 4 different places in Karachi.
I would agree with Reaver, but not fully. My rule is to work as hard as you can (being smart as well, according to your level of experience) in the intial years, say 2 years or so. Working hard is one thing and getting appreciation is other. You can always get appreciation even if you don’t work hard, but working hard gives your experience a boost, it’s always good for your ownself down the road. You have your whole life to get benefits and appreciation, but you have limited time to spend more hours at work, you never know what other responsibilities might bug you in the future or for that matter you don’t know when your energy or motivation decreases.
After, 2 years (or x years) you become a senior guy having experience to help you out in not working late hours and you manage to complete your work earlier.
If there is no rigorous experience you cannot be a smart senior personnel, you don’t have the required credibility and reputation, simply because you don’t have enough practical exposure.
Summary: Try to work smart as well as hard in the first few years:)
cannot comment on the two responses…4 jobs in 4 years. that is spelling disaster…i have interviewed about 500 people in the last 11 years and never would i choose someone who is not committed to an organization which is represented by number of years of ‘acquiring experience’…the stereotype in one of the responses that there is no appreciation of hard work is a bunch of bull…take my advise work hard..spend the extra time at work…work late…you will see that if your management is serious about growth then they would be working late too…and they would come to you for suggestions, feedback and this is how you rise…by helping yourself to wealth of experience and then employers look at you as some one who will “add value”….i came back from the US just like you…the first job paid peanuts…with time…the pay got better, the management came to me for difficult problems…once i became a problem solver, not only was i valuable to my employer, i got the calls from others…(incidently whenever i applied proactively there was little progress)…today i call people who i know in the industry to be capable of “adding value”…not too bothered about their CV, you put in hardwork and do a halal honest days work and you become indispensible for future employers….now that is coming from an old man who does not think going to bed at 10pm makes you old…it just makes you boring…it makes you someone who has given up their favourite pasttimes put on backburner..
man… this shakira music video is awesome.. !! wherever, whenever, whatever…
after watching the video, i’ve reached this conclusion:
horses not only work really very hard, but they are consistent too.
oh and thanks to someones year of experience, i’ll request my organizations HR dept to hire horses instead.
I strongly disagree with Reaver. 4 years experience does not make you a guru who can advise others on work ethic. Work smart but not hard makes me think that you’re a lazy bum.
ps. nice template change Umar..
seems like my comment notifier is not working… i never knew i had so many comments on this post… this is first time i had such a productive discussion on my blog… thanks all.
You are most welcome Umar.
Wow. Lot of people here who like to suck corporate dick.
4 dicks give u better grasp of tastes! haha
11 years… MAN! must have been limp by now