Attending job interviews and selling myself to recruiters with very high standards is not easy. The demand is low, but the supply is so high that in one job post, there are hundreds of applicants, which really affects me because I have little chance of landing a job, and most applicants are experienced and come from prestigious universities. It’s really overwhelming, and maybe I will survive by luck? I don’t discourage myself, but I have already attended multiple initial interviews, and the only email I received is that they will not be moving forward with my application. The job market is really tough.

I keep applying to the companies I like and to the positions I think I fit, and who would have thought I could really make it? I landed a job in a fintech company! (Girl, FINTECH!) I’ve always wanted to work at a fintech company because I’m really curious about how fast-paced it is and what its processes look like. I came from an agency, then a F&B product company, and now fintech! This is really new to me, and it’s my dream to work at a fintech company. I’m so excited to work here and stay until retirement (because I am loyal as long as the company won’t lay me off)!

I’m so nervous about attending a series of interviews, but I made it! Thank you God for guiding me and choosing me for this opportunity! This really calls for a celebration because no more unemployed moments for me.

And now, it was my first day at my new job! I’m so exhausted and haggard from the long trip I took. Leaving at 5 AM from the house and arriving at the office building at 8 AM is so tiring. What a long drive! I also wonder if I can really stay long in this new job since it requires at least one office day per week. My usual travel time is around 3-4 hours one way, so technically 8 hours to get to and from the office; it depends on traffic, of course. I have a low tolerance for long drives because I often get too sleepy, dizzy, and uneasy, and I hope I won’t encounter holdups/bad people while I’m sleeping on the bus.

I was excited and nervous as I sipped a hot matcha latte and bit into a toasted bagel I bought from Starbucks at Walmart before entering the building. It was a hot, sunny day, and the wind was hardly refreshing. I am wearing my blue long-sleeved polo shirt and black slacks with my backpack. (Yes! Backpack! Because I travel for hours, I need my stuff in one bag for easy carrying. 😜)

Sometimes my nose sensitivity affects my mood on a given day, lol, especially when I smell something off or weird while traveling, so a face mask is my go-to in this kind of situation.

When I entered the building, it was an old public mall, dark and smelly. The stores are closed since they usually open at 9 AM, and the escalator is turned off, so my only way is to use the elevator or stairs. The main office of my new job is located on the second floor. It’s like a common workplace that the company is renting. The recruiter told me that the company’s main building is still under construction, so in the meantime, we will work in the space the company rents.

The people here in the office are wearing their uniform. It’s a yellow polo shirt with the company logo. I was asked to sit down in the lobby and wait for the orientation to start. While I was attending orientation, I met a new hire named Chel. She is hired as a Marketing Admin. We both attended the orientation and chatted about our expectations. However, we are from different departments, so we wouldn’t meet often in our daily work.

While I’m attending orientation on my personal laptop, two women are looking at me. Maybe they know me or are involved with me? I’m not sure, so I asked them (just being friendly, haha, because they keep looking at me!). The admin is the other woman, and she is waiting for me but is shy to ask. With her is the designer that I will be working with, since we will be on the same team. I am happy to meet them; they are so friendly, and I feel so comfortable right after talking to them.

After that, the tech support gave me my laptop, set it up with all the company requirements, and created a work email and work profile for me, which is very interesting and exciting because it’s a MacBook! I am not used to using a Windows laptop, and my current laptop is an old 2017 MacBook Air that needs CPR every time I use it. I am thankful that they gave their employees a work laptop to use.

I met many new people, stepped into a new environment, and experienced a different work culture. It was a significant change, but I looked forward to learning and growing in this new chapter.

I still can’t believe that I have a new job. This is truly a blessing from God. I am nothing without Him, and that’s why I am so grateful. I will do my best to grow, learn, contribute, and enjoy this new journey.

Another challenging part now is mastering the Microsoft Workspace and other tools. But with the power of the internet and YouTube University, everything is now at our fingertips. I will upskill and study to work efficiently and productively in my new company.