Life Lately: To New Beginnings

I’ve been intending to publish this post since last week. But between studying and coding practice, I couldn’t find time to sit down. If not now, then when? Anyway, this post is just quick catchup of what’s been happening lately.
 
My life is changing...
 
A Glad Diary Blog: New Beginnings
[photo source]

I've applied for a job at the end of November, and I was hired in two weeks. I don't know what company it was at the beginning. I applied online through an agency. When the recruiter made contact, I was told it was for a big automotive company.

Who knows if I’ll make it or not?

I went through the process anyway and trust God. It wasn’t easy to get in. First, I took an IKM assessment test for my specialized programming language. I studied for days, but unfortunately, advanced topics came out. I’m not sure how I’m able to pass the exam.

With brows knitting on his forehead, the husband quipped, “Stop overanalyzing. You made it. Be thankful.”

Then, came the interview date a week later. It was a panel of 4-5 people. For the first 30 minutes, I was grilled about my work experience. Then the next hour was about coding skills. It’s nerve-wracking. I’m tasked to answer a bunch of technical questions. There were 8-10 eyes, excluding mine, on my code. Oh, the shame I felt with all the mistakes I made. Haha.

That’s not to say, I came to the interview unprepared. Walking like a zombie for 4 days, I studied -- yet again -- for hours on end. It didn’t escape the notice of the interviewers.

“You did your due diligence.” I was commended.

Regardless of the outcome, I gave my best and persevered despite my inexperience. I can't believe I'm hired the next day. It was like being caught in a whirlwind of sudden change. My positive attitude towards the whole ordeal got me in. 

But I wouldn’t say, it’s all of me. I give all the praise and glory to God. I wouldn’t make it without encouragement from the Word, help given along the way, and His favor – the latter being the weightiest factor of them all.

Let me give you a quick background on what I did in my previous job. I've done automation work, writing simplex test scripts, at a startup company based in a small island nation. Too ambitious to set my sights on a Fortune 500 company, there’s a big learning curve I must go through. There’s Object-Oriented Programming, new technologies. But with the opportunity I’m given, I’m willing to pay the price.

Since 2019, I’ve been publishing posts about being the best version of yourself. And this is the time that all my learnings are put to the test. It’s a time of stretching. Facing giants. A chance to prove myself that I can overcome my decade-long limitations.

Software programming is hard for me. Of course, that’s subjective. Not everyone could say the same. It’s the number one reason why I wanted to change careers multiple times. I prefer to take the easy route. That is... avoid doing lots of analytical thinking in my IT work.

However, the job application process changed something in me. My love for learning is rekindled. The joy I experience solving problems is revived. It’s like a Lazarus moment.

Because of this shift in direction, I won’t be able to do much work on the blog. I need all my free hours to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. And I have big goals for the next year. All my focus is directed towards them.

With that said, Thank you so much for reading A Glad Diary. I'm still here though, posting from time to time. I wish you more blessings in the coming year head.

Much Love,
G