The path since my first job

I’ve realized that it’s been almost 15 years since I had my first job, and that makes me reflect on everything that has happened during this time, as I’ve learned things along the way that are worth sharing.

First of all, I clearly remember that first day of work and how stressed I was the night before because I couldn’t find the right socks for that day. It might seem silly, but it was important to me. I only had clean light-colored socks, and I imagined every possible scenario where that would cause a problem. Spoiler: it didn’t.

Four years in, I had to change jobs, so I started going to interviews. In one of them, they asked me where I saw myself in five years. With a smile on my face, I said, “Working at Google.” I still remember my interviewer laughing, thinking I was joking (even though I really meant it). Later, I realized the more appropriate answer was “working here”.

Some of my coworkers were sent on business trips abroad - sometimes for a day, sometimes for a week. I dreamed of being chosen for one of those trips to the U.S. or Europe because I thought it was the only way I could get to know other countries. I used to think that leaving the country was complicated because of all the paperwork and that the language barrier would make communication impossible.

I still don’t know what the right amount of time is to stay at a company. I’ve worked at about a dozen companies, with durations ranging from 6 months to 4 years. I feel like 6 months is too short and 4 years is too long, but I think it all depends on how the employee feels and how much their contributions are valued. Naturally, the cycle closes on its own.

I would love to work from home all the time, but it’s not always possible. Even so, being able to walk 15 minutes to work is one of the things I value most about my current job. I think I had never experienced that before, and it’s exactly one of those things I needed without knowing it. I think it’s something I’ll definitely look for in the future if I change jobs.