As I have mentioned in my previous post, this blog is dedicated for documenting my journey as an aspiring creative. My goal is to improve on my illustration and calligraphy skills and pursue a more creative life, while still working full time as a Systems Analyst in a multinational I.T. Company. You will read about my dreams (and baby steps) of pursuing my passion , but I will sometimes write about my current job too. Reason behind this double life, it's a long story, but it might be a little too familiar.
Early in my career as an I.T. Consultant, I requested my manager if I can switch roles from being a tester to a developer. I just graduated then from my company's Bootcamp Training in Siebel 7.5 but was given a tester role in my project at the time. There is a part of me that was interested in solving problems, and while I wasn't a huge math fan, I liked programming enough to make it the foundation of my career. I suppose I found the work involved in testing quite boring, but that's not to say I found programming exciting either. I was somehow interested in it and I was adept enough at it to be able to step onto the next level of the corporate ladder. When I switched companies after 4 and a half years of staying with the first one, I was given a supervisory role and programming took a backseat. I no longer have specific deliverables and tasks pertaining to programming, but my work involved training resources and leading my team. The increase in my responsibility was inversely proportional to my hands on work with programming and after 7 years, I have been involved mostly with Siebel Functional Design and Business Analysis work as well as Project Management. I still use Siebel Tools to investigate on defects and provide solutions, but I was eventually faced with the reality that I am not that technical anymore since I started becoming a lead. It was to be expected since I am now more geared towards Project Management. There is still so much about Siebel that I don't know and I have handled resources who are soooo much better at programming than me. Life of a programmer is sometimes boring, but it's sometimes fulfilling too.
Siebel Tools. This is where programmers create and configure objects (Tables, Business Components, Screens, Applets etc) to make it perform and behave based on the Functional Design
image from siebeltraining.info
Since one of my teammates took a sick leave today, I had to work on fixing a bug in the system that was originally assigned to him. It took me a while to debug the script because of its complexity, but it also felt familiar. Talking to yourself while debugging, putting breakpoints to check the values of the variables per function/method, validating objects, compiling the code and unit testing, and each time the algorithm fails, a compulsory sigh or cry of frustration is heard somewhere in the vicinity of my cubicle. It takes hard work, research, patience, resourcefulness, creativity, lots of logic and coffee to become a good programmer. First algorithm doesn't work, try another approach. Does it work? If yes, then optimize it. It's such a great feeling to figure out a solution to a problem, even if sometimes you get "duling" because of those brackets and parentheses. Nakakamiss din pala mag dev! Developers usually talk out loud while tracing the lines of code of someone else's algorithm and today's monologue included:
- Okay, if this.GetFieldValue("Comm Method") = "Call Outbound", then.. *checks value in the watch window* O TAMA NAMAN BAT DI NAGWOWORK?!
- (While compiling the code) Please, gumana ka na!!
- Teka san niya sineset itong Profile Attribute na 'to?
- Hindi natin pwede ilagay yan diyan, magfafalse yung condition!
Siebel User Interface
image from Siebelessentials.blogspot.com
Kanina, I was literally kilig when my code worked and was ready for check in to the server. I was really smiling with my teammate who was peer reviewing it. Today I felt like a programmer again, and while art is my calling, I am reminded that this job isn't so bad. :)
If you are currently in a job that is different from your true passion, you don't need to be miserable. I suggest this article for you to read: 9 Ways To Be Happy With A Job You Don't Like
I didn't like working for the boss in one of the companies that hired me full-time for a while then eventually, I requested to go part-time (I was allowed, because back then, he didn't really have much of a choice). I didn't care for the brand nor the company, only for the regular paycheck it provided because my styling gigs don't always pay on time. But late last year, I found some opportunities in the company after all and now while I still don't like working for the CEO, I am afforded a certain freedom with regards to content and projects. Plus since I'm part-time I don't have to suffer his presence everyday. Just a few meetings, so tolerable naman. Reading the article, I realize I'm doing 2, 3 and 9 pala. :))
ReplyDeleteAng galing, Faye, I didn't think the life of a programmer suited you before. And I don't mean it in a bad way, but I was surprised you were doing so well with your career kasi I've always seen you as a creative person who'd quit it after a short while. It's awesome that you've found a balance! :)
There is still a feeling of "I wish I was doing art full time", but I'm in this situation already and I know I can't afford a paycut because of the bills and responsibilities. Wish ko lang kasi mayaman ako di ba?!
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of people are in the same predicament as I am in, and I want them to know that they don't have to be miserable. As long as they pursue their passions and balance is achieved, they can still find happiness in their current jobs. Some people are fortunate enough to be in a job that they adore, but for those who aren't, there is still hope. The right perspective is all you need!
When I read that article, narealize ko, teka ginagawa ko nga ito kaya pala ako tumagal ng ganito sa I.T. :)