Conparisons

Its a paradox. While I constantly remind myself not to be too optimistic abt my new found job, for fear of having too high expectations that may lead to disappointments, I also tell myself to think positively to ensure I have a good kick off.

Instead of judging how much I like or dislike abt HP, perhaps i shld jus evaluate and compare betw my 2 jobs:

1) The very first few days I stepped into CDGE, i really disliked the place. I dragged myself to work everyday for almost the first couple of months. On the other hand, I find myself looking forward to work for the first 3 days at HP.

2) I have my own personal room in CDGE, meaning i can chat on phone, msn, icq, surf the web openly. I also have my own coloured printer to print whatever i like. In HP, i am seated among the crowd, having only a small cubicle to myself. I cant msn, icq, surf web or print my stuffs as carefreely, even though my colleagues told me nobody cares. I jus feel a lack in privacy.

3) As mentioned earlier, I need to wait for a super long time to get a not-so-good PC at CDGE, but computers and laptops are at abundance in HP. The above pics show my very power PC + centrino laptop. I am actually blogging now with my new laptop at home.. woohoo..

4) The colleagues in CDGE are very warm and friendly, who openly show their concerns and care for you. I remembered many of them took very good care of me when i was new there. In HP, ppl are nice and friendly too, but somehow, perhaps they are more educated and younger in age, I find their conversations more superficial and surface.

5) Colleagues at CDGE may be more down-to-earth, but those who are close to me are mostly 10-20 yrs older than me. Moreover, most of them were my subordinates and staffs and thus, conversations were quite restricted. Everyone in HP (except for the managers) are just slightly older than me. The presence of peers makes me feel less lonely, and i also have more ppl to learn from, seek advice, follow and look up to (which i think is v impt).

6) Lunch at CDGE is quite limited. We either ate at the staff canteen (very limited food), drive to some nearby eateries or walk to Loyang Point (very far and hot). Lunch is NOT a problem at HP, as they are many foodcourts nearby, and even shuttle services to anchorpoint and Harbourfront. Most colleagues have cars too, and we drove out to Harbour front for lunch today. But i foresee the expenditure for food is gonna be high over at HP.

7) Working hrs in CDGE is fixed. 830 to 530 sharp, lunch hr 12+ to 1+ (flexible). In HP, the crowd only start to come in at 930 but ppl stay much later than the knock off time at 530pm. I see ppl leaving for lunch as early as 1130am and coming back as late as 2pm.

Overall, i feel that resources are at abundance in a MNC. However, becos of the great size of the organisation, many process flows and reactions are very slow and inefficient. However in a SME, although resources are very limited, it works very efficiently and changes can be adopted at double quick time. (eg. to get my HP staff card, the HR at HQ has to pass it to the admin in the bldg i work in, then the admin pass it to my dept secretary, then to me. However, in CDGE, the HR dept passes my card to me directly).

Its now still too early to judge, esp on my work scope and nature. But i predict a much brighter future at HP than at CDGE.