I ge to practice my faith, photography and workout more, reconnect with some primary school mates while losing some due to their departure from this world and continue my uncharted career path.
I consider my career paths are now messy because I don't really know what to learn to become a data analyst that the job market is looking for. I signed up a Introduction to Data Analytics last year with Forward School where they taught me about basic Python, MySQL and predictive analysis (regression, using Python libraries). Initially, my decision to pay RM 5800+ for that 2 months certification course because I prefer instructor led courses over those free, unstructured online resources. Some of the instructors were helpful in technical instruction while some may need more training in training because I had a hard time catching his thought processes and sometimes, we had to rush through the courses due to improper time management. Fast forward a year, I still yet to get relevant job because I think I don't have a data analysis portfolio to showcase to potential employer and I found that the landscape of data analysis has changed a lot due to rapid advancement of AI this year. 2023 is definitely a year of AI, not so much about its hype (or financially it may sound because of how crazy Nvidia stock price has grown within this year, 239%!), but I get to incorporate some free generative AI tools into my workflow (nope, this blog is not written by chatGPT or any genAI chatbot).
That is why I know that it isa time to activate my plan B that I laid during my pre-university years - should my path in psychology/humanity science fail, go to computer science! Here am I now, studying after work so that I have sellable skillsets to secure a proper data analyst or engineer job.
I left Teleperformance and started my job as Data Analyst in S&P Global in August. I was very thankful because I am able to left a toxic job (yes, content moderation is not healthy and now you know why those advanced countries are outsourcing this job for poorer countries). Initially I thought there must be reasons why so many of the employees here stay for this company over decade, but after looking at how my coworkers are handling out software bugs and accesses, I am afraid I may have a hard time here. The training was slightly hindered due to this and currently, with training under my team senior who may not be trained to train, I am having my hard time in producing work that is fulfilling KPI. The task that I am handling is not what I was hired in for (analysis, quantitatively or qualitatively; translation, merely, just the minimal of it needed when working with existing workflow with non-English/Chinese media), it is about memorising a lot of rules on data collection and input in buggy internal apps. Afraid that I may be wasting time on jobs that is going to be automated (and ironically, I volunteer for this automation project), I feel insecure and frustrated. On one hand, I need to pass the quality assurance score so that I can pass my probation and sustain my pay check which funds my study and hobby. On the other hand, I have only 2 months left to accomplish this. Senior team mates are not friendly and critical, so ya, hard nut to crack for me. As usual, I don't sit there waiting for the worst to happen but to start preparing for next job hunt, hopefully it is within this company for its benefits (who pays RM 2200 for well-being claim? And additional RM 1200 claim for other stuff?)!
In order to divert my anxiety, perhaps I should be reminding myself to rely on and have faith with God since He is the one who arranged this for me. So ya, where is my prayer on what to do next? Perhaps through my services at church? I know those involvement in sermon interpreting, photography, young adults fellowship, choir etc are not equal to path for salvation but I do enjoy the connection with my church mates whom I left few years back since my baptism in the same church (St Andrew Presbyterian Church Penang). I was hoping that they could support my spiritually and emotionally (which I think church mate should) but to no avail. Thankfully, I got it from the other brother in Christ and his family member (thanks bro Chua!) and my mindset was kind of tweaked. How much did I contribute to my church? God love me so that I can love others so ya, here I am, back to the same church and serve.
I don't like my job but it funds my camera and lens... It is good to reignite my passion in photography since young where I do article clipping, trained by the press in taking photojournalistic shots... I stopped after high school years because camera and gears are still expensive to have. Despite the fact that cellphone cameras are so good nowadays but it takes a photographer to have his/her ACTUAL camera to produce pieces through skilful handling of trinity of photography - ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Cellphone cameras are equipped with wide angle, tiny lens for practical usage for most people but photographer knows that different lens with various focal lengths are manufactured for purposes!
To be fair, I still shooting with my iPhone and Nikon FM2 (film, mechanical, analog), but digital camera is still the best option when it comes to commercial or cost-effective ratio purposes. Plus, I can learn post production with digital output. Thank you for all my friends or event organisers who allowed me to photoshoot during your event as secondary photographer. It helps to hone my skill sets as event photographer which I am very familiar with my experience as journalist (which is why I do street and event photography most of the time). Given that someone is looking forward for me to participate in portraiture next year, perhaps I need to learn to shoot such genre more before the actual shooting days come! Event/street photography is passive shooting whereby the photographer hardly participate in the event personally so that s/he can record the event/scene objectively while in portraiture, the photographer has to lead or prompt the subject for composition, thus they are pretty much different way to craft. I am posting all my production at my Facebook so do drop by if you're interested.
Life, is about connection. Nobody regrets that s/he doesn't spend all his/her money on dying bed but it is not enough time to say, "Thank you, I am sorry and I love you" to relevant persons.
It is grateful that I am able to see some long-time-no-see faces at 95th anniversary of my primary school
You can roughly tell who is married and who is single from this shot, I hope.... no offence...
Lose some connection whom I did have a chat with...
I didn't know his identity as muslim all this while, ever since I listen to how he could articulate English so professionally to his last moment of sharing on how to talk confidently in Clubhouse app (Kudos, if you are still using it after MCO/CB/lockdown!).
...and this person whom I would love to talk with him but only managed to listen to his music, read his articles...
I guess the time has come that I would start to receive news about people I know are departing from this world...
Even so, don't stop workout (even it is at home)! See, I managed to log this distance in 2023!
p/s: Do you know that Tun Dr Mahathir tributes his longevity to cycling, too? ;-)
Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. ~ Colossians 3:17
Comments