The Dip

If you've read my previous posts, you may be aware that I've been complaining about the low salary I've been getting in Oracle. It's just really enough for our family. But it definitely is not going to be enough in case of emergencies or sudden expenses, like a car battery replacement, a rise in amortization costs, or  inflation.

As much as I have loved my experience in Oracle, the recognitions, achievements, and of course, the people, I have other goals in life. There's more to it than just work. Financial goals, in particular, are what I needed to work on. And ultimately, the decision to leave Oracle seemed to be for the best.

I've recently finished reading The Dip, by Seth Godin. I knew it would be a source of comfort as I enter this liminal space of unemployment. The book reaffirmed that my decision to leave was the right one, and that I had been in a cul-de-sac in Oracle all along. Oracle was truly a happy place. There was a lot of space to grow, but only providing little to no actual help on my financial goals. There's much more to the book, and I hope if ever you'd be stuck in the same situation, you could take inspiration from the book as well.

I believe that if you are the sole breadwinner for a family of four, live in the Metro, and are not getting a take home pay of 70,000 PHP a month, it's best to leave. Make sure that before you do, you have something to show for - coding skills (especially), project management experience, certifications, recognitions, and a portfolio/blog where all of these can be demonstrated.

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I found an opportunity outside Oracle, which would definitely lead to my financial goals. It ended up with me getting fired before my actual start date, because of a misunderstanding on a task I was given. I was not paid for my 2 weeks of work in that company because the president threatened to sue me for damages if I'd get paid.

I just accepted that I couldn't do anything to force the president from paying me anyway, and that I deserve better than to be treated disrespectfully. I wouldn't want to stay in a company that discourages asking for help from leaders, and whose leaders condescend its employees for asking even just the simplest questions. I did not shed a tear for losing my job; I couldn't.

Without any source of income, of course I knew I was in trouble. This has brought me much stress lately. Nonetheless, I had to push forward with a bunch of job applications and interviews. Though I was not worried that I wouldn't get accepted because of my achievements (I believed I was the best among applicants at that time), somehow my experience with getting fired still broke my spirit. Perhaps it was because I failed my family at least in the aspect for providing for them for a month. I took the time to reflect on a few things: 

• What I did wrong and how to correct it in the future.
• What I should do moving forward - continue being a NetSuite Consultant, or doing something differently this time around.
• What is my why (I started reading Find Your Why, by Simon Sinek)?
• What is my vision?

As the famous Foo Fighters songs go,

It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again

and

When the wheels come down
When the wheels touch ground
And you feel like it's all over
There's another round for you

 A few weeks off work gave me some time for myself, after a long 5 years of hard work in Oracle, and I got the well-needed break I think I deserved.

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Perhaps I could share my advice on how to get through job interviews. One thing I've definitely improved on throughout several interview processes was how to introduce myself. Your resume is only as good as how you present yourself in that first interaction, after all. I don't start with my recognitions - but rather, I tell my story first -- my vision, my goals, then I tell what I've done (recognitions and all) that is in line with my vision. Please take some inspiration from Simon Sinek's video:

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After a rigorous set of interviews, I'm glad to have been accepted by a NetSuite partner. I'm finally making it out of this dip I got myself in. I can't get into the details now, but I'm glad to share things are finally turning around, and I'm ready for what happens next.