Happy 1 year anniversary!!

So its been 1 year to the day that I joined this company. I can't believe how fast time passes. I remember when I first got the position, I couldn't believe it. To be honest, I wasn't even looking for a new position this time last year. I had casually mentioned to a friend to keep an eye out for any testing positions for me because I was too lazy to look myself. A few weeks later, I get a job ad from my friend for a Tester. After hearing all these stories about how gruelling and intensive the interview process is, and how selective the company is about who they hire, I didn't think I had a chance. But not wanting to admit to my friend that I was too lazy to apply, I brushed up my CV, wrote up a BS coverletter and sent my application through. Within 2 days I get a call from HR to arrange an interview. I rock up thinking that I'll never get the job anyway, but it'll be good to get the interview experience (Since I had only been to 2 interviews before in my life, and I got the job at Access with my 2nd interview). The interview had went well where we all had a good chat and I threw all these technical terms at them (Things I learn when talking to clients) and the next thing I know, I get another call to book in some time for me to sit the psychometric test. Again, I hear stories about how hard the test is for people to pass. You're either born to pass that test, or not. I went to the test and completely bombed out in some sections. I made it really really clear that I'm not a numbers person, which is probably not a good thing since it is a FINANCE company. And for some reason, I had to sit a test that involves sales? Thinking it was an error, I just filled out whatever crap I felt like. Next thing I know, I'm in the negotiation process and suddenly I'm signing the dotted line. What about the 2nd Interview? 3rd, 4th and 5th interview that everyone talks about????

The first day I rocked up at work, it was quite surreal. Maybe because I had never really intended to find a new position, and the fact that I never envisaged that I would be working for this company. All this talk about how professional and prestigeous it is etc etc. One year on.....it feels like any other company to me. The horror stories you hear about the long working hours don't apply to me. There's the occassional weekend work and overtime until late at night, but that only happens once every few months. I haven't met any of those cold blooded managers who force you to work late and make you skip your lunches/dinner etc. I've been very lucky to have the managers that I work with. They actually know what they're talking about (Unlike alot of the people I've worked with in the past), they know when to push back on deadlines instead of putting unrealistic pressure on us. And strangely enough, I found that the people here care about your work and life balance. They don't want people working too many long hours and weekends, they don't want people to get burned out and they want people to have a life. It may be different in other areas where a few minutes late might cost them a few kazillion dollars hence the long working hours. But then I don't think they could complain anyway. If they hated the long working hours and the stress and pressure, then they have every opportunity to change positions and departments, or even leave the company. Yet they stay, meaning they made a choice to work those hours.

I don't know if this is the right job and company for the rest of my life, but its the right job and company for me at this time in my life.