The early bird catches the worm – Looking back on those two years of laying the foundation when I first entered the industry

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I’ve gone through several transformations, from the grassroots level to higher positions. Initially, I worked in alkylation production; when I first started, I couldn’t even tell the difference between carbon steel and stainless steel. Thinking back, I was extremely ridiculous at that time; yet after analyzing many chemical processing units, I still chose the path of in-depth processing of C4 compounds. Starting from a minor position in external operations, I gradually moved up to middle and senior management roles within the company; my income also increased exponentially. I remember that when I first started working, my salary was 1,800 per month, and after working there for half a year it rose to 4,000, with it continuing to double over time. However, the increase in income did not bring me any particular sense of satisfaction; rather, it was the economic value I could contribute to the company and my boss that truly satisfied me. For example, even though I earn an annual salary now, I still live as if my monthly income were 1800; my monthly expenses remain low. I don’t smoke or drink much, and when I’m under stress, I invite friends and colleagues over to spend time together. One’s work attitude, as well as working methods and approaches, at the beginning of a career have a crucial impact on future personal development. I would like to share some of my experiences from those early days in my career; I would be satisfied if it could provide some inspiration for those who are just starting out. Of course, the following are just my personal opinions. If there are any shortcomings, I hope my friends will point them out so as to avoid leading others astray. Many of my friends around me say that I’m doing well, noting that my income and position are quite high. In fact, they only see the polished side of me; they have no idea about the hours I work overtime, the hard efforts I put in to learn and seek advice, nor do they see me taking risks to handle accidents. From the beginning of my career, I set a two-year plan for myself. At that time I knew nothing; my first company operated an alkylation plant with four reactors. Construction of the facility took place in the dead of winter, and I told myself to think in the same way as those in the United States – to be \"one generation ahead,\" meaning to always be one step faster than others. Therefore, I need to understand the functions, purposes, and operating methods of the equipment that the company receives each day, and I must be aware of the functions of the pipelines connected to the devices daily. That’s how I would often wear a thick cotton coat every day, step through the deep snow, and check the equipment daily; I would keep asking experienced colleagues questions until I understood them fully. Sometimes colleagues ask me to give them a back massage for a minute in exchange for asking a question, and I agree to do so; I have no idea how many times I have massaged others like that. While others use A4 paper to draw flow diagrams every day, I use A1 paper to draw each valve and instrument in detail. Once, in order to understand the function of the acid precipitation tank and its internal structure, I wore a safety belt and had a colleague lower me vertically to the bottom of the tank so that I could examine its interior. I am very grateful to the technician who once had me check to ensure that all the equipment on site matched the blueprints. Give me the opportunity to access the equipment blueprints, so that I can have more chances to compare and analyze them. It had a crucial impact on my future development. Our workshop conducts assessments on a monthly basis, and during my two years at the first company, I almost always came in first place in every exam. A colleague once asked if I was a spy sent by another company to learn * This matter also troubled me at the time, but I didn’t care what others thought of me; I focused on what I was doing. When performing outdoor tasks, I am on the response shift; there are four people in that shift. But as soon as someone calls out instructions over the radio, I respond immediately and carry out the task without any complaints. My colleagues say I like to show off, but in reality I just want to gain more mastery and become more proficient at what I do. I persisted for two years, and even later I took on tasks from other positions as well. Each person in the workshop was assigned their own cleaning area and maintenance equipment. Over the course of two years, except for the first time when no award was given because the team leader said that the operating equipment did not need to be cleaned, I was awarded an award every month thereafter. I am extremely strict regarding the cleanliness of the pumps and reactors under my responsibility, as well as the areas I am in charge of. I maintain my pumps on a weekly basis, and I even clean the floors in those areas thoroughly using a mop. By the time I left the company, my pump was almost as clean as new equipment. Actually, I do this not for the few dozen dollars given as a reward during each evaluation, but because I believe it is my duty to do so. Since the leaders have assigned me a task, I should carry it out to the best of my ability; otherwise, I feel it would be unfair to my own conscience. Every time the reactor encounters problems and the company invites the manufacturer’s technicians to provide guidance, I am the first to get in touch with them and ask them questions. I often performed the tasks of an operator, while also bearing the responsibilities of a supervisor or even a boss. In this way, I kept learning from my colleagues and experienced workers from the manufacturer, gradually mastering the methods for operating the entire setup. I acquired the ability to start up the equipment independently as well as the skills to handle various accidents. I’ve written four notebooks of my own analysis over two years, and there are even more in digital form. This good *habit is still maintained to this day. I believe that the handling and analysis of accidents should never be delayed until after they occur; it is necessary to consider such things before an accident happens. This is just my personal opinion. At my first company, I not only improved my professional skills but also learned how to be a good person under the guidance of my senior managers. I remember there was a manager whom I greatly admired; when giving speeches, he recommended a set of books: Kazuo Inamori’s \"The Way of Life\" and \"The Way of Working.\" I purchased the authentic versions of these books online, studied them carefully, and to this day I keep them by my pillow to read regularly. There are a few things I have learned: first, one should approach work with an uncompromising attitude; don’t just assume that something is good just because others say so – ask yourself whether you have done your best Can it be done any better? Second, it is to consider others, the overall interests of the company, and the boss ； Third, one should not focus on short-term personal gains and losses, but rather view issues from a developmental perspective ； Fourth, one must have a humble and kind heart when working and making friends. This set of books has had a great impact on me; it remains useful to this day. I recommend it to friends who might want to give it a read. After working at my first company for two years, it was time, as planned, for me to resign and pursue my own opportunities. After screening, I picked out two companies in the south that were in the process of expansion. Instead of submitting a resume, I called the human resources manager directly. When she asked what position I was interested in and what salary I was looking for, I replied, \"You decide on the position and salary; I’ll go to the company first, and you can conduct an interview with me. Then you can determine the salary based on my abilities.\" ”I interviewed at both of the last companies. The typical interview process involved the HR department, the workshop supervisor, and the chief engineer. The longest interview lasted from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., including both theoretical questions and assessments of the production site. Both of the last two companies accepted me, offering double the salary; including bonuses and various benefits, the annual salary amounts to 100,000. In the end, I chose a company whose chief engineer held the title of senior professor-engineer in China, because I knew I could learn a lot of professional skills from him. Just over a month after joining the company, work started. The expert hired from outside ended up messing things up. I analyzed the reasons for the failure, and my boss asked if I could drive I said okay, and I took on the responsibility. The field and lab technicians I led when I started working were all recent college graduates who didn’t even know the most basic skills, such as how to operate a fractional distillation tower! No matter how I tried to adjust the control valve, I couldn’t find the right setting. Yet despite this, I focused on working in the control room, taking charge of both command and operation, and worked non-stop for 48 hours until the facility was finally brought online smoothly. I ate and slept at the company throughout that period; the leader even gave me his bed at night. I was under a lot of stress during that time; if I wasn’t careful, Thawin would knock you out in no time. In the half month before and after starting work, I lost over 20 pounds, but I think it was worth it; I lived up to the trust that my supervisors and boss had in me. They also realized their own value and learned how to mentor newcomers through this experience. I’ve talked so much in the middle of the night, but I hope my experiences during the early stages of my career can be of some help to those who are just starting out. Let’s avoid taking unnecessary detours. As new projects are currently in the final stages, I’m quite tired, and I struggle to organize my thoughts when writing documents; there are many shortcomings and areas where my writing style needs improvement. I hope my friends will kindly point them out for me. If necessary, I will share more about the experiences of the company’s management in the future. I also ask my friends for their suggestions; I’m very grateful for that! ——Engineer Chen