Gratitude
It’s a little wild to think about when I first joined Microsoft in January 2020, right before everyone started hoarding toilet paper and building their own doomsday bunkers. Despite paying 2 years worth of rent for an empty suite across the country and having to give my car away because it was sitting outside for too long, I still live to tell the tale about my pandemic woes.
At least I got to spend more time with my family and friends in Calgary during the times that we weren’t on lockdown. Better yet, I finally explored the great outdoors and rocky mountains (and went skiing, camping, hiking, canoeing, biking, etc). Career-wise, I joined a great team with the most wonderful manager who is so supportive of my goals and aspirations. During a time when there is so much that can go wrong it’s scary, I just want to take a minute and be grateful for what I have.
My Unique Start at Microsoft
For those who didn’t know, I joined Microsoft Canada as an Aspire (New Grad) that was taking over for someone going on maternity leave. This meant that I was (kinda) on a 12 month timeline for my role, and there was always an air of uncertainty looming over me. Despite reassurance from my manager and peers that I would be fine, I always wondered about what would happen to me once my predecessor returned from maternity leave.
Although nerve wracking, the unpredictability made things a little exciting.
Instead of becoming complacent, I was always thinking about what more I could do… This curiosity led me to seek out new communities and projects, expand my network, and amplify my impact. Looking back, I am so proud of what I’ve been able to achieve with the support and encouragement of my teammates, mentors, and role models.
Now that I have fully transitioned my role back to my predecessor, I am really excited for what’s next… and yes, I will be sharing my journey, so stay tuned!
In honour of my last day with Microsoft Canada, here’s a trip down memory lane with the monthly highlights, wins, and challenges that came along the way. Thank you to everyone who was a part of the first part of my journey, you all know who you are!
[click through to see my visual timeline of events]
Originally published at https://kkarenism.com on November 3, 2021.
