Summary

The content describes the author's challenging yet transformative journey working at Huawei, a company embroiled in global controversy.

Abstract

The author shares their personal experience working at Huawei, a telecommunications giant at the center of international disputes. Initially overwhelmed by the steep learning curve, intense pressure from a harsh mentor, and daunting workload, the author recounts moments of breakdown and the struggle to adapt to the high-stakes environment. Over time, through perseverance and personal growth, the author overcomes the initial hurdles, gains confidence, and earns the respect of colleagues, including their mentor. The narrative highlights the author's resilience, professional development, and the eventual satisfaction derived from achieving cost-saving targets and receiving recognition for their efforts.

Opinions

The author initially felt suffocated by the demands of the job, given their background in history and lack of telecommunications knowledge.
Huawei's work culture is portrayed as one that pushes employees to exceed their limitations, sometimes at the cost of personal well-being.
The author experienced significant stress and self-doubt due to the gap between their capabilities and the expectations placed upon them.
Despite the challenges, the author acknowledges that the difficulties faced contributed to their personal and professional growth.
The mentor-mentee relationship, initially strained, evolved into mutual respect and appreciation as the author demonstrated competence and independence.
The author suggests that diplomacy and tact, such as concealing true feelings and speaking intelligently, are essential survival skills in the corporate environment.
The narrative concludes with the author reflecting positively on their experience, despite the initial hardships, and expressing openness to feedback from readers.

How Is It Like to Work with a Famously Controversial Company?

My Song of Ice and Fire in Chinese Tele-giant

Huawei.

One of the most controversial companies on the Fortune Global 500 list. Due to the cybersecurity allegation, the trade war between China and the United States, detention of Sabrina Meng and 5G wireless network, Huawei has become a hot topic on social media and daily life.

Most of the people are the audiences, watching the related news on TV or social media. Surprisingly, destiny awarded me an opportunity to work behind the scene.

I was working in Huawei Technologies Company.

Huawei Kuwait entrance. A classic combination of Chinese and Kuwait. Photo: G The Yee

I would never forget the day I hid away from the enormous workloads, went into the toilet, locked the door and sobbed quietly.

I am a History student recruited by Huawei as a procurement specialist in 2018. I have to say that I was lucky enough to get the offer letter from Huawei. It provided me with a chance to dance on the international business platform.

At the very beginning, Huawei suffocated me.

Owing to my artistic background, I was basically a no-brainer in Huawei. I had to learn telecommunication and the purchasing process from scratch.

One of the secrets of vigorous growth of Huawei is to push its employee to break hir limitations all the time. At the third month, merely a few days after I passed my probation, my supervisor asked me to hand over the job of a senior who had been working in Huawei for 7 years.

My supervisor was essentially forcing a new-born baby to grow into a superman.

The trial of hell started. My senior was being very harsh to me. She yelled loudly at me every time while I failed to do what she asked for, almost everybody in the office could hear her angry reprimand. I was embarrassed and nervous to work with her.

Aside from the pressure from my mentor, workloads lit extra fires to the boiling pot. While the requestors and projects came to me, asking for my help and consultant, I had no idea what could I do. I felt guilty and blaming myself for my ignorance all the times.

Once, when I was handling a brain-scratching project, a colleague approached me, wanted to discuss a new procure requirement. When I was about to tell him that I was too busy, my laptop and cell phone rang simultaneously (supplier and requestor were looking for me). At the same time, another project applicant from logistic department strove toward me, asking me for help.

I was completely wiped out by overwhelming duties and unsolvable tasks.

Sometimes, I shut my computer down, put my phone into silent mode and walk out from the office when I feel I reached my mental limit. On one occasion, my requestor (a colleague from another department) even help me to hold other demands, stop them from stirring up the already-boiled me.

During the peak time, I finished my job at 1.30 a.m weekdays, working all day on the weekends.

I would never forget the day I hid away from the enormous workloads, went into the toilet, locked the door and sobbed quietly, dialled my friends and family, sought for their consolation.

Bahrain seaside, a place to breathe peace and marvellous after work. Photo: G The Yee

“G The, you are doing very well.”

Despite the difficulties and the frustration of that moment, I tried to make progress and pay effort to self-betterment every day. As all the old saying stated: Challenges man up a man. Gradually, I got familiar with my role.

Until one day, I found myself was talking in confidence, opposing the wrong proposition suggested by my mentor. My supervisor and colleagues were shocked, awared of how far I had gone.

At the sixth month, I achieved a 6.5% cost saving target after a prolong market survey and negotiation with a construction equipment supplier. It was my first time accomplished a high saving purchase project independently.

My professional, confidence and happiness grew day by day.

I turned down the inappropriate demands, come out with effective ideas to tackle pressures and tasks. Day after day, I successfully achieved numerous high-cost saving cases through negotiation with suppliers. Besides, I started going back home on time, spending my time with friends on the weekends.

I received less criticism and more compliments.

The most satisfying moment was my mentor changed her attitude, started to provide me assistance wholeheartedly. One day, she said: “G The, you are doing very well. You need details direction in the past day; in contrast, you can picture out the whole atlas with a single blinking idea now.”

I almost burst out my tears while my mentor expressed her appreciation to me. I replied sincerely: “Because you are a very good mentor. Although you were harsh to me, but you were right. You always come out with brilliant ideas, which is very useful and astonished.”

To be honest, I would not gain so many achievements without my mentor. She gained my respect with her profession and outspoken attitude.

Dining with my Kuwaiti colleague, Rawan, during the lunch break. Photo: G The Yee

Conceal our true-self and talk cleverly are the keys to surviving in the corporate.

Lastly, I wanted to conclude with an incident about a headstrong me.

A high manager was cursing angrily in his office with the door wide opened. All of the employees on the 11th floor was shocked by his manner. Unfortunately, I was the one sitting right in front of his office.

I stood up, marched forward to his room and swiftly close the door, kept his anger in his own room. When I turned my back, everybody in the office was staring at me. One of my Kuwaiti colleagues raised his thumb, smiled at me excitedly.

Frankly speaking, conceal our true-self and talk cleverly are the keys to surviving in the corporate. I could not be honest-to-goodness all the time, but I had tried my best to showcase the virtue at the appropriate timing.

This is my first blog on Medium, and this is my song in Huawei.

I wish you enjoy this story and welcome to provide your opinion!