It has been a year since I officially joined the ISB Vietnam as a member of the Business Development department. It may not be a long time, but it has been a period filled with countless memorable moments and experiences that have shaped my journey of growth.

Our lives are full of milestones, and each one marks a new beginning, an important turning point that brings new changes. And for me, ISB Vietnam has been the first milestone of growth in my career.

Looking back to a year ago, I was a naive girl who had just stepped out of the university gates. And now, as I look back on the past year at ISB Vietnam, it feels like a movie reel, capturing sweet and cherished moments along with invaluable lessons that I will never forget.

The First Three Months of Internship: Stepping into a New World

The first day at ISB Vietnam feels like yesterday. I still remember the feelings of confusion, and anxiety mixed with excitement when I first stepped into our company. Everything was brand new, from the work environment, and the people to the processes and regulations. I felt overwhelmed and not knowing where to begin as everything seemed so different and so new for me.

A fun fact is that I honestly thought about running away because I made a lot of mistakes. I think if I had a dollar for every mistake I made, it was probably enough to pay my rent for the rest of the year.

But luckily, I received a lot of help from my supervisor and my team members. They patiently guided me step by step and carefully answered all my questions, no matter how silly they might have seemed. Thanks to their help, I gradually adapted to the new work environment and grew more confident in my abilities.

Becoming an Official Member: Embracing New Challenges

After three months of internship with its ups and downs, I joyfully took on a new journey as an official member of ISB Vietnam. The sense of joy and pride filled me, giving me even more motivation to strive and dedicate myself fully to the work.

The new position brought with it more responsibilities, but it also opened doors for me to learn and grow even more. Of course, the initial phase of career development always comes with its challenges. There were moments when I had self-doubt, lacked confidence, faced setbacks, and even tears. However, every challenge presented a valuable learning experience, and I believe that the difficulties I faced helped shape me into the strong person I am today.

Looking Back After 1 Year

As I look back on myself a year ago, I see a young girl with numerous flaws in attitude, mindset, and communication skills. However, I have never been alone in this process of self-improvement. If my supervisor was shaping my mindset, helping me to see things more thoroughly, logically and providing me with a clear career path, then my team members were the ones who helped me to develop socially.

If I were to rewind time and look back at myself, I feel like I was a rough stone with many jagged edges and sharp corners. Now as time has passed, something within me has changed, those edges have smoothed out and I believe someday in the future, a gem will replace those rough edges.

Dear colleagues,

Life truly is a journey full of memorable milestones. No one can turn back time, but the lessons we accumulate at each milestone will stay with us forever. So, never miss out on the emotions, experiences, and profound lessons that life teaches you through each milestone. And if anyone asks, I will proudly share that I also had such a milestone full of memories and growth like that at ISB Vietnam.