How I started in IT

In the not-too-distant past (as it appeared to me), I finished my matriculation level (Form 7) study. As the result of my Advanced Level Examination was not good enough to earn me a place in the local universities, nor could I afford for an overseas tertiary education, I had but to look for jobs to start my working career. At that time, I thought Accounting was the best profession for me. I sent out mountains of application letters to all the major firms in Hong Kong for suitable accounting posts.
One day, I was asked to go for an interview in China Light and Power. I went to see the Head of the Accounts Department, Mr Nedderman. During the interview, Mr Nedderman didn't ask me anything about Accounting. Nor did he tell me anything about the accounting post I was applying for. He only asked me, "John, are you interested in working with computers?" I didn't have the faintest idea what computers were at that time, let alone I liked to work with them or not. So I hesitated, and said, "I don't know. But I'd like to know more." Mr Nedderman then took me for a tour to the computer room in China Light. It was a hugh farm of machineries. I was totally fascinated by the flickering lights of consoles and the fast rolling reels of magnetic tapes. Mr Nedderman introduced me to the manager of the computing department, and I ended up having an interview with him that day. I never saw Mr Nedderman again since then. A week later, I received a reply from China Light saying my application was not successful.
I felt very disappointed. But the meeting with Mr Nedderman had sparked my interest in computing. So I quickly re-focused. I did a bit of research of what computers were, and what were the major computing firms in Hong Kong. I applied to the two then giants: IBM (International Business Machines) and NCR (National Cash Register), and finally I got an offer from IBM for a post of Computer Operator. Thence, I started my 36-year career in the IT (Information Technology) industry: 2 in IBM, 28 in Cathay Pacific and 6 in Qantas.

Expect the unexpected. Sometimes things may turn out not as we wanted, but they may turn out even better. Prepare to re-focus and react. We can start from nothing, provided we learn and work hard.