What a Mistake Taught Me About Operations: Lessons from My First Day

01 Change Job

In August 2017, after seven years at a research institute, I decided to change jobs, attracted by the freedoms of an overseas‑based foreign company and the promise of a better work environment.

02 The Unexpected Beginning

On December 18, 2017, I joined the operations team of a centralized trading platform, eager to start my new role.

03 The First Day Incident

During the morning shift, after completing routine tasks, I was supposed to submit five menu items after 8:30. Confident, I clicked the submit button for each menu, but mistakenly clicked the fifth menu’s button instead of the second, causing an error that halted the process.

04 Immediate Remediation

The team quickly gathered, assessed the impact, and contacted the developers. Colleagues evaluated the mistake and determined that an automatic recovery program would handle it, while senior engineers confirmed no manual intervention was needed. The system later cleared without issues.

05 Reflections

This experience highlighted several operational lessons:

Operational Level: Understand the purpose and dependencies of each step, avoid multitasking, and document daily procedures.

Thought Level: Maintain high risk awareness, always double‑check actions, follow established processes, and seek help when uncertain.

06 Moving Forward

A senior colleague reminded me that career transitions require courage, and the journey from beginner to expert is a gradual process. I remain grateful for the team’s support and continue to learn from this experience.