What My First Day in Ops Taught Me About Mistakes and Teamwork

01. Changing Jobs

In August 2017, after seven years at a research institute, I decided to leave a comfortable position with many perks and seek a new challenge.

02. The Unexpected Start

On December 18, 2017, I joined the operations team of a centralized trading platform, beginning a new chapter filled with mixed emotions.

03. A Mistake in the Menu

During my first morning shift, after completing several routine tasks, I mistakenly clicked the wrong menu item, causing an error that halted the process and drew immediate attention from senior colleagues.

04. Immediate Remediation

The team quickly gathered, assessed the impact, and contacted the developers. The issue was resolved automatically by downstream programs, and later confirmation showed the market closed normally.

05. Reflections

The incident highlighted the importance of thorough risk awareness, strict adherence to procedures, double‑checking, and seeking help when uncertain. It also underscored the value of teamwork and supportive colleagues in high‑pressure operations.

Operational Takeaways

Understand the purpose and dependencies of each manual step; avoid overlapping actions.

Document and organize routine procedures.

Learn from both your own and others' mistakes.

Mindset Takeaways

Maintain a high risk awareness: "No online operation is trivial" and enforce "two‑person verification".

Adopt a humble attitude, seek advice promptly, and rely on the team when facing uncertainty.