One of the most repeated questions I received when I decided to do graduate study was: "Why? It's such a waste to give up your current position!"
Up until a month ago, I was a full-time employee in an international tech company. I was fortunate enough to be the youngest leader in the team. People seems to mourn my decision of letting go such career after my achievements. Some are even curious as to why I'm still eager to go back to college.
To be honest, it is not an abrupt decision. This choice was made based on self-reflection over past couple of years in order to re-invent myself. I am sure that every one of us had experienced this kind of self-crisis at some point in our lives. We doubted the future, not knowing which direction we should take, hesitated to take action, and it seems there are no right path for us to pursue.
I was and still am an indecisive person for many years. When I finished high school, I wanted to work in creative field but was shunned away with fears that I am not talented enough. I ended up got into a bachelor degree that 'promised' instant employability after graduation. Once I finished my degree, I again did not really think about career path and grabbed the fastest opportunity available to be financially independent. I did not care about the industry or job that I pursued, as long as it is a management roles and able to put food into my table. I was already happy to learn something new, excited to finally be an adult and entered workforce.
Oh boy I was wrong.
Once I entered 3rd year of my career, I felt empty and tired. That's when I start reflecting a lot on what I really want to do. Below are the reflection stages that I took:
Reflection 1: Are you happy?
Do you feel satisfied with your current job and wish to do it for next 1,2 years? Are you fulfilled with what you do every day, or are you keep waiting for weekend to come? Do you feel excited coming to work every morning? Do you feel encouraged to do your best at this job?
For me, the first red flag indicator was I kept waiting for weekend to come.
Reflection 2: If you are dissatisfied, is it because of the job or the work environment?
Workplace environment is one of crucial points in ensuring you get the job done, and we all feel discouraged in a negative space. I knew for a fact that there are no major issues with my work environment, thus it was the job that made me dissatisfied.
On the other hand, if you knew the issue is on your work environment, please do highlight the concern to your direct superior or HR department. Should you feel the overall environment is doomed, searching for a similar position in another company can be your last resort.
Reflection 3: In 10 years, or before you retire, is this the career you want to be working on?
This may sounds like interview question, but it exactly hit the point. Do you want to be in this industry and career until your retirement? Are there scalable progressions from your current job?
Despite my interest in service and hospitality, I knew I still want to work in a creative field. I tried to look to incorporate creative element in my previous job and found it was not possible.
This by far, was the hardest part of reflection, as I need to find what I want to do with my life. If you are stuck at this point, take your time, meet new people, consult with people close to you to find your strength and weaknesses, or sign up for classes where you may discover your true passion.
Reflection 4: If you know what you like to do, can you live out of it?
In his book, Boyle (2017) explained that sometimes, things that you like may not always be a good career option. As an example, if you like music, there is high risk in becoming successful musician due to limited opportunities. As an alternative, look for something that you do not hate to do, still satisfy you in some ways, and gives you time to do things you like the most.
I always wanted to be a singer/ pianist, but I know how competitive and risky the career is. Hence, I opt for a job that I still have interest at: creativity on social media, advertising and branding.
Reflection 5: Now you finally find the career you want to be in. Do you have experience and skills to do so?
Does your current job have any relation to the career you want to be in? If you go for new job interview, would your current skills be sufficient? Are you confident you would be able to compete with other candidates?
From my hotel management and online travel background, I realized there are no experiences that may help me to leap into the advertising and branding career..
Reflection 6: Are you able to learn the skills needed from your current job? Do you need to take additional courses? If yes, will short courses suffice?
This is crucial when you want to shift your careers. Always talk with your direct reports and set expectations with them about what you want to do. next Your manager should be able to give you outline what they can or cannot do. At the same time, search for online/ short courses if possible so you do not need to drop your career right away.
I know short courses would not make the cut as I do not have any background in advertising. Furthermore, my previous position have no relations with advertising career and thus would not make me qualified to apply for careers in advertising industry even if I completed short courses. At the end, graduate study was what I choose and here I am, 1.5 years later after making those reflection pursuing the exact study that I dream of.
We will talk about how to choose university options in another post. I hope this will help you if you are thinking of switching career or just feeling something not right with your current job.
Until next time
Cheers! Stella
References: Boyle, A. (2017). Adulthood for Beginners. [Place of publication not identified]: Penguin Publishing Group.
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