Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
You are not alone. I am very similiar to you in terms of experience and salary and I work in a very big MNC. The thing is that we as young people are so driven that some work environment cannot provide.
A banking job is good for driven people and to move there, you got to be young and driven. Even though you have no relevant experience, worth a try and if you need to start from Local banks just go for it to get the first step in.
I've ever considered starting own business etc to fulfill the drive but never had a good business idea. I just feel that no matter which job you are in, after a while, it gets stagnant and boring.
What I am trying to say is that, take a step back and think what you want out of LIFE. LIFE is not only career so think of it holistically. Consider sidelines to kill time? Or switch a career. Taking MBA is only adviseable for those top-notch schools (no local schools), otherwise you are wasting money and time.
Good luck and find your direction. Speak to more pple and be ready to embrace new ideas.
|
This is indeed good advice, especially the part about what you want out of life.
Where you are right now is actually a very good place to take stock of your life and to reflect upon your ambition(s). $6K a month for a 28 year old is very comfortable. I therefore assume you have the luxury of stability to think.
First, if you don't have a good financial plan, get one now. With one that helps you plan for a realistic retirement, you will find you will have a lot more freedom to take "risks" rather than held back because you're not sure if you will ever reach financial independence. Trust me, having firm numbers in front of you can be very reassuring.
Second, you say you messed up the interviews. Perhaps this is indicative that there is room from growth in the area(s) you failed? Maybe you should focus on fixing that now? Maybe you're just not ready to move on to something bigger, as much as you think you are?
Third, do you find satisfaction in what you currently do? There is nothing wrong with staying at a "plateau" for a few years if the job is satisfying. With seniority comes a certain amount of confidence and therefore security. This might be useful in addressing the previous point. There's also nothing wrong with staying in your current job. You may even be able to carve out an interesting niche for yourself, like being a mentor to younger staff members because you have some experiencee. From personal experience that can be quite rewarding.
Fourth, you must control ambition, and not allow it to control you. Ambition will change over time too. If you're deciding what you want to do because you feel pressured to move up the corporate ladder to be someone in life, then I suggest you need something to find something else that will define you. Again, now's a good time to think about what your passion is. A test here is if you were to die, what would you want to be remembered for? You dont have to aim to be a saint.
Fifth, when you fail, you'll only have passion to keep you going. I was talking to a guy recently whose career has gone up and down - civil service scholar, left to become a banker, did very well, bankrupted 7 years later, now doing what he really likes (not something drastic like opening a restaurant or a toy shop, but managing business projects) and by the looks of it, he's doing quite well for himself. The one thing he told me is based on his experience, money is fleeting, and the only way you'll keep your sanity is to have a good financial plan from young and to focus on deriving satisfaction from everything but money.
This possibly isn't the practical advice you may want, because truthfully, I'm not familiar with your field. But I think too many young Singaporeans are getting cynical and disillusioned because by competiting with each other, and using career progression and $ as a benchmark, they're heading towards unrealistic, unsustainable zones.
There's really more to life!
And I think I can say that to you without feeling bad because $6K a month at 28 years is very good. I earned half as much, and that wasn't too long ago!