Job Searching

This post is just for me to do some reflection and thinking through my future.

I've been on the current job for more than four years now since I graduated with my degree. With a business degree, the available options are slightly more than a specific one. However, i ended up in this customer service job because of it's location. I also thought I could do this first while considering what I want for my future.

Here I am, four years later... Still not sure what I want to do.

I have this thing for marketing and PR. I think I'm that kind of person. Good with meeting people, talking, and selling. But I do not want to be tied down by sales target. If given a chance, I think I can do well in this sector.

People usually think highly of themselves. That's my problem also. I feel that I can achieve much more elsewhere or in another position. Over here, people consider this place as a retirement village. Everyone here is waiting for the "package". I'm the most junior person in my team. Two of which clocked thirteen years. And another was seven. How am I going to fight with them? Colleagues even asked me what am I doing here? So young and capable,  I should be outside fighting for my career!

I thought so too... Most of the time...

Frankly speaking, being in here is my comfort zone. I complete my tasks within first hour of the day. After which, I was in charge of routing emails from the generic mailbox. I look for ways to simplify and error proof my work. I think of ideas to make my job easier. Resulting in higher efficiency, end up I complete them even faster than others. End up I'm bored. End up I surf net around 60% of my day. There are some busy days also, but I would say it's very little.

In my opinion, the pay here is way lower than what I can do. But for what I done so far, I would say it's justifiable because I'm free most of the time. I'm not working hard enough. Still have a lot of capacity. But who would tell that to their bosses? I don't tell my boss I'm free, but as and when they assign other jobs to my out of my job scope, I gladly take them. I strongly believe that employees are to help bosses solve problems, not create problems. That's why I hate politics also. I cannot stand them and is strongly against them. I don't like when people gossip and back stab others. I try to walk away and usually do not comment. If I'm close enough with that person, I'll tell them to stop. That's how I roll.

However, tongues will still wag. When people ask me about stuff, I just say I don't know. Even with the closest colleague, I don't want to spread people's issues. There was once my close colleague got angry with me because I told her I didn't know about a scandal in the company. Another colleague told her that she already told me. -.- Anyway, that was over and she got over it after a short while. I just told her that I don't think we should spread such news and it would be better if she didn't know. I hoped I didn't know also.

I told myself that I would start looking for a new job in Decemeber. But here's the problem. What job? If I were to venture into something our of my current experience, I'm sure I would have to accept a pay cut. That's unacceptable. I have a house, a car and family to feed. I cannot accept pay cut and higher work load. Doesn't make sense. I will have to proof to the company that I'm interviewing for that I'm worth it. How many employers can see that? All they want is a worker bee. Hopefully someone without much thoughts. Too much thoughts and comment might end up being a conflict of interest.

First year into my current job, I had lots of thoughts. Why don't they streamline this process. Why won't they invest more and use a better system to manage their orders? Why don't they do this, why don't they do that. From there, I understand reality. What we learnt in textbooks, in schools are not really applicable here. We made assumptions. Cost and benefit analysis were just numbers. In this real world, these are real figures. They have impact. They affect business profitability and company's future. It's not so simple.

Cut cost. Separation and acquisition. I was lucky to have gone through all that here. I would say it's a valuable experience.

Now looking ahead. I need to start thinking for myself. Do I want to sacrifice my comfort and walk out to a bigger environment? Will I be able to succeed? Will I do better than here? Friends around me who walked out seems like they are doing better. But then again, they went back to the same industry. I'm venturing out.

I hope I can meet someone who can help my and value my capability. I also wish to grow. But I can feel that working in this current job is really slowing me down. I used to be an extrovert. Very good in presentation. I thought I could do MUCH BETTER than now. But looking at facebook, all my classmates are at managerial level, while I'm still a customer service representative. It sucked to be filled with envy when I used to perform better than them. I hate this feeling. I need to make a change. I hope my next post will be an update for my new job. Like everyone else, I'm waiting for the year end 13 month and off I go. Wish my luck!