There's no absolute right or wrong; just do what you think is right.I can't help thinking sometimes if I'm indeed pushing myself on the right track. I don't want to go through the trouble to type a long history, so I shall just summarize in point form.
I have these goals lying in my head for quite a while:
Time-consuming goals
Childhood goal: Start a tuition centre (taking 50% stake in a current centre)
Recent goal: Start a publishing house and publish truly useful educational materials for A levels (I must share my knowledge before I forget or before anything unfortunate happens to me)
New goal: iPhone and Android apps for education purposes (for free downloads to help students)
While I'm working my ass off on these goals, I need money to eat, I need money to invest in the materials to work towards the goal, etc. Yet, my current job is so damn low-paying.
So the question lies here.... should I search for a higher paying job while I work on my goals? Yet, will the new job be so busy that it does not allow me time nor energy to work on my goals?
Don't get me wrong, I like my job, I like what I do as sidelines. But I need to grow as well :x
It's truly a testing moment as I see my job salary remaining moderately stagnant (due to the company itself, a US MNC which isn't doing too well), while I see my friends and siblings getting higher and higher salary increments in government sectors. Yes, I might have achieved more than most my age at the moment due to extra income from tuition, but deep down, I know that isn't anything sustainable. My available time will slowly reduce, my energy will slowly wane...
It makes me wonder if working on my goals while staying stagnant in the job market is the correct move in comparison to climbing the career ladder. The cliche answer is: "only time will tell".... Yet it doesn't help in coming out with any solution.
Finished with lamenting, signing off back to working on my goals.
Hi JW,
ReplyDeleteI been through the same phase too.
I think you need to ask yourself this few questions:
1. Where is the next position you would go after current role and is there room to move up? Is your boss going to move up soon and how Many competitors you have?
2. Is your company still making profit?
3. Have you spoken to your boss about promotion?
4. Can you justify the promotion?
Cheers
I dont think it is a good idea to change jobs if you have so Many sidelines to manage, new job means new challenge, stress and the need to prove yourself..
ReplyDeleteHow long is your immediate boss in his/her cuurent job?
ReplyDeleteHow long is your boss's boss in his/her current job?
Then you can estimate how long will it take for you to move up?
Hi Guru,
ReplyDeletethanks for your reply.
1. Where is the next position you would go after current role and is there room to move up? Is your boss going to move up soon and how Many competitors you have?
==> Not much, a long overdue promotion to a senior engineer, which was delayed likely due to some minor office politics. But pay raise is minimal for promotion anyway.
2. Is your company still making profit?
==> Currently yes, but dropping.
3. Have you spoken to your boss about promotion?
==> The boss hinted already without me speaking.
4. Can you justify the promotion?
==> Easily.
The key thing is not promotion, but that promotion brings little salary benefit actually. Apart from the fact that I'm in such a comfort zone here that I do not need to spend too much of my energy to complete any work here. The technicals are mostly simple to me.
Hi CW88,
ReplyDeleteHow long is your immediate boss in his/her cuurent job?
==> 4 months. 2 years more working experience.
How long is your boss's boss in his/her current job?
==> more than 7 years definitely.
Then you can estimate how long will it take for you to move up?
==> This year. My previous boss had a policy of delaying promotions; he specifically mentioned he did not want to promote pple too fast. That should have been a warning sign to plan for a getaway asap. Guess I was blinded by the scholarship bond.
Hat’s off. Well done, as we know that “hard work always pays off”, after a long struggle with sincere effort it’s done.
ReplyDeleteHi JW,
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you, seniority and comfort zone counts alot. But i think we also need to look at long term view to see if there is room to climb further 10 years down.it gets quite demoralizing if one stays too stagnant too long and promotion salary increases do come In handy to cope with inflation , expenses and Add more funds for retirement planning :)