Is it better to jump or be pushed?
This is a tough choice faced by many middle-aged Singaporeans these days.
With global economic downturns and advances in technology leaving many workers redundant, it may be wiser to make the first move and take charge of one’s own career path, instead of waiting for the inevitable.
An IT professional looking to switch industries
This was a choice faced by Harry Chan (not his real name), 47, who worked in the field of Information Technology (IT).
“Back then, IT was a growing industry, that is how I decided my career path and studied IT,” he said, when asked why he had chosen to study the subject in school.
Chan had a good career, working as a support specialist for a multinational company (MNC) for 17 years.
To our younger readers who typically job-hop after a few years, 17 years must feel like forever.
But Chan didn’t regret working there for such a long time.
“Definitely enjoyed my time with my previous company, and I gained plenty of experience working for an MNC,” he said.
If there was one thing he missed, it was the many good working relationships he forged with colleagues from all over the world.
However, things took a turn for the worse when Chan learned that his company was planning to downsize his team from a group of seven to just two.
While Chan was one of the lucky two not selected for firing, he felt that it was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened.
Fearing that his department would shut down at some point, he realised he had to do something.
“Either I wait for the company to do something to me, or I do something for myself and proactively look for a job elsewhere,” Chan recalled.
But taking that first step was more difficult than it seemed.
Taking the leap
Chan felt lost and unsure of which option was best for him.
He tried conducting his own job search, but faced many problems.
As he was still working full-time then, he had to conduct his job search during the nights and weekends.
Understandably, there were times when the search got too tiring for Chan.
“On some days, when I was already feeling exhausted from work, I just felt like taking a break and not doing any job search, even during the weekends,” he shared.
As a father of two children, the pressure was on him to find a good job.
Family support
Fortunately, he had the support of his wife during this difficult period.
Chan said she was “very understanding”, as she was also working at the time and could understand the challenges he faced.
“We always believe in job satisfaction, aside from the salary drawn. In fact, it was my wife who encouraged me to go for the change or try out a different industry if need be,” he said.
However, Chan said that after about two months of searching, he began to wonder if he was going about things the wrong way.
He had updated his CV, checked out job recruitment websites and made a shortlist of positions he was interested in.
Although he had sent out many different applications, only one or two companies got back to him with an interview offer.
This prompted Chan to consider re-skilling or upgrading his existing skills to make himself a more attractive prospect to employers.
However, as he had not needed to look for a job for 17 years, he was not sure where to begin looking for new opportunities.
New field with no prior experience
After a fruitless search, Chan entertained the thought of moving to a different industry.
He decided to explore other industries and jobs that did not require specialisation.
“My hope was to find a company willing to take someone with no experience and learn on the job,” he said.
Fortunately, Chan stumbled upon a sponsored post by e2i on Facebook and thought, “No harm checking e2i out and see how they can help.”
How e2i helped him out
After signing up with e2i, Chan was assigned a Career Coach, Hironobu Wee, to guide him and “fill in the gaps” on things he had overlooked or never even thought about.
He was initially unaware of his strengths and transferable skills, and was feeling insecure about whether he could add value to a new company – as he did not possess much technical skills.
Working with e2i, Chan took an online assessment to assess his strengths as an employee.
This allowed him to consider jobs in industries other than IT.
After he secured interviews, Wee was there to remind him about certain pointers, both before and after the interviews.
Chan also received regular guidance from Wee, who gave him suggestions on interview etiquette and how to answer interview questions.
Wee further guided Chan throughout the interview and offer stage, providing encouragement and reminding him to look out for certain details in the employment contract.
Wee also helped Chan to handle the resignation process with his manager at the time to ensure a smooth transition.
“I am blessed to have a coach that was very involved in assisting me right from the start, to ensure we both meet our end goals,”Chan said appreciatively.
Success in finding a new job
Chan’s luck turned around when he managed to find a job in the property management sector after about a month of guidance from e2i.
He is grateful that his new company is willing to help him explore his strengths, and has been attaching him to different departments so that he can pick up new knowledge and skills.
He credited e2i with helping him get back on his feet, even though at the start, he “never believed” in career coaching and thought that he would be able to find a new job on his own.
Besides just helping him with technical assistance, Chan realised that e2i also provided him with a listening ear when the process got trying.
“I had someone willing to listen that I could share my concerns with. I also realised that the more I opened up to share, the easier it was for my coach to understand and give the best possible advice. Till this day, my coach still checks in on me from time to time to see if I am settled into my new job, even though my case has officially ended with e2i,” he said.
And Chan has one message for others who may be facing the same situation he faced in the past.
“If I know someone looking for a job or wants a career switch, will I suggest e2i and if they should talk to a career coach? The answer is a resounding YES!”
It is always important for working individuals to figure out if the career path they are on is of the right fit.
This is where career guidance can help you discover your career interests, develop greater self-awareness, assess your strengths and barriers to employment, as well as understand the current employment and training landscape.
Click here to register for complimentary guidance sessions with a career coach today.
This is a sponsored article brought to you by e2i.
Top image from Unsplash.