S’porean, 35, rejoins workforce & gets hired by Google after being stay-at-home mum for 2 years

Once an engineer and an entrepreneur who started an online shoe store and a walking tour business, Ramona Koh shares how she regained her confidence after joining the Skills Ignition SG (SISG) training programme  – run by Google and the Singapore government. Koh is one of many Singaporeans who has found a career in a globally-leading enterprise here. Koh's interview was first published on the Economic Development Board’s website. 

By Ramona Koh

Before joining Google, I was a stay-at-home mum (SAHM) for two years.

When I went back to work, it was a challenge for me to let go of the “mum-guilt”. For instance, I felt bad for not being able to cook meals for my kids, spending time away from them, losing some control over their lives and worrying about the impact this would have on them.

But what has helped me to overcome this feeling is an intentional shift of mindset, being kind to myself and reminding myself that it is important to show up and be a good role model to my kids.

I want to show them that their mum has a passion and is chasing her dreams through the work she does. In doing so, I hope to inspire them to work hard for their future when they grow up.

How I got the job at Google

When I first returned to the workforce, I also felt disoriented as I saw how technology had evolved really quickly.

Virtual meetings had become the norm, and I was not used to it. Simple things like keeping track of which tab I was using for my presentation, preparing what to say in meetings – I had to re-learn all of it!

There was also the emotional aspect where I was afraid to make mistakes, feeling embarrassed by what I didn't know and not wanting to trouble others.

But once again, I reminded myself that I had a great opportunity to learn and to show up as the best version of myself at work.

Motivated to become better, I joined a nine-month Skills Ignition SG (SISG) training programme – run by Google and the Singapore government. The programme helps Singaporeans build in-demand digital skills to unlock new personal and professional growth opportunities.

I did three months of online training and a six-month traineeship with the Google Pay team, before applying to join the Server Operations team as a full-time employee. I’ve now been with Google for close to two years, as a Program Manager with the Data Center team.

Why I love my job

I love my role, I love my work.

Why, you may ask? Being in the Data Centre space, we keep the internet going.

Most people may not know or think about the amount of work that goes behind-the-scenes to keep the internet on, 24/7.

While AI is the buzzword now, we still need digital infrastructure to keep things on. To me, it’s incredibly meaningful and rewarding to be part of this team, and have an impact on… pretty much everything.

I also love that when my children hear the word “Google”, they say: “MUMMY THAT’S YOU”. They’re proud of what I do, and of course as a mum that means the world to me.

Google has a shared culture where people respect boundaries and family time. More importantly, I love that we are encouraged to grow professionally and individually.

Google offers numerous internal online courses and the company offers a learning reimbursement program that provides subsidies when we sign up for professional or professional courses.

Being at Google has widened my perspective and shown me that we don’t always have to get promoted to say you’ve grown in your role.

I now see the value in growing horizontally such as trying different roles or teams or taking up projects outside your core role.

I’ve seen many colleagues of mine who have done this, and as a result, have been able to gain a much broader perspective and insight into the business.

To some people, it may feel like everything is evolving very quickly, especially as new technology gets introduced.

I can understand why some people may feel like their skills are becoming obsolete, but I also believe that we all have the ability to stay relevant.

If we are interested in a particular topic, we can devote the time and effort to pursue it (even if it’s just five minutes each day!) and find ways to enter a particular field of interest – just like how I joined Skills Ignition SG which led me to my current role.

It’s more dangerous to “cruise” than to fail

In 10 years, I want to be a good role model to my kids. I want them to feel proud of me for pursuing my passion and giving my all. From a professional standpoint, I want to continue growing in my field, improving my own soft skills and technical skills.

If I got to meet my younger self, I would say: Never settle. Keep learning, keep exploring, take that class, book that trip, set up that meeting with that manager in the team that you’ve been inspired by.

It’s more dangerous to “cruise” than to fail.

Even if you fail, it’s better to improve and learn from it, than to stay quiet and be pushed along. Being in situations where I’ve felt uncomfortably excited is where I’ve grown the most.

Inspired to carve a career in a global enterprise? You can read about more Singaporeans building their careers in global enterprises here.

Top image from EDB.