Saturday, September 6, 2008

When I grow up, I want to be...

a/an _______________.

14 years ago, like many of you, I was given a green manilla card, amongst other personal details, with one question requesting for three answers.

# Cita-cita:
1. _____________________
2. _____________________
3. _____________________

14 years down the road, we laugh about it- the silliness of it all or whether you've stuck by your words to be who you want to be (at least one of the three occupations listed).

I thought about this today, except I didn't laugh. It is silly. I mean, c'mon who sticks to doing what they wrote in that green manilla card more than a decade ago?? Not that I remember what I wrote or what my other friends wrote... but in reality, hardly anyone becomes what they wanted to be when they were 7.

We were taught of the more 'glamourous' occupations- peguam, doktor, juruterbang, jurutera, akauntan, arkitek, polis (eh m'sian police also can become kaya raya, muncul in tv, rub shoulders with big time politicians one all ok), guru (teachers of cos must promote their own profession mah), penyanyi, etc. Hence, the three blanks were often filled with either one of these 'glamourous' occupations.

I am of no exception.

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Now, fast forward to present. I am not an accountant, what I thought I would become when I took up accounting as my university major. Yeah, for the past 4 years I believed I was going to be one.

To be honest, I must admit that amongst my sisters, I am probably the most undecisive, confused and hopeless in this thing called "making career decisions". And I know it's a very big problem especially if 'career' is the one thing you have to constantly think of for the rest of your qualified-to-be-employed-life.

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"Y Lim, whyyyyy...!!"

Truth to be told, my present job is NOT my first job. I am not ashamed to admit that I job hopped after the 1st month of employment. But I am ashamed to say I left a high paying graduate-entry position in a prestigious local bank with turnover of billions per annum, great staff benefits, and possibly a great future in the banking industry for a lower pay, non-accounting related, career advancement prospects uncertained job.

I know, am i crazy, stupid, bodoh, gila or what.

I do not regret quitting the banking industry, I know I am not happy there (despite the lucrative pay and benefits- whyyyyyy!!!), but would things have been different if I took my parents' advice of joining the Big 4? Would I have lasted longer in this field? Would I have 4 months of experience now, instead of 1 month there, 1 month unemployed and 2 months neither here nor there? There are just so many question marks. When I quitted, should I have just looked into other industries but doing an accounting job instead of a totally irrelevant industry with a totally irrelevant job scope?

p/s- Please don't mistaken that I don't like my current job. In fact, I am pretty happy to have the opportunity to go out and meet people, deal with products that I can relate to, and the opportunity to travel (even if it's work-related). I am just doubtful of my career advancement prospects. AND don't get me wrong, I am not going to quit my present job anytime soon.

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Wasted degree or still maybe probably mungkin can be useful?

Am I a disappointment to my parents, to my family and my educators who thought I could go far in this field? They who put so much faith and hope on me, they who supported me financially, and they who advised me, I did nothing but disappoint them.

Now, what got me into thinking all these is a conversation in the car with my sister. She told me I could have gotten far with such impressive credentials, that I should continue to pursue my professional qualifications, slave and survive for a few years, but the sacrifice will be worth it as those in the accounting field can earn up to RM5k or more in a mere few years compared to those in the marketing line. And in the end, I could still go back to the marketing line and climb the corporate ladder with such qualifications and accounting experience (p/s- FYI, 11 out of 10 CEOs have accounting background).

Of course, it's always easier said than done. But should I do a U-turn and be back at square one again?


*Please leave your comments if you have any advise for me. Would really love to hear your opinions especially if you're in the accounting field too. Also, which professional course is better- ACCA, CIMA, CPA, ICAEW? Thanks!

 
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