Lately, more and more headhunters have been calling me. I wonder why? I thought at this time people will stay put at their posts and not move anywhere because it is the period for bonuses, and besides, the market is going down, so it will be too much of a risk to move anywhere. In any case, some of the jobs are pretty interesting, some are more mundane.
The thing is now that I have gained a certain kind of experience, I do not want to shortchange myself into doing something more menial. Thus, nowadays the requirements for choosing a job is as follows :
1. It must be an in-house role, preferably with a public-listed or Multi National Corporation
2. The remuneration must be at least thirty percent from what I am currently getting (so as to incorporate the bonus, incentive and annual increment from my current company)
3. It must be a more challenging job scope that allows me to be exposed to more and learn more in the process.
4. It must be a permanent post or an approved headcount. I do not want to take the risk of going for another contract job!
Now that whatever I have in this company is at my fingertips, why should I be doing the same things as I am doing? Where is the challenge in that? After a while, things will just become so routine and there is nothing much to look forward to anymore. If one is to change job, it must be because of a better offer and opportunity, right?
But now I realize why the older one gets, the more difficult it is to find a job. One may or may not have the qualifications, but after working for a few years, they will have gained enough experience. So, they do not wish to start from entry-level anymore, neither do they want to do the same thing with the same pay. I believe most people will want to progress, do something more challenging with more pay.
The trouble is if someone does not have the required qualifications, even with experience, companies will still offer the same kind of job with the same pay, because they are not comfortable with someone not as qualified to handle a more challenging job. Thus if companies are looking for people, unless they want someone experienced enough and willing to pay, otherwise most will prefer young, fresh graduates as they are willing to learn from scratch with just a fraction of the pay.
I know it too well, that companies, even if they claim they need someone with the appropriate experience, qualifications notwithstanding, chances are they are still unwilling to pay because of the lack of qualifications. Which is why it is so important to upgrade and remain relevant, otherwise the older one gets, the more set in the ways they become, the more redundant they get, and they find that sooner or later, they will be replaced by younger and more adaptable people. Then they will be living in fear of losing their jobs.
Losing one’s job when one is in their twenties is still okay, because the opportunities are still abundant. Losing one’s job at the age of thirty or a bit more is still okay, provided one is willing to take a slight pay cut. Losing one’s job from mid-thirties onwards is as good as “gone case”, because employers will overlook them for younger, probably better qualified and “less expensive” people.
Ours is not a country that lives on welfare, which means it is very important to have a job. Neither is it a country where most people are able to live off their parents. The majority here are working class, be it white or blue collars. So if we lose our jobs, especially for those with families to support, it is really a sad case.
But then again, some brought it upon themselves as well with self-centred attitudes, thinking the world owes them a living and refusing to upgrade. Still, with the society being so competitive as it is, one just have to learn how to adapt and remain relevant, no matter what one is doing, in order to feed ourselves.
The thing is now that I have gained a certain kind of experience, I do not want to shortchange myself into doing something more menial. Thus, nowadays the requirements for choosing a job is as follows :
1. It must be an in-house role, preferably with a public-listed or Multi National Corporation
2. The remuneration must be at least thirty percent from what I am currently getting (so as to incorporate the bonus, incentive and annual increment from my current company)
3. It must be a more challenging job scope that allows me to be exposed to more and learn more in the process.
4. It must be a permanent post or an approved headcount. I do not want to take the risk of going for another contract job!
Now that whatever I have in this company is at my fingertips, why should I be doing the same things as I am doing? Where is the challenge in that? After a while, things will just become so routine and there is nothing much to look forward to anymore. If one is to change job, it must be because of a better offer and opportunity, right?
But now I realize why the older one gets, the more difficult it is to find a job. One may or may not have the qualifications, but after working for a few years, they will have gained enough experience. So, they do not wish to start from entry-level anymore, neither do they want to do the same thing with the same pay. I believe most people will want to progress, do something more challenging with more pay.
The trouble is if someone does not have the required qualifications, even with experience, companies will still offer the same kind of job with the same pay, because they are not comfortable with someone not as qualified to handle a more challenging job. Thus if companies are looking for people, unless they want someone experienced enough and willing to pay, otherwise most will prefer young, fresh graduates as they are willing to learn from scratch with just a fraction of the pay.
I know it too well, that companies, even if they claim they need someone with the appropriate experience, qualifications notwithstanding, chances are they are still unwilling to pay because of the lack of qualifications. Which is why it is so important to upgrade and remain relevant, otherwise the older one gets, the more set in the ways they become, the more redundant they get, and they find that sooner or later, they will be replaced by younger and more adaptable people. Then they will be living in fear of losing their jobs.
Losing one’s job when one is in their twenties is still okay, because the opportunities are still abundant. Losing one’s job at the age of thirty or a bit more is still okay, provided one is willing to take a slight pay cut. Losing one’s job from mid-thirties onwards is as good as “gone case”, because employers will overlook them for younger, probably better qualified and “less expensive” people.
Ours is not a country that lives on welfare, which means it is very important to have a job. Neither is it a country where most people are able to live off their parents. The majority here are working class, be it white or blue collars. So if we lose our jobs, especially for those with families to support, it is really a sad case.
But then again, some brought it upon themselves as well with self-centred attitudes, thinking the world owes them a living and refusing to upgrade. Still, with the society being so competitive as it is, one just have to learn how to adapt and remain relevant, no matter what one is doing, in order to feed ourselves.
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