ZORA WRITES…
When I met Nick, a fellow alumni in my postgrad Uni back in 2007, he lured me to take up an attractive post in Dubai with a handsome figure of tax-free annual income, at least three-fold of what I am earning now. Furthermore, the enticing prospect of living in Dubai was pretty good to turn down too. Being an Aussie, Nick told me, that I’ll make a good right hand person given my nationality and lifestyle and that I’ll adapt quickly to the working environment since I’ll be taking care of corporate affairs of a mega construction company.

How hard can it be, anyway? So did I take the offer? The answer is NO.

Back then, I remember wishing that I have only myself to think about and that I can simply take the job with having to subject myself to huge adjustments involving DH and Genius. But there are just many factors that made me decide against it, despite the lucrative deal that came with it.

Confucius said, “Find a job you enjoy, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I’m not sure if that’s entirely accurate – even dream jobs can be hard work, but, it does make life much easier when you are doing something you love.

After I graduated, back in 2000 I first started as a journo with the leading newspaper and the bestest Editor-in-Chief that anyone can asks for. Then, finding it hard to cope with being a young mother and a crazy working hours, I decided to take up a less demanding career as an Education Officer, teaching English to female students, majority of whom scored 5 A’s in their public examinations.

I’d like to think my decision to teach was a special calling. It is not a job well-suited to everyone. In fact, many new teachers leave within the first 3-5 years of teaching. And this is when I was seconded to take up other designation within the Ministry which inevitably led to where I am now.

I guess many of us have to take up different positions first prior to landing the dream job, not that I’m not considering the rare opportunity I had back in 2006 still.

What type of job do we dream about then? Some of us know from the time we are very young what we want to do when we grow up. Others are still trying to figure that out. Still others have tried a career or two, then went on to do something completely different with their lives.

The days of working for the same company for a lifetime are long gone and in some industries having one job for a significant period of time is frowned upon rather than considered an asset. So, it’s quite acceptable in today’s workplace to consider a variety of career options.

As you can see, dreams come in all shapes and sizes. They are often more attainable than you would think. The first step to take in starting to follow your dreams involves deciding what it is you really want to do with your life.

Career growth and excellence contribute significantly to life satisfaction. They require acting with commitment and integrity. We need to set our standards high and continually acquire new knowledge to grow and perform with excellence. People are essential to success, and we must listen deeply to communicate powerfully. Leading others from our deepest values allows us to lead with empathy.

Growth requires physical, mental, and spiritual strength. Love, faith, and gratitude will provide an integral framework for career growth and excellence. Taking deliberate action to excel and grow today will set the process in motion and bring rewarding results throughout the future.

I’d like to think that my career path is the way it is because I have other priorities that I have to consider and other people’s interests to take care of as my ultimate decision will not just affect myself. But, at the end of the day, I am happy with my decision as the handsome annual income will not be as rewarding as the sacrifices that both DH and Genius have to face, should I decide to re-locate the whole family abroad. I mean, it’s not as if that DH hasn’t got his career to think of and what’s more, Genius has his religious education which is of the utmost importance to complete.

In the mean time, I’m happy with my decision, perhaps in my later life, I’ll get to do some consultation work for firms abroad just like my favourite old man is currently doing. He travels to The Hague, Dubai, Frankfurt and New York on a monthly basis doing consultation and guess what? The cities of the world he travels to are also growing as we speak. So fingers crossed, I may end up just like him after my extended retirement age, Insya Allah.

SCARLET SAYS…
It is a grandiose evolution. When she moved to the other turf six years ago, it was motivated by a quest of self-development and to broaden her horizons. She is fortunate because she has the opportunity to pursue a career that she is very passionate about.

It’s like the case of a singer, most likely those from the zeitgeist reality singing contest like X-Factor or American Idol who made the cut and got awesome pay for their love of singing, as an example.

All these reality shows are indeed stepping stones to those who want to make it big. It does not mean that they do not work rigorously, they put up with the pundits’ tough criticism which comprise the professional experts and the public jury.

She, however, refused to identify her first job as a stepping stone as in the cliché. She would like to acknowledge it as her foundation. It is where she has nurtured and honed some skills which she never knew she acquired.

Her American friend, Ashley, just revealed to her that her current job was indeed a milestone for her from a professional perspective.

When she completed her MBA seven years ago, she pursued her dream to become a certified yoga instructor and eventually started running her own yoga studio. To sustain the operations of the studio economically was a feat. She restructured her business, closed down her studio and made tailor-made packages for small groups and private individuals instead.

She was able to schedule her life better. One of her clients even offered her to join her PR team, after she learnt Ashley had a strong background in Mass Communications. So, from then on, she joined the corporate world, switching from her yoga attire to business suit.

“I am a “colourful” person, I love doing a lot of things. I could not resist the offer as it gave me a stable and higher income, but it does not mean I quit practising yoga. I am still in touch with the yoga side of the world – exchanging information, attending seminars and courses,” she explained.

In the span of seven years, she is now in her third job and the longest thus far. “My loyalty to a “job” is not ephemeral. Opportunity just comes knocking and I would be a fool if I declined to take up a much better offer not only financially but also personally. This job even brought me to Asia, one of my dream places.”

“Maybe I am a parvenu who has not found my way to be strongly rooted to something that will fulfill me fully. I am already thinking of my pension funds and I still have one dream to accomplish, to become a professional golfer,” she chuckled.

Ashley may have that choice to enjoy life and build a career at the same time. She has a supportive family who does not mind her living half across the world. In Brunei, with our very close family knit, we are often inveigled into staying close to home and work with the country’s main employer, the public sector or join the private sector companies that provide their employees with a competitive pay and perks.

These are some of the reasons some of her friends lost interest to work with full dedication … because they simply didn’t like what they were doing. They were just slogging to get through the day. Their main consolation was the income that gives them the purchasing power to buy fancy continental cars and other materialistic splurges that they could think of.

“My conservative parents do not even give me the consent to work outside the district, let alone overseas. I know I can do more. I was unemployed for eight months and even then my parents did not condone the idea of me working in the private sector,” she said.

“I am just thankful that I am granted a scholarship to do my postgraduate in UK now. It gives me a renewed spirit to develop myself further and inject an excitement to learn and to really be a useful and productive person. Come to think about it, if I were to go against my parents’ wishes I may not have been able to get this opportunity. It has made me reflect on myself and my attitude towards work,” she continued. Our current preoccupation with a perfect career might blind us to see the rosy future that lies ahead of us. Stepping stone or no stepping stone, it is imperative that we deliver our responsibilities as stipulated in our basic job description. It is an obligation. An onus.