Career switch

[Petrelli_83]

Has anyone experienced this "this is not my cup of tea" moment in your career? I'm currently in a well paid job in financial services, but the very long hours, politics, distrust and unrealistic bosses have prompted me to think really hard about switching careers in 3-4 years time. I cannot work in a place where finger pointing is the law of the place and people waste 50% of their productive hours "covering their ass" with caveats, excessive documentation and "controls" and all manner of pointless checks and balances. There is a culture of zero trust, and leaving no chance to common sense.

The money is good (we don't live in dreamland), but beyond paying the bills and building up a critical mass of savings and investments to fall back on, any more is pointless.

I would be 35-36 by then and probably too old by some standards. But I might be able to have enough to pay off a good chunk of my hdb loan, at which point I'm thinking of starting all over in a different career. If anyone has gone through this phase in their life please share with me your experience and difficulties.

I am looking to switch into the IT industry where my personality and passion fits.

 

[havetheveryfun]

hear a lot of ppl want to get out of IT but u want to jump in instead ?

I think there is no harm in a career switch if you are sure you can take the pay cut and a new environment.. but how can be you sure that IT is where your "personality and passion" fits ?

Even in IT there is also "long hours, politics, distrust and unrealistic bosses " that you say about.. actually about every industry is the same. Just a matter of how much.

 

[Petrelli_83]

hear a lot of ppl want to get out of IT but u want to jump in instead ?

I think there is no harm in a career switch if you are sure you can take the pay cut and a new environment.. but how can be you sure that IT is where your "personality and passion" fits ?

Even in IT there is also "long hours, politics, distrust and unrealistic bosses " that you say about.. actually 3about every industry is the same. Just a matter of how much.

I'm considering immigration as well. Having worked in NZ the level of politics and distrust is a lot milder than over here. Just looking for a field to switch into.

 

[Dryden28]

I remember having similar conversation with my expat colleagues. Our conclusion is in Sg, mid career change is almost not possible. Compared to western bosses, eastern boss are more sceptical when hiring a 30+ year old who had just done a 180 in his career. They will almost always look for negatives and wants to hire someone who can immediately contribute on the 1st day of work. Whereas back in their country, they are many cases of construction workers, hairdressers, florist studying and making a career changes to become dentist,surgeons, engineers etc in their mid 30s. Therefore my guess is it will be easier when you are moving to a western country.

 

[lunafan]

Has anyone experienced this "this is not my cup of tea" moment in your career? I'm currently in a well paid job in financial services, but the very long hours, politics, distrust and unrealistic bosses have prompted me to think really hard about switching careers in 3-4 years time. I cannot work in a place where finger pointing is the law of the place and people waste 50% of their productive hours "covering their ass" with caveats, excessive documentation and "controls" and all manner of pointless checks and balances. There is a culture of zero trust, and leaving no chance to common sense.

The money is good (we don't live in dreamland), but beyond paying the bills and building up a critical mass of savings and investments to fall back on, any more is pointless.

I would be 35-36 by then and probably too old by some standards. But I might be able to have enough to pay off a good chunk of my hdb loan, at which point I'm thinking of starting all over in a different career. If anyone has gone through this phase in their life please share with me your experience and difficulties.

I am looking to switch into the IT industry where my personality and passion fits.

You must be kidding me. The level of distrust and a$$ covering in IT is also quite high. Depends on your company actually. From your description, sounds very similar to my current company. It is an investment company managing property?

 

[Petrelli_83]

I remember having similar conversation with my expat colleagues. Our conclusion is in Sg, mid career change is almost not possible. Compared to western bosses, eastern boss are more sceptical when hiring a 30+ year old who had just done a 180 in his career. They will almost always look for negatives and wants to hire someone who can immediately contribute on the 1st day of work. Whereas back in their country, they are many cases of construction workers, hairdressers, florist studying and making a career changes to become dentist,surgeons, engineers etc in their mid 30s. Therefore my guess is it will be easier when you are moving to a western country.

yup. NZ was like that. A lot of people move careers and they were usually very open about it. I'm thinking of eventually settling in Oz/NZ. I'm an Oz PR anyway so I've got that option.

 

[Petrelli_83]

You must be kidding me. The level of distrust and a$$ covering in IT is also quite high. Depends on your company actually. From your description, sounds very similar to my current company. It is an investment company managing property?

Worse. It's a bank. lol.

 

[Petrelli_83]

then don't bother staying on here lar.
some food for thought about the IT industry -
http://forums.salary.sg/education-personal-growth/1278-thinking-doing-diploma-degree-read-first.html

very enlightening... now I'm having second thoughts about IT.

 

[havetheveryfun]

very enlightening... now I'm having second thoughts about IT.

lol.. which other industry is not the same? Banks are also moving to a lot of contract based jobs. Bigger engineering coys like ST Engineering also offer contracts at the start and then maybe convert you to perm after few years. Even govt jobs are starting to offering contracts, just take a look at careers@gov portal.

Furthermore being on contract doesn't mean you get less pay and benefits.. e.g a contract in a MNC may still have better pay and benefits compared to a permanent position in a SME.

 

[lunafan]

lol.. which other industry is not the same? Banks are also moving to a lot of contract based jobs. Bigger engineering coys like ST Engineering also offer contracts at the start and then maybe convert you to perm after few years. Even govt jobs are starting to offering contracts, just take a look at careers@gov portal.

Furthermore being on contract doesn't mean you get less pay and benefits.. e.g a contract in a MNC may still have better pay and benefits compared to a permanent position in a SME.

Agree with you that we can't judge a job based just on whether it is contract or perm.
Not all perm jobs are good and not all contract jobs are bad. Of course there will be lousier ones usually offered by HR agencies that were outsourced to find workers. Look for direct contract jobs with MNCs as they usually offer a better deal and are easier to convert to perm if you perform well.

 

[theoryjack]

I'm equally surprised that someone in the finance sector is looking to go, of all, the IT industry.

The wages aside, ur prolly too disillusioned about the finance sector IN A BANK. why not try other financial related yet not so stressful/political/finger-pointing environment instead? Ie. General /life insurance, or loans/forex (of that's not what you are already doing), bank ops etc might be better. Unless ur going be telling us that ur not even considering anything vaguely related to finance.

 

[nahbehism]

its the same even in IT.. my current workplace also alot of finger pointing, ass covering nonsense.. its the culture of the workplace.. nothing to do with the line u work in