Dear Gilbert
Random picture
I came across your website last year and finally decided to confide to you my problems. Hopefully you will be able to be a listening ear and provide me with career advice.
I’ve graduated in 2002 with a polytechnic diploma in Electronics Engineering; I worked briefly in a semiconductor company as an Associate Engineer. Dissatisfied with my job, as I did not pick up any technical skills I hoped for, I decided to pursue a Degree in Electrical Engineering from The University of Newcastle, Australia in July 2004.
My studies over there were tough and most of my Singapore course mates eventually dropped out. I endured through all the harsh remarks made by the lecturers and having one of them intentionally failing me in my final year project and joking about it. After taking an average of 3 subjects per semester, I graduated in December 2008.
After that, I decided to move to Brisbane to join my then boyfriend. Upon obtaining my PR I tried all means to get a job but to no avail. Tried and disappointed, I decided to try my luck in Singapore after a discussion with my ex who agreed to look at jobs in Singapore too.
In around August 2010, I was back home and started visiting employment agencies and sending about 5-8 resumes a day. In the mist of look for a job, my ex broke up with me over an email. I begged him not to do this to me and he sent me another email saying that he has moved on to a wonderful person and threatened me not to contact him.
My parents and I were overjoyed when I got a job in an MNC company as an Engineering Planner in November 2010. However being a newly created position, with no panning process, I was treated like an admin assistant but decided to hang on.
After a planning leader was hired in Australia, I was sent for a course.
However, till now, my lack of experience coupled with having no experienced planners in the local engineering department and the lack of support from the engineering managers persist and affect my job morale.
Although I feel bored and unmotivated in my job, I tried my best to keep myself motivated by trying to learn as much from others.
I am just starting to lookout for other jobs and really hope for a job related to my studies but received negative comments from my dad about overseas degrees, the course I took, my age and my lack of experience.
I am afraid to confide in my parents as I know they will be mad. It seems that there isn’t a place in this world for me and I am fearful that I will soon reach a dead end in life.
It would be greatly appreciated if you can offer me some career advice.
Regds,
Denise
^^^^^^^
Dear Denise,
Thanks for your mail and sorry to hear about your current predicament.
I am glad that you persist with your current job even though you face certain constraint in the company.
Job skills mismatch is a big issue everywhere and sometimes it is more damaging than the low pay package.
We all work for a passion and want to be seen as contributing to the company.
Failing to do so explains the current high turnover pravalent in our country.
I also realise that HR managers sometimes hired anyhow and perhaps the current shortage of manpower may have contribute to this mayhew.
Despite your tertiary qualification, I am surprised that your company treats you like an admin asst.
Is it possible to have a chat with your superior about this?
The job scope mismatch will surely lead you to quit the company one day as there is zero work satisfaction here.
I guess I can’t fault you if you decide to look for another job.
Do let me know if you are keen to catch up for a chat.
Hope this has help you.
Stay positive.
Regds,
Gilbert Goh
another example of a S’pore woman who got used and then thrown away by an “ang mo” man – the “great white hope” of the asian women.
Denise, you are both fortunate and unfortunate working in a new dept. Unfortunate is there is no fixed rules and systems for you to follow through. Fortunate is you can put all your creativity thoughts into work to make the new dept succeed so as for you. Read up and consult friends who have experience in this field or someone with good manufacturing experience. I am sure you can see lights end of the day as your immediate boss already very complacent sitting there and no time for you.
How come your degree take so long? I tot Auusie Unis give exemptions to poly grads?
This is an adolescent level pie in the sky letter. Besides the fact that she was dumped by her Australian boyfriend, there does not seem to be anything particulary note worthy in her career experience.
I mean she got an Australian degree, got a fancy title job in what appears to be a good MNC. So what’s the problem?
Too much admin work? Seriously as a fresh grad what was she expecting from the job? A fulfiling, mentally stimulating, challenging & strategic environment which can put her great talents to use?
Most people endure for decades and are still doing largely admin-based routine activities even when they reach manager or director level. Are we all suppose to go around claiming we are “bored and unmotivated” and “fearful that (we) will soon reach a dead end in life”?
She has a decent job & I assume decent pay & benefits working in a MNC. This kind of rubbish is highly insulting to the many other letter writers who are in a really desperate and helples situation and thinking of extreme measures like suicide. What we have here seems to be more of a whiner who is unhappy that the company does not recognize whatever percieved talent she think she has.
I am looking for Electrical Engineer and hisor role will be energy efficiency and energy audit. Send cv if interested
Junior staff at the bottom of the ladder have to do all types of shit. Same in the SAF. When i was a junior staff, i have to buy drinks for my seniors and carry files like an errand boy. LOL!
Get used to it. It is normal. You can see how to improve your skills and knowledge and stay positive. Only when you do so, then you have more of a bargaining chip for your next job.
this sounds more like a case of lack of self identity and confidence, than job skill mismatch. It looks like she is afraid of criticisms and comments from others. First of all, identify what you really want to achieve – in most cases, support and organised process does not come like that in most companies nowadays, changing the next job or finding that “perfect” job match may not be the solution. Identify what you want and can do in steps, and then take constructive actions to do it. Be very proactive, open the mouth and daringly ask for it.
Be innovative, if a solution is not there, invent one. Nobody says we cannot do certain things, make suggestions and see what happenes.
At the end of the day, trust your self. Be courageous, and listen to your inner voices, then what others tell you to do. If your gut tells your fear, but your heart warms up to an idea, listen to your heart, but not your gut
Be bold to your own opinion and actions, what you think is right for you! All the best!
Hi there,
We are almost on the same career path just that I’m older perhaps.
Just to clarify that Engineering courses from University of Newcastle are Distant Learning Programs taught in PSB Academy.
I completed my BEng(Mechatronics) from 2002-2004 in 2.5yrs. Unlike some distant learning which is easier to manage, the engineering courses we had was very hands on, assignment/project orientated. There are people who even claimed that PSB/Newcastle courses were equally if not tougher than the NUS Part time Engineering program.
Engineering Planning is a dynamic and very deskbound job.
We look at past trends, based on alot of data and scheduled for maintanence without affecting Operations. Plans changes everyday and we would have to liasie between Sales/Marketing side and Production side.
Your job would spend more time on your ERP system or even the basic microsoft excel, emails and perhaps phonecall than being involved in the operations itself.
This is why you felt that you are merely an admin assistant.
Scheduling is a valuable skill not just because you put a timing there and so it happens. It is the screw ups, the change of plans, the delay, the change of product mix, the customers and the production which affects your plan.
If this is not what you want, you might want to try internal job application transfer. Usually this is the fastest and you won’t lose any benefits/salary as you are still within the organization.
As for what kind of jobs you want – ask yourself what really interest you.
1) If you like fixing things, have a sense of achievement if your machine is up and running – then you should look for Maintenance Engineer
2) If you like problem solving, error proofing, project handling then you should look for Process Engineer
3) If you like to draft reports, chaarts and talk to suppliers, handle quality issues, – Supplier Quality Engineer, Customer Quality Enigneer, Quality Engineer
4) If you like to manage technicians/operators and find achievements in meeting target, deadlines – Production/Manufacturing Engineer
Cheers and Good Luck!