Hello readers! Here to update my blog again. Happy to receive flowers on any occasion, anytime! This pretty bouquet of flowers was given to me by my students! It was part of the surprise farewell gift that i will explain as you read on.
Close friends that knows me well understand that i have start searching for a new job since one year ago. In fact i have been saying so often they were surprised i have not change job after going for so many interviews. I have been working in my current company for 3 years 10 months. Time flies, this was the first full time job since i graduated after i obtain my degree. The job nature is not exactly desk bound or purely doing administrative work, i enjoy talking to students, working with students, vendor in organizing events etc. However, after working for 3 years 10 months, i have not seen any progress in my career compare to my colleague turn friend that joined few month later but has already got promoted after 2 years. I am very confident of my work performance but sometimes i feel its really the type of boss that you have which will affect your career path. There is work life balance in this job but there is no career progression at least for me.
Instead of relying on the increment that is pretty low every year after performance appraisal, a change of job would mean my income will increase, a new environment will give me a new learning curve and challenges since i mentioned before that i was v bored with the routine work that i have been doing all these years. I am not the kind that is happy doing the same old thing for 10 or many many years.
All these factors are the motivation for me in search of a new job, however it's not that i am working extremely unhappy that i need to change my job fast. The organisation has pretty good staff benefits, welfare that it has to be my benchmark before i choose to take up any job offer. I know it has to be better, not worse so i was taking longer than usual until everyone feel that i am in my comfort zone for too long and maybe i just don't want to change but finding fault with the new potential job offers. But i know what i am looking for so i was willing to wait for the one that i decided i can finally resign at my current job.
Being in this job before changing to a new one means i had more than enough time to manage my new house renovation since i am the one that is coordinating with the ID most of the time as Jeremy is too busy with his work.
Sometimes, i would also feel that everything seems to be predestined. Even though i have been attending interviews once in a while, but this interview (which i eventually take up the offer) was scheduled on 28 June 2019. By then my house renovation was completed with all the delivery of all the furniture & electrical appliances in place. It was the last weekend of June. I was moving in to my new house by the first week of Jul. The timing was so good, except i didn't expect i would be shortlisted so soon. I remember the interview was in the morning, i was on leave on that day as we booked a holiday chalet meant to celebrate for my mum's birthday and was going to check in the afternoon.
They didn't take too long to get back to me, as i have informed them that i have another interview around the same period, but after attending both interviews, i was more keen for this position in this company instead.
I remember asking my RO as my contract was up to renewal, actually my RO has requested to convert me to a perm position so we don't have to go the hassle of renewing contract every 2-3 years.
I asked whether conversion to a perm position will means the salary will be adjusted or additional benefits. But the answer was no. So it was quite clear to me that if i decided to stay on, i would only be converted as perm position but no other additional benefits or salary adjustment.
After about one week later, the HR staff called and informed me that they are keen to offer me for the position however the salary they offer were not my expectation, despite their effort to explain to me their staff benefits. It was quite competitive compare to my existing one but i was negotiating for a better salary offer so the HR staff told me she will check and get the approval before informing me.
I was not in a rush and could wait since the following week after the holiday chalet, i was busy with moving of my stuffs to my new house. I move in to my new house on 6 Jul 19, which happen to be a auspicious date to move in and its my birthday too. The following week, the HR staff updated me with the revised salary offer, which i am more than happy to take up the offer this time.
I was joking with my friends, its a brand new start for me, a new house, new birthday age, and a new job!
Everything just falls in place so nicely though it means this time its for real that i am going to resign and move on to a totally new job with entirely new jobscope, new environment, different culture and meeting new people that i am going to work with.
In a way, i am happy that the company has tried to keep me when i informed my RO regarding my resignation as he ask if i am open for counter offer. I didnt reject immediately, they was confident that they could counter offer me if not higher and of cos the justifications will be written by my RO as discussed with my boss. My natural instincts, i can't reject after seeing how they try to convince me because i tend to let emotions come over me more than making rational decision. Afterall, we are colleagues that has worked for years. It is definitely not easier than me rejecting all the sales call i receive all the time.
However after consideration, i know salary is not just the only factor that i want to resign, yes it was one of the factors to change job but i almost sway into believing that i am just going for and comparing whoever is able to pay me more. But i realise this is not the only reason that i decided to change job. My flaw is losing the main focus and probably once i believe, i will find all sort of justifications to prove that i am right. (One of my lost friend told me this, though probably his tone was nasty that i was arguing with him without listening in the true fact) Now that i have calmed down, i know what he said is right. He throw me away after he was so heated up during our argument. So we are no longer friends. Well, i must have stepped on his toes or too arrogant during our argument that he decided enough is enough, we are not friends anymore.
Before i reject the counter, i was actually seeking advice with some of my friends. Some told me not to go for it, some told me why not and see the counter offer. It was quite sad that i lose a great friend because of this incident because it seems he got mad at me for being selfish when i probably give him the impression that i am going to stay and see the company counter offer and not move on.
He blocked me on all platforms so our communication was zero since our last conversation. This is the first time i think he is really mad and i am sorry. Not that he will read this post anyway. He hate me to the core by now and doesn't want to associate anything to me. But still, i want to apologise for making him so mad. I don't mean it.
Even though i still have his number and email but i guess i will look too desperate to approach him in this way. Maybe this is the best outcome for us. Since he doesn't want to talk to me anymore, i see no point in continuing the friendship, But thank you for helping me and giving me your honest advices all this while.
So i reject the company counter offer before they can counter offer because i realise i should not be wasting their time. After doing some research on my own, i came to understand that if i accept the counter offer, it won't be long before i will get sick of it because the main factor to leave was not just the $ factor and i would want to change job again if i got bored in the job again if i stay another 6 months so i decided to leave without burning any bridges.
Words soon spread fast so many colleagues know that i am leaving and came to ask me about it.
I was really thankful for all the farewell lunch/gifts! Unexpected but sweet! Thanks to everyone!
My first farewell gift, this was given to me by Selina/Eve/Alissa. It was a very surprise farewell gift. I still remember when Selina told me that i have mail at the general office. But i thought it was nothing important so i didn't went up immediately to check.
So after lunch with Alissa and it happens that we were passing by the General office that i remember i got mail, so i went to check and i thought why the parcel was so big!
It was until i open the parcel thn i realise it was a bag from The Sophia Label given by them! It was a bag that i wanted to buy but i didnt. I only told Selina during our conversation and initially she told me she was asking Alissa whether i might have bought for myself because i usually v fast in ordering But Alissa was telling her she didnt hear me mentioning anything about this bag.
So they decided to get this bag for me! Yay! Thank you for getting me this bag! It will be my new work bag in my new job. Haha
I was surprised that he even got a farewell gift for me too! It was so cute when i open the packaging and there were really crab form in the biscuit!
I got a gift from Merilyn & Elaine too. It feels like xmas came early for me! Haha
Thanks for the all the farewell lunch and gifts i received from my colleagues wishing me all the best in my endeavors.
Initially i checked with my RO whether he would like me to clear my leave or they can encash my remaining leave available. So the final decision was to encash it, i was fine with it because i have inform my new company the proposed start date. I was able to rest for one week before i officially start in my new job.
My last day in this company was 8 Aug 2019. 08.08.2019.
It was a very nice date and the last time i will be managing the orientation camp. But the unexpected surprise that comes from the students as well!
So one of the orientation days we have a school talk session, so as usual i was coordinating between all the speakers and when the session almost ended and i was about to leave, one of the student organiser was asking me to stay as they have some questions to ask me. Without any suspicion, i stay, but after awhile my RO was saying we could leave, the students give me the reason they need to use our clicker and they will return to me shortly instead of them coming to our office later to return so ask me to wait.
Halfway, one of them ask me over to ask some question and just when i was digesting the question he is going to ask and realise why it was so strange his questions is not complete, before the student organiser, Cedric whom i worked with last year like to thank me for all the help they receive from me to help them host the orientation programme, i was so paiseh please! Haha to me, i was just doing my job but they insist i do beyond than my job duties. Yes with my constant nagging them to give me information that i require, coordinate and teach them how to negotiate with vendors. That's what i feel but i am happy they recognise my effort so they even prepare bouquet of roses, chocolate and wine. Omg i am so happy but shocked. Thank you for making my farewell a big blast!
Saying good bye to my spacious cubicle
Shall end this post for now.
Till then!
