faithtricia's steps of faith

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Mid-life Crisis

When people say that they have mid-life crisis, it meant that they are either facing a dilemma in their career, family or perhaps they just don't know why they are having a mid-life crisis. Well, I'm in my early 30s, not too old but the mid-life crisis (MLC) came in kinda way in advance.

God really knows how to slow me down and speed me up. Months ago, I walked through the valley of depressive moments, not knowing why I have to resign from a job just because of some stupid politics within the office, with some ladies that are always bitching around... and of cos, I've been influenced to bitch around too, as I'm so easily succumbed to people's influence, especially when they are majority..., (:( I've since then repented)...

Then after 6 months, I thought I found a job that God has prepared for me. Indeed, I think He did prepared that for me as a platform to discover what I can be good in and what I have in my potential. A sales job that pushed me to some sort of limits, especially in my physical health, my back took a toil as the pain was tremendously intolerable. Thus, after a short 3 months of stay there, I left.

So many short stays, and in HR terms, I'm a job hopper. I can't stay and I can't go through the stretching moments in a company. But well, I know that I am not a job hopper and it just seems that since graduating from poly till now, things have not been looking good in terms of company prospects or remuneration except for one medical company that hired me and gave me really good bonus. But why did I leave that good paying company? Well, all because of that P word again.

So after the toiling of almost a year and a half of finding jobs, sending resumes and seeing countless number of headhunters whom majority were not keen to find me a job but just to hit their sales targets (actually to be frank, I think good headhunters are going to extinct soon), I have decided to switch my career after major considerations of my strengths, weaknesses and of cos, my family.

Many interviews really put me off on the spot. The questions that they ask, which becomes the very important part of whether you will get the job anot, is this "Are you planning to start a family soon?". Well, many of these interviewers are perhaps married with kids and families, and minority are those that are still single and swinging on the shelves... but to me, isn't it true that it is a privilege to fall in love, get married? But why is "setting up a family", especially in the case of a lady in SINGAPORE so difficult? Many companies, big or small, MNCs or SMEs, do not want to hire someone who is most likely to become a mum. So why did their mums gave birth to them so that they can refuse someone at interview, someone who wants to have kids? Kids are lovely isn't it? So does it mean that they prefer to work with foreign talents then to work with their own kind?

So what am I going to switch to in my career after complaining so much about the anti-pregnancy climate in Singapore? Yup, that's it. I'm going to be Financial Planner. When I shared this decision with many friends, some really supported me and said that I will be able to do well since I have such a pleasant personality and I do have a huge network of friends. But some simply said things like, "Please don't ask me to buy insurance from you... I'm broke...". Seriously, I have been one of those that had that mentality too. But to me, it is of cos extra joy and happiness to me if friends around me support me by buying policies from me, what pains me the most is friends that you know for years snug at you sarcastically, whether purposely anot.

I don't know people to buy huge policies from me, but at least offer me some kind encouragement, since I have been in and out of jobs, and it takes me great courage to do this job do you know that? Importantly, I do have my own goals, values to abide in when I work out this career. I want to be excellent, purposeful and help people to see the value of insurance as a form of protection for their lives. Healthcare, families, work, etc... we are faced with so many uncertainties today. But insurance offers protection in case of the unexpected happens. of cos, I pray that God will not bring upon any mishaps upon any of my friends. But what if something happens, what will happen to your parents and your families? Who will take care of them? Who will provide for them? I have also been a victim of parents who were unable to provide me with education and at the age of 30, I was still trying to pay off my part-time degree loan with a slightly good salary. But why make all these things difficult for your kids when you can learn to plan in advance.

I know what I want to do and I want to do it well.

I just pray that God will honor me in my work as I honor Him by doing my best in my job, helping people to save, protect and plan for their future.

Of cos, I think I will struggle with emotions as I have to deal loads of rejections perhaps.

But God will add on to me strength as I persevere, won't He? And yes I know He will.

PTL in all that He is going to do!!

Proverbs 30:25
Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer

by Tricia at 6:06 PM |