Assalamualaikum,
I’m a fresh graduate, with a business degree in a very specialized program. Graduates from this particular program are pretty limited in Malaysia, and if I chose to pursue this career, it would be $$$$, no joke about that. Even in the US and UK, this is probably one of the highest paid jobs, so most graduates would want to pursue it.
But, I did not.
And people question me about it. Some of the comments that I usually get are:
1. “Penat2 belajar, kenapa tak sambung kerja dalam bidang tu je?”
It’s not that I don’t want to, but I no longer have the interest or passion to go on. I used to love this program, and I still (sometimes) get excited about doing some of the things we do in class. But somehow, the fire is no longer there. The spark, the passion, they all died.
Changing my program would most likely mean extending my program, and having to deal with MARA, so I decided to stick with it throughout my degree. But I promised myself that I wouldn’t torture my future self by working in a career that I do not enjoy, but instead, get a job that I enjoy.
Which is why, throughout my final semesters in university, while my classmates were all busy attending mock interviews and conferences and case studies through the business school, I decided to explore my opportunities outside the business school which are more aligned to what I was interested in.
2. “Bazir masa je belajar kalau tak nak pakai degree tu.”
If you consider it, anyone who spent their university years coped up in their room to study for a degree just for a job, that is more of a waste of time than someone who, while studying, explores other opportunities and make the most out of their time in university.
While I may not pursue this career, it doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t use any of the knowledge that I’ve gained. Plus I get to learn so much more outside the class during my studies, things that would be useful in the career path that I want to pursue.
Plus, you always hear about how sometimes it’s better to be a 3.0 kid with lots of experiences and skills than a 4.0 kid with nothing whatsoever. Tho, it is better to be a 4.0 kid with lots of skills, but let’s be honest, not that many people are talented and smart enough to be able to get that :’D
3. “Eh bazir je MARA hantar belajar benda tu, boleh bagi kat orang lain kot. Kesian budak lain tak dapat belajar sebab kau dah ambil peluang dia.”
This is perhaps one of the reasons I hate the Malaysians (Malay?) mentality. You can’t blame me for something that was not in my control, and you can’t certainly blame me for “taking” someone else’s chance. The world is huge with tons of opportunities, but not everyone will be lucky. And ultimately it all comes down to one’s rezeki. Even if I did not take up the MARA loan in the first place, can you guarantee that that particular kid will get it?
I think a lot of us worry too much about what other people say, what they would talk about behind (& sometimes in front of) us. Yes, memang kerja korporat, kerja doktor, kerja lawyer engineer semua bagus, yes. Tapi kena fikir juga hati ni kat mana, minat tu kat mana.
There’s no use going into a career that you enjoy nothing about. There’s also no point in choosing a career path that you are passionate about but have no knowledge or skills whatsoever.
So find a common place where you can learn while doing the job that you enjoy. Find the place where your heart belongs, but also where you can contribute your skills and talents, while also learning and challenging yourself to be better.
It’s not always easy to find the place where you belong in this huge world, but you got to start somewhere, no? Don’t be afraid to take risks, to do something new, and go out of your comfort zone.
– SC
Hantar confession anda di sini -> www.iiumc.com/submit