4 Reasons Why I Resigned from My Previous Job
“I can’t take it anymore, I need to get out of here!”
“Happy one year anniversary since coming to Singapore, Gunawan!” That’s what I told myself while reading through my email to start another day of working from home. The last three months weren’t the most exciting as the circuit breaker was implemented across the country. I wasn’t able to do my weekly window shopping, parks exploration, and local food tasting, but I’m glad that I’m still here.
Two years ago, I started to watch YouTube videos of foreigners’ experiences living in other countries. I began to imagine what it feels like and I got really excited just from thinking about it! But I was still working happily at my previous company in Jakarta back then. The pay was okay, I was contributing more in my role, my stakeholders were great to work with, and I was starting to get really comfortable with my colleagues too.
The funny thing when you’re already interested in something, your mind will subconsciously find a way to justify it. In the next 6 months, I started to reflect a lot about my work, interest, and life. And eventually, I quickly realized the things that I was missing and what I aspire to achieve next.
1. “I want to work at a company with established structures and processes.”
I had always been working in startups and I enjoyed the pace and flexibility a lot! The problem is, if you’re working in smaller startups, you might not be able to grow your skills further because the company doesn’t need you to. For example, I won’t be able to level up my recruitment skills, such as hiring VP level candidates or using the latest recruitment software because the company isn’t in that stage yet, and they don’t have the budget to support it.
I then faced another problem when I worked at a bigger unicorn startup. Due to my lack of experience, there were only so many ideas I could bring to the table. I thought the processes that were already implemented were the best and I didn’t know what else to improve. There’s a reason why fast-growing startups hire talents from more established companies. These people understand the best practices in the industry and are expected to help implement them.
I wanted to work at companies that have succeeded for many years, with offices all around the world, and the other companies are aspiring to become. They have been in the game for quite some time, they know what works and what doesn’t. I’m able to learn from them and experience the established structure and system myself.
2. “I need an experienced people manager who I can look up to.”
I have never felt like I had a proper people manager that could manage and grew me throughout my career back then. A person that I was inspired to be, who could groom me to be better at what I do, that really made me feel safe at work.
In my first company, the team was small and I was the only person in my function. In the next one, I had a manager that’s based in Berlin and I’m in Jakarta. She’s busy with her work and didn’t really understand what I was working on as it’s related to local policies. Then, in the last company, I was managed by a newly promoted manager with no prior people management experience. In the end, I guided through things myself and didn’t feel any contribution from him.
I strongly believe a good manager is very important, especially in the first few years of your career. They can guide you, defend you, open up opportunities for you. They will also shape your perspectives towards work and professionalism in the future. They’re basically your parents at work!
3. “I’m seeking international exposure where I can work with talents from all around the world.”
It’s funny how growing up, I was not interested in doing anything overseas. Participating in student exchange programs? “Nope, I have enough activities here!”. Going for a short vacation? “Nah, there are so many local destinations to visit!”. Finding a job in another country? “I’m lucky enough to get a job here, be more realistic please!”
When I was working in Jakarta, I’ve had the opportunity to work with colleagues who were from or had lived outside Indonesia, like Singapore, U.S, and Germany. I experienced a different kind of working culture, such as being very direct and outspoken in discussions that I wasn’t used to. It was a breath of fresh air for a person who had never lived anywhere else their whole life, and I actually prefer that approach!
I felt that I can learn a lot from people with a totally different background, such as their thinking process, perspectives on things, and how they present themselves in a professional context. I can only experience this by working at non-Indonesian companies, or better, being based in those countries!
4. “I’m looking for a new adventure and hoping for a better future.”
This is the only reason that I didn’t share with any recruiters or interviewers when they asked about my motivations, just because it’s not relevant to my career progression. It’s the answer to what I wanted to do with my life.
I first moved to Jakarta to get my Bachelor's degree and stayed there for 7 years before moving to Singapore. Since I graduated, I’ve been in constant talk with myself, trying to understand what kind of work I enjoy, which companies I want to work at, and what do I want to aim in life. I kept pressuring and comparing myself to my friends who are doing better in their careers. In my 3 years of working experience, I have worked in three different companies. That alone can tell you how unsettled I was.
“If I’m going to move again, why not dream bigger? Apply to my ideal roles and companies, relocate to other countries, take a bigger life-changing leap this time!”, that’s my mindset back then. New life experience with better pay, explore my potential, and who knows, maybe I can permanently reside there. I was lucky because I didn’t have any commitment, I wasn’t in a relationship and my family didn’t expect me to stay with them. I see this as an opportunity to potentially change my life for the better!
I was actively looking, but I didn’t take whatever available at that time because I knew clearly what I was looking for. I suggest you define your aspiration before applying to or accepting any job offers. Making a life-changing decision out of desperation is never the best move, as you will jump to another hole and only regret it later.
