What Are You Doing Right Now? (193 Viewers)

[Enron]

I need an honest opinion. Been made an offer, so here goes:

Current Job: Graduate Engineer, Project Management Department, Gamuda
Pros:
- Local company, less 'competition' to excel
- Exposure: Very high profile project - working on the MRT, Malaysia's biggest infrastructure project in history (at least RM 30 billion and counting), good for resume
- in Kuala Lumpur, I get to be comfortable - no rent, no groceries, my own car
- will be provided a company car and a new phone with petrol, toll, and phone bills claimable
- in Kuala Lumpur! Home, lively city, parties, amenities and facilities, everything happens here

Cons:
- Pay: RM 3500
- benefits probably not as good as new offer's
- Local company, so not as rich as multi-national, but one of Malaysia's top companies
- a different pool of people.. more, simple-minded, town folks

New Job: Contracts & Procurement Executive, Shell
Pros:
- Pay: RM ~4800
- Shell - $$
- Oil and gas - $$
- won't have a problem finding a job if you come out of Shell I suppose given its prestige?
- Shell's benefits
- networking and exposure: shell being a global / multi national company
- collective community of oil and gas workers in Miri

Cons:
- Relocation to Miri in Borneo, 2 hours flight: have to pay rent, groceries, bills, probably a car loan
- Miri, although deemed a'city', is pretty much nothing compared to KL
- not sure of what the career path/culture is like and level of exposure - small fish in a big company?


any advice?

The first one, current job. Pretty much it's between "I worked on the largest infrastructure project in the history of the nation of Malaysia" v. "I worked for Shell".

I'd finish up there and then considering moving to a bigger company.

 

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[Maddy]

The first one. Pretty much it's between "I worked on the largest infrastructure project in the history of the nation of Malaysia" v. "I worked for Shell".

This + gut feeling. In the end it's all about where you are happy. Screw money.

 

[Fred]

This part is irrelevant if she's not happy...IMO.

I'm of the opinion that being good in something and successful in your career is one of the main things that makes people happy.

 

[Maddy]

I'm of the opinion that being good in something and successful in your career is one of the main things that makes people happy.

It's individual. But security, family and friends, a job with good co-workers and so on is much more important to a lot of people than a 'good' career

 

[Enron]

This + gut feeling. In the end it's all about where you are happy. Screw money.

Indeed. If things change you can always move later.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm of the opinion that being good in something and successful in your career is one of the main things that makes people happy.

Depends on how you define success. Some people would rather work for a smaller company doing big things, while other would rather work for a large company doing a lot of small things.

 

[Kate]

The first one, current job. Pretty much it's between "I worked on the largest infrastructure project in the history of the nation of Malaysia" v. "I worked for Shell".

I'd finish up there and then considering moving to a bigger company.

I agree completely.

 

[Lapa]

I'm of the opinion that being good in something and successful in your career is one of the main things that makes people happy.

Where I live makes me happy. Working/career comes second.

 

[sallyinzaghi]

thanks for all the input. initially I thought Shell would be good ("who says no to Shell??") after all the intense assessment I had to go through, and moving somewhere would be a good way to challenge myself and start anew... but now am thinking I am so settled in Kuala Lumpur that it would be nice to stay. And I have great bosses and team it would suck to try settling in elsewhere again, bearing in mind I've only been back in KL for 10 months after 4 years in Melbourne.

money actually plays an important role. I suppose it would be different in western countries, where you have minimum wage and things are perhaps more balanced (cost of living vs salary) this is my assumption... you probably wont be RICH but you won't struggle. but for us asians, we desperately need as much money as we can get!

I just don't want to regret whatever decision I'm going to make..

 

[Osman]

Pretty much what E said Sally, KL choice seems so more tempting based on what you said.

 

[Lapa]

If you are a travelling person, then Shell could be the way to go.

I'm not good at settling in...so for me moving is a big no no. It could work for you though.

 

[sallyinzaghi]

thank you all will let you know when I accept/reject Shell's offer officially

 

[Enron]

Cost of living is way higher than minimum wage, at least in the US. So if you make only minimum wage in the US, you're considered to be living in poverty.

We understand your viewpoint.

 

[Osman]

Yeah we understand your viewpoint indeed, financial aspect especially. Though based on your description, difference is 1300 RM, while KL choice that pays less seems to give offer pretty much all living expenses The other bigger company doesnt. Weird, usually is the reverse.

 

[sallyinzaghi]

Cost of living is way higher than minimum wage, at least in the US. So if you make only minimum wage in the US, you're considered to be living in poverty.

We understand your viewpoint.

I suppose career progression is important to me since I just started out (6months). it's very hard to determine career prospects with either the current company or shell - who can really tell what the future will be like so how do you evaluate your options to begin with? that's what I'm mostly confused about.

 

[Fred]

Where I live makes me happy. Working/career comes second.

I see where you're coming from, and i myself would not move to another place(I'm happy where i am) but if i had a substantially better offer elsewhere, and if i thought it would further my career, i personally would have no qualms moving.

 

[Lapa]

thank you all will let you know when I accept/reject Shell's offer officially

Decided already? Way too excited for some reason.

 

[Enron]

I suppose career progression is important to me since I just started out (6months). it's very hard to determine career prospects with either the current company or shell - who can really tell what the future will be like so how do you evaluate your options to begin with? that's what I'm mostly confused about.

Usually, people want to do things that make them stand out in the job market, I figure this would even more important in Asia. Simply working at a company doesn't matter as much as what you do when you are there. So you want to analyze the projects you would do as much as, if not more than you would the company. Also, I don't know if this is true in the Asian markets, but leaving a position before a year can sometimes paint you as flighty or disloyal. Then again it could show that you're aggressive and looking to achieve at a rapid level depending on cultural outlooks.

If you're unsure about moving on, my advice would be to stay where you are. It's easy to move forward but difficult to go back once you've burned bridges.

 

[Lapa]

Had some kebab...there was an olive in my kebab for some reason, it tasted pretty good though.

 

[JuveJay]

Had some kebab...there was an olive in my kebab for some reason, it tasted pretty good though.

Those sneaky Greeks.

 

[.zero]

trill