It's April (post-bonus) and that means it's time to seriously think about what to do next. I've started exploring my options by asking myself: what do I want to do?
I fed my interests into an AI chatbot – my virtual career coach 🤠– and here's what it suggested:
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Assess Alignment with Your Current Role: Your interests suggest you thrive in dynamic, forward-thinking environments where you can strategize, innovate, and connect with people, rather than managing administrative or operational tasks.
Your current role is operational and compliance-driven, with little room for innovation, or creativity. Overtime and weekend work are causing burnout, leaving no time for side projects to explore your interests.
Assessment: On a 1–10 scale, your role likely scores 1–2 for alignment with your interests. The administrative focus and lack of creative or innovative tasks are starkly at odds with what energizes you. Burnout from overwork further exacerbates the disconnect.
Conclusion: Your current role is draining you, and the lack of alignment with your interests is a clear signal to make a change. Staying in a misaligned, burnout-inducing job risks your well-being and delays your chance at a fulfilling career.
With your financial stability and no family commitments, you’re in an ideal position to take a calculated risk.
By upskilling, networking, and job hunting strategically, you can transition to a role that excites you within 6 months.
Your burnout is tied to role misalignment, not location, so moving won’t automatically fix it unless the job itself is better.
Europe offers cultural richness, but your financial stability in Singapore already allows European vacations without relocating.
Your SGD salary and fully paid HDB make moving to Europe on a local package highly unattractive. Your take-home pay and savings in Europe will likely be a fraction of Singapore’s, delaying your retirement plan.
Staying in Singapore, with its robust job market and your financial stability, lets you pivot to a fulfilling career without financial or cultural trade-offs.
A strategic job switch, supported by upskilling, is the best path to escape burnout and align with your passions.
Action Plan:
1. Rule out Europe role (1 week)
2. Research Singapore jobs (1-2 weeks)
3. Upskill to build credentials (1-3 months)
4. Network (on-going)
5. Job Hunt (2-4 months)
6. Manage Burnout (immediate)
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I've explored opportunities for a role change within the organisation, including potential positions in Europe.
However, the higher taxes and living costs associated with a European relocation would significantly impact my savings and retirement goals.
In contrast, Singapore's relatively low expenses and high savings potential provide me with the flexibility to prioritise my well-being, allowing me to pursue hobbies and self-care activities.
The answer seems clear - I need to leave. I will research more on upskill opportunities since I don't really know what I want to do next - hence how would I know what job to look for?