Looking back at my employment history, frankly speaking, I hardly stayed longer than six months in one organization. The reasons were pretty simple:
- I always felt the urge to move on once things became too familiar;
- I loved discovering new things;
- I was constantly looking for better opportunities and offers.
Surprisingly, the offer I received from L*** last year has turned out to be the longest I've stayed in a job so far.
I have to admit, getting this position in the semi-government sector wasn't easy, especially with the current job market, the intense competition and the increasing number of graduates entering the workforce. But Alhamdulillah, I finally secured the position on my second attempt. It wasn't an opportunity that simply fell into my lap. Hence, believe me when I say it ain't easy.
And for that reason too, I made a promise to myself that no matter what challenges came my way, I wouldn't give up easily. That promise was made long before I ever met my husband.
It was during that waiting period that I got to know him. To be honest, we never planned to get married so soon. But when it comes to jodoh and Allah's plans, everything just seemed to fall perfectly into place. Before we knew it, everything happened within the span of a year.
We got married just as I started working at L*** and our very first challenge as husband and wife was living apart. My husband was working in Puncak Alam, while I was based in Langkawi.
Since I had just started working, quitting was never really an option, even though we were in a long-distance marriage (LDM). Alhamdulillah, I was blessed with a husband who has always been so supportive and understanding. He never once asked me to give up my job, even though it meant we had to be apart.
As for me, I genuinely wanted to grow. I was excited to learn new things, gain more experience and see where this job could take me. I could already see the opportunities ahead and I wasn't ready to let them go.
Looking back, last year was one of the best years of my career. I had only been working for about three months when my boss suddenly told me I'd be going to Taipei, Taiwan, for an international event. To me, that was a huge deal. I never expected to be given such an opportunity so early on and it made me feel that my hard work was being recognized and appreciated.
At that point, I could honestly say that I was truly enjoying my job.
But then came this year - one toughest year I'd say.
Things took a turn I never expected and somehow I found myself caught in the middle of office politics. I wasn't even part of the game but somehow I still got dragged into it.
The thing is, I've never been good at office politics. I don't know how to pick sides, sugarcoat things or play along just to keep everyone happy. Maybe that's my weakness. Or maybe it's just not who I am.
Honestly, I don't think I can ever find the right words to describe how draining office politics can be. So I'll leave that story for another day.
What I can say is that it slowly chipped away at my motivation. For the first time, I seriously thought about walking away from this organization - despite the promise I made to myself when I first got this job.
And this time, I even had what felt like a solid reason to leave - to finally be with my husband instead of continuing our long-distance marriage.
But here's the funny part.
Despite all the frustration, the tears, the endless "I quit" moments in my head and all the dramatic speeches I gave to myself... I somehow ended up staying for more than a year.
Well... I guess that's another achievement unlocked. 😂
Now, I've decided to just go with the flow.
I'll keep reminding myself to stay strong, be patient and never lose hope. Insya-Allah, Allah s.w.t. knows what's best and He will always guide me through. ;)
