A Career Reset

 

It has been a while since I last blogged, and almost a month since I threw in the towel. I have been recalled back to office for about 2 weeks.

Some of my friends and even family members have expressed surprise that I have made the decision, after seemingly able to able to cope with the workload and able to work well with my colleagues. A few of my friends were doubting if I were making the wrong decision on this job change as they felt that my current boss has treated me well in my 1 year plus stint here. I guess this article best describes what I have been going through at the later part of my stint here. https://www.straitstimes.com/business/invest/when-workers-are-put-on-quiet-firing

At the initial stage, I could feel that my confidence was slowly coming back. Little did I expect that the other colleague from the associate firm of mine, asked to work from home as he was relocating to Australia. I certainly did not expect his sudden departure, coming so close at towards the end of the corporate tax filing 2021. I had little choice but to double hat on his portfolio for a while. Little did expect this short while to be till the end of my notice period in early November.

After covering both the portfolios for about 6 months, I expressed my difficulties in handling both the portfolios at the same time, due to some communication and work flow issues that is not very nice to be shared in this online world, in case I got CSI by former colleagues, bosses or prospective new colleagues.

After much persuasion, a new tax colleague came in about 5 months ago, to assist me on the portfolio I took over. As her work experience is not as strong as mine, I was asked to guide her, which I was willing to do so that she was able to assist me well. Little did I expect that she asked for items/ methods that used to work in her previous firm to be parachuted into the firm. It really set me thinking, as I knew that my boss will not be keen on these methods as there are costs involved.

In early August, I was suddenly asked to work from home by my bosses as there were new colleagues coming in to replace departing staff. I thought this was a good opportunity for my boss to assess my assistant’s capability. I also took the opportunity to show that I was really able to work from home and heading back to office to retrieve documents when needed. I chose to do it this way, as I know there will be colleagues who will be jealous and would ask “Did you ask boss when you can come back?” Or “You should take the initiative to ask boss when you can come back?”

I did take the opportunity to check with my boss if I could go back on one of the occasions while he popped into the conference room and asked me if I needed his advice on anything. This also shut the mouths of my other colleagues.

I guess this was the last straw and to think that I have been doing so much on a double person portfolio, I thought it was a good time to test water on my market value. Little did I expect myself to get the new job via zoom.

Of course, I did the necessary background checks and went to the office to have a look after being scammed before. Hopefully it is going to be a good change with a slightly different job scope with better remuneration package.