The Road Not Taken?

Once I start working next year, all of the money that I am going to earn will be my savings for my wedding (ehem) and future. This is really important for me until I have to jot it in my blog. (mode tengah banyak fikir. Another word: ANXIOUS)

I am always anxious of my future. I do not know what's coming my way and how am I going to live my life as well as with whom I will spend the rest of my life with. Right now, I am in a healthy relationship with a great guy (whom I also regard him as my best friend) for 6 years now and I really hope that things will go according to plan. Amin.


Career? I have a Masters degree, but that doesn't mean jobs will come flopping my way. No. Some companies/organizations avoid hiring a person with a Masters Degree and why is that? It is because they know they have to pay a bit more according to the qualification. So, at the end of the day, the one with a Masters Degree will have to settle with a standard basic Bachelor Degree salary. Don't get me wrong, I am not choosy or anything. A standard Bachelor Degree salary sounds appropriate to me, it's just I am only scared they won't hire me at all.







Let me 'demo' an example(s):


(During a Malaysian career fair last April in London)


After introducing myself..


University X: (looking at my CV) Oh, impressive. So, what exactly is a Critical Discourse Culture and Communication?
Me: (Semangat mode) It's actually a type of discourse analytical research that studies language as a form of social practice and focuses on the political ... bla bla bla..
University X: Ohh...
Me: Basically, it is a branch of applied linguistic, I am also specializing in syntax and functional grammar, sociolinguistic, multimodal analysis as well as business English. I am actually interested in an academic post here in your university. (Still in semangat mode)
University X: Interesting. So, you are looking at being a lecturer?
Me: Yes.
University X: Ok, the thing is right now, we need new fresh lecturers like you, we are interested in you if only.. you already have a PHD..or if you do PHD in our university. We have this program called bla bla bla (semangat-ly promoting the program)
Me: (Didn't hear anything he/she said as I am already lost in thoughts and frustration)
University X: So, if you are interested in holding an academic post in our university, come back again with a PHD, we would definitely take you or you can always do your PHD in our university.
Me: Oh ok. Never mind, I am still interested but can I just leave my CV to you in case of anything?


Ini career fair ke or education fair? I remembered when I applied at the same university previous years (when I only have a Bachelor Degree), they told me to come back when I got my Masters, and here I am with one, they asked me to come back again with a PHD. They want the 'ready-made' student with a PHD. I did asked about sponsorship for my PHD and they said no.


There were other university booths and I got the same ol' answer.


So, at that moment I'm not giving up. Furthermore, I do not want to waste my CV (I printed 10 CVs for this career fair) and my train ticket as well as my accomodation in London (stayed at Malaysian Hall). I decided to try other companies besides universities. And I did managed to get in for interviews but some companies (those that I'm interested in) focus in taking only the Bachelor Degree qualifications.


I'm either under-qualified or over-qualified (nothing to be proud of).


So what now? I was tired and that moment all I wanted to do was to go home and sleep it off. And pray to God that things will be ok for me in my career paths.


Moral of the story: Beggars can't be choosers.
Not that I'm being choosy or anything, (at least we need to put some standards right in choosing what's best for us. Tak boleh la main sarbat aje). But in certain circumstances like this, we can't be that choosy. Really..


I'm 25 this year. A lot of people said to me, 25 is still a young age. I don't feel that way. I felt old and sometimes I felt a bit left out. My peers are working their asses off, saving moolahs and collecting assets, getting married and already married. But to make myself feel better, I should be (and I am) grateful to God and my parents because I've already accomplished one goal, my MA. Alhamdulillah.

A person can't have everything right?


So, to friends who's already married, planning to get married, bought a house and have savings, I salute you. Tell me, how do you do it?