blog
Job security schmecurity
Why is it when I tell people I'm going off to Australia soon, the next question almost everybody will ask me is if I have a job there yet. When I say no, I'd get this look of disapproval and/or disbelief, as if I did/am doing something wrong. After that it would be if I found a place to stay, which thankfully now I can say I have, to their relief (and mine, from their further probing), and last but not least, if I'm going there all by myself. Why all these questions matter to people, I don't know.
Let's tackle these three questions one by one:
Granted, the job market in Australia is not exactly great at the moment, but I don't think it's any worse than here. I may have to swallow my pride and do some menial work but at least it'll pay the bills until i find my dream job, but in any case, I have confidence I will have better luck in finding a job when I'm physically there. I've tried the online job-search sites but my conclusion is that they don't work very well, for me at least. Furthermore, even if I do apply for any jobs from here, most employers would be turned off by the fact that I'm in Malaysia at the moment and probably ignore the fact that I have an Australian PR and will be arriving in Melbourne less than 2 weeks from now. Arranging for interviews would also also be much easier when I'm there in person.
I honestly don't believe in job security in this day and time. Probably because I still don't have major financial commitments (yet). But still, when you hear of employees of long-term service (we're talking about 20-30 years here) getting laid off, it doesn't bode well for the rest of us job seekers. I'd rather be flexible and be on the top of my toes, ready to move on at any moment, while keeping my finger on the pulse of the industry thus updating my skills to whatever is relevant at the time.
A roof over my head is of course important, but what's so wrong with going there without prior accommodation? Even before I got the room at South Yarra, I already was going to bunk with one of my friends, and spend a week or 2 looking around. A house, apartment, or even just a room is a very personal thing. I need to see the place and get a feel for it before I commit myself. The 'vibes' of the place is important to me... and I wouldn't want to be living in a place for long term without feeling comfortable about the place.
OK, so you may say I'm contradicting myself by blindly taking up this rental without even seeing it, but I got it through my buddy Chris who has actually lived in the very same apartment unit before, and I trust his judgment that it's a good place. In any case, it'll still be a stepping stone until I eventually find a bigger place of my own later on, perhaps even a quaint little house in the suburbs. I still dream of making a studio-home in a converted warehouse (or loft) with an open-plan layout. Like what you see in Wallpaper* or architecture/interior design books.
As to whether I'm going there alone, I think it's a moot point. I think have been pretty independent during my college and uni years and I don't need someone to hold my hand all the way there. I do have friends there, and a few others who are also PR holders due to go over to Australia, but they have their own plans as to when the are ready to go over, and I'm not in the position to impose a 'lets all go together' directive unto them.
Regardless, I'm sure I'll be getting more of this trio of questions and frankly I'm already tired of repeating myself every time.
T-minus 11 days.
Comments
Au revoir, c'était bien, mais les temps ont changé. Bonne chance et prends bien soin de toi.
August 17, 2003 3:35 AM | colinpoh said:
? translation please ?
August 17, 2003 3:36 AM | colinpoh said:
I'm doing half your job for you explaining to some people here in KL who asks about your current situation. And yes, it's the exact same 3 questions. Plus an extra fouth which is "is he single?"
August 17, 2003 4:52 AM | jonathanpoh said:
the babelfish says this:
Goodbye, it was well, but times changed. Good luck and take care of you well.
August 17, 2003 4:57 AM | jonathanpoh said:
thanks colin, and you can tell them yes i am still single, but not looking, at the moment... :D
thanks un ami ("a friend") for the well wishes too.
August 18, 2003 11:15 AM | RaYz said:
I can relate to what you're goin thru right now. Been there, done that so to speak. And man, you and I have the same dream of one day owning a "converted-warehouse-on-the-top-floor-with-an-open-layout-and-your-very-own-service-lift-entrance".
Again, if you need any help here in Melbourne, gimme a shout.
Cheers jon.
August 18, 2003 6:20 PM | jaime said:
AMEN!
I SOOOOOOOOOO feel what you're going thru, man. And to think I'm ALREADY getting it even before my announcement of departure! It's true...those EXACT same questions. And I think the singlehood question gets the worse stare coz a single guy is not all that bad (u know, guys have to think of career bla bla bla) but a single girl?! Oh no!!! What a disaster to the uncles and aunties! :P Sigh, don't even bother la...
I think I'm gonna copy and paste your post and KIV for my own use when it's time for my farewells. Can I? Can I? Please??? hahaha...
And the wallpaper room...wellllll, we ALL have our dreams yah. We all do. I've got mine all right down to the bedsheets! :) heheheh...
...counting the days till the questions are over and done with for ya.
August 18, 2003 6:22 PM | jaime said:
whooops...left out a couple of words...
what I meant to say was...
"...I've got mine all FIGURED OUT right down to the bedsheets!"
yah yah, getting old, getting old.. :P
August 20, 2003 12:06 AM | JY said:
I hear you Jon. I really will tell the next person who asks me about my job prospects either "None. I'm undergoing trophy wife training" or "I hear that there's a fortune to be made in arms smuggling." But I have confidence in you, in addition to tonnes of envy that you're getting out of this ell-hay ole-hay.
August 22, 2003 2:02 AM | etsuko said:
What is his dream job anyway? Baffled between a web design career or some funky video/music studio. No worries, Jon. If anything happens, you can always turn blue once again. :P
August 27, 2003 9:36 AM | jonathanpoh said:
thanks everyone for the comments, and yes jaime, you can copy and paste it for your own reference next time :)
dream job eh? no idea.. though i would love to work in a music store at some point of my life.. :)
August 16, 2003 11:54 PM | un ami said: