PETALING JAYA: For many young Malaysians, changing jobs is less about restlessness and more about survival, skills and self-development in a fast-moving labour market.
Jehan Idris, 29, from Damansara, made his first job switch last year after spending five years as a writer with a media agency.
He has since moved into a communications role at an international organisation.
He loved his previous job, but wages and benefits eventually became a deciding factor.
After five years, he felt it was time to make a career switch.
Jehan said that his decision to switch paths has helped him progress both personally and professionally.
“The world is advancing quickly, and having just one skill is no longer enough.
“Employers now expect you to bring multiple competencies to the table,” he said.
Vera Sim, 27, who recently started work as a junior public relations (PR) executive, has changed jobs several times since graduating with a degree in advertising at 23.
After a brief stint in administrative work at a recruitment firm, she entered the PR industry as a trainee at a small agency, later moving on to two larger firms.
Each move, she said, was carefully planned.
“I wanted exposure to different industries and clients, and of course, better pay.
“Each time I switched jobs, I made sure there was at least a 20% salary increment.”
Beyond pay, Sim said, job changes helped her expand her professional network.
“Every move widened my contacts and the people I could connect with,” she said.
Now based in Kuala Lumpur, Sim said the cost of living has also shaped her career decisions.
“Living in KL isn’t cheap. I have to plan properly for my career growth,” she said, acknowledging that frequent job changes sometimes attract criticism.
“Some people may label me a job-hopper, but I don’t see the point of staying too long when there’s no room for growth.
“What matters is the company culture,” Sim said.
Sarah, 26, an accounting graduate from Petaling Jaya who asked to be identified only by this name, quit her first job after four months due to a toxic work environment.
“After completing my degree, it took me six months to find a job, and when I did, the superiors were extremely rude. I could not tolerate it.”
Sarah was unemployed for two years before finding a new position at another accounting firm. But she is still unsatisfied.
“My pay is RM500 lower than the previous job. I’m now earning RM2,400 in PJ.
“While I prefer the working environment, we have an extremely heavy workload because of how short-staffed we are. It’s been one month, and I’ve been working more than 10 hours daily.”
But the position would add experience to her portfolio, she remarked.
“I really want to put this job on my resume because I have picked up many valuable skills that cannot be discounted.”
