When picking a major to study, most people would choose their specialisation with the intention of pursuing a related career.
However, many also end up working in jobs that completely differ from their field of study.
Whilst many choose to do so because they find jobs that better fit their preferences, some end up in this category against their personal wishes.
A 26-year-old woman in Malaysia found herself in this situation after her parents allegedly forbade her from moving to the city for work.
Currently working a factory job in her hometown, she lamented about how far she is from her dream of working a high-paying job in the medical sector.
On 8 May, Malaysian job recruitment engine Maukerja shared a screenshot of a message it received from a 26-year-old woman on its Twitter page.
Describing herself as “the biggest failure”, the woman elaborated that she has a degree in medicine.
However, she is now working a low-paying job as a factory operator in her hometown — a far cry from the prestigious and high-paying roles that are often associated with the medical industry.
Source: Remy Gieling on Unsplash, for illustration purposes only
As such, although she is happy, she feels like a “failure”.
The woman explained that she was looking forward to starting a “great job with a big salary” after completing her degree.
However, her parents purportedly wouldn’t allow her to leave her village to work in Kuala Lumpur, where there would presumably be more opportunities.
Source: Nour Betar on Unsplash
This is because they wanted her to be nearby to take care of them if anything happened.
The woman went on to say that she wishes to have a job in the medical field. In fact, her parents also wonder why she is working in a factory as a degree holder.
Nonetheless, she clarified that she took on the factory job since it was near their house.
Under the tweet, a few netizens chipped in with their two cents on her situation.
One suggested tapping on resources like LinkedIn to search for remote work opportunities with international companies.
Source: Twitter
Another Twitter user shared their personal story that was similar to the woman’s.
Encouraging her to take it slow and not give up hope, they explained that they were working in a low-paying F&B job at 29 years old.
Fast forward a year later, and they managed to secure a full-time job in the IT sector.
Source: Twitter
Although there is nothing wrong with working in a factory, it’s understandable for the woman to feel frustrated at the thought that her degree has gone to waste.
Hopefully, she and her parents will be able to find a suitable compromise that makes both parties happy.
Perhaps one day, she’ll finally manage to find such a job that is more aligned with her ambitions.
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Featured image adapted from Remy Gieling on Unsplash, for illustration purposes only.
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