By KEVIN TAN and ANGELIN YEOH
What were your ambitions while growing up? Was it to be a fireman, a doctor, a lawyer, or Batman? Whatever they were, you knew you wanted to be someone great.
So, now that you are all grown up, what would you say your dream job is today? Are you already well on your way to achieving your ambitions?
Maybe, some of you can also proudly say that you are already working on your dream job.
Real life, of course, has a way of invading our loftiest dreams, and most of us find we have to weigh between a steady paycheck to pay our bills and pursuing our passion. But there are some individuals who have founds jobs that give them job satisfaction and a steady income.
They don’t exactly save the world and get plenty of superhero attention like Spider-Man, but they sure love every minute of what they do for a living.
Nur Wahidah Abu Bakar, 26, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Job: Business development executive
Tenure: Six months
Why is this your dream job?
I grew up wanting to be a million different things. It changed daily until one day when my father, who is a civil engineer, brought home some drawing plans. At first, I thought they were just drawing papers filled with lines. But then he brought me to a construction site and said “this is the building that you saw on the drawing plans”. I was very impressed how drawing lines became brick buildings.
I’m not an engineer, but my job is also about turning ideas into reality. As a business development executive, I help people meet and share their ideas with a developer.
What do you love most about this job?
Great salary and a great place to work. I get exposure and it helps to expand my network in the construction development industry.
What were the challenges you faced to get your dream job?
I graduated in performing arts, and have no basics in Engineering. But patience is all you need. Work smart, and learn fast.
What do you dislike about this job?
My job requires me to handle pressure, but overall, it’s FUN!
Nicholas Darren John, 31,
Kuala Lumpur
Career designation: Radio news writer and presenter
Tenure: Three-and-a-half years with present company, seven years in the industry
What made you choose this job?
To be honest, it was the first opening that came my way. I was fresh out of university and found out through a friend there was a vacancy in one of the local radio stations. I jumped at the chance, and haven’t looked back since.
What do you love most about this job?
I don’t need to wear a shirt and tie! I also see my job as a way of ‘serving’ the public… informing them about the important things happening around them. Whether it is serious news, or lighter items like entertainment or sports, if it is important to the listeners, I’ll share it with them.
What are some of the challenges you face?
One of the main challenges of my work is to remain relevant to the listeners, finding content and talking about things that they’re interested in. There’s a huge load of information out there, which I have to filter down to what I think the listeners want to hear.
Is there anything you dislike about this job?
The working hours can be taxing. When I work the morning shift I’m up at 3am, which means bedtime is usually 9.30pm.
Mohammad Faiz Mad Isa, 25, KL
Job: Primary school teacher (English & Physical Education)
Tenure: Eight months
Why is this your dream job?
I love working with kids and I love sharing what I know with other people. I try my best to make sure my students can relate to my lessons. It’s a humbling experience sometimes as I have to remind myself to talk to them at a level that they can understand. In other words, I have to get the kids to like me back so we can learn well together.
What do you love most about this job?
What I love most is my students remembering what I’ve taught them in class at the end of the day. I teach English and I get them to learn to love the language by teaching them some songs. So, when I hear them humming the tune or just singing playfully in class, it makes me smile.
What are some of the challenges you face?
I teach Standard One students, so I’m like their second parent. Being in a school is a new experience for them and some might not like it right away. Some students have very different attitudes towards school, they can be quite rebellious. So I have to help them adapt to their new environment and be very patient. It’s not easy but it gets better.
What are your dreams and aspirations as a teacher?
I just want to be a teacher that my students will remember long after they’ve graduated from school and moved on with their lives.
Pratheep Raj Tangaragie, 30,
Sungai Long, Selangor
Job: Web developer
Tenure: Two-and-a-half years
What made you choose this job?
I love writing codes and solving problems.
What were you doing before this?
I did a degree in Biochemistry. After graduating, I turned down offers from a few pharmaceutical companies and worked as a medical insurance claims officer for about four-and-a-half years.
What do you love most about this job?
Creating new interesting applications and the challenges in solving problems when writing codes. Besides that, I like the casual attire and somewhat flexible working hours.
When did you first realise that you wanted to enter this field?
I started out doing Internet marketing, trying to make some money online. While managing the websites, I found out I was more interested in tinkering and customising the websites than actually doing the marketing. From then on, one thing led to another and I started learning real programming.
What is so satisfying about your job?
What you produce is tangible for all to see. So it’s less about experience and more about your ability. If you have the skills and knowledge, you will be recognised and rewarded.
What are your goals and aspirations?
To be among the top 5% of all web developers in the country.
Tell us what you think!