How I changed 3 Jobs in 4 Years in Search of Job Purpose (and Increased Salary by 200%)

“I hate my job.”

In a few statistics that I found, 70% of the workers (millennials can be up to 90%) don’t like their jobs. They don’t feel satisfied with their career choices. They are unhappy about their careers. They don’t feel they are living their purpose at their current jobs. They feel restricted and unmotivated.

Why negotiating for salary raise doesn’t really work?

I know there are many scripts on the Internet but negotiating for salary raise is never really my thing.

The company treats people as part of a system (unless you are a key person in your organization like Steve Jobs in Apple). If one part of the mechanics is not working (i.e. a person gets sick, old, incapable of work, or not performing up to standard), the company can easily terminate the employment with little consequences (and perhaps some costs) and find a replacement in the market.

And with automation, smarter computers and even AI (artificial intelligence), we have to find new ways to show our human value.

Under the influence of the coronavirus and economic downturn, businesses are forcing employees to take no pay leave or even termination of employment. Employees are the ones who take the harshest hit but paid the highest rate of taxes.

The world has changed.

The world has changed

It is no longer the day and age when people dedicate their whole life working for one employer and in return for loyalty, the employer takes care of the employee’s pension for the rest of his / her life.

Those days are gone. The game has changed. The pension system has changed. Going on strike used to be a huge thing, now we can see that on the news every other week. Loyalty is no longer valued. People are changing jobs for better opportunities more often than ever in history.

Adaptability and flexibility is the key to stay in the market.

What is the purpose of a job?

Why do we work?

If working is only for salary, then we spend our life being a slave of money. If working is for something else, what is that?

I take work as part of my life story, part of me, part of my experience in this lifetime — any new projects, new tasks, new opportunities, is mine. I am experiencing what I like and what I don’t like — through jobs. I am learning how to deal with different people and complete various goals — through jobs. I am understanding how money works and means to me — through jobs. I am knowing myself and expanding my comfort zone — through jobs.

In 2017–2018, my salary as an assistant manager in a venture capitalist firm was $30000.

In 2018–2019, I was an assistant manager in a hotel chain for $47000.

In 2019–2020, I was a manager in a fortune 500 company for $60000.

I changed 3 jobs in 4 years

I changed 3 jobs in 4 years. Some say I am jumpy but I know I am gaining more experience than I could ever be staying in the same position.

Plus, I increased my salary by 200%.

Everyone has a price tag. Yet, different from other things, we have the ability to name our price. I have no sense of belonging to any company but myself because I know that until I am the key person, I am not irreplaceable.

Instead, I focus on obtaining transferrable skills. I expand my experience and responsibility. I increase my value by being able to work with different teams and get things done.

The purpose of this article is to inspire you to reflect on the meaning of work to you. And to open your mind to more possibilities.

Don’t get trapped by any job. Job is but one way we earn our living — one of the most common ways. Salary is but one type of income. Don’t feel restricted in life because there are infinite possibilities of what you can do. Any job or work is up to you — you are the director of your life story.

The company that you should keep in mind at all times to develop and grow is the company of YOU.