Engineering grad finds first full-time job ‘lacklustre’, asks Singaporeans: ‘Should I quit?’

SINGAPORE: What would you do if the course you spent four years studying turned out to be far less exciting than you expected? This was the situation a mechanical engineering graduate found himself in, as he recently shared online that just a month into his first full-time job, he was already unsure if the industry was the right fit.

Recounting his experience on a local forum, he explained that his current rotation mostly involves “technician-level” tasks, far from the problem-solving work he was hoping for.

“So far, the current rotation has been, for a lack of a better word, lacklustre. I’m only doing technician-level jobs… I’m very into problem-solving, but doing mundane routine servicing is the exact opposite of what I want to do. Some of the full-timers have also chipped in with their reasons and advised me to move somewhere else, as it’s better given my qualifications,” he wrote.

“I know it’s too early to say, but honestly, I also don’t know if I want to stay in this industry, as the career progression and what it entails isn’t very appealing. I’ve been thinking about either staying for one year and gaining some experience or just quitting.”

The man added that the “only caveat” keeping him from switching careers is the current job market, which is heavily tilted in favour of employers. “That’s 99% of the reason why I’m thinking of staying,” he said. “I’m also looking to pivot to the public sector, as I have pretty decent grades.”

Unsure of how to proceed, he asked the working adults on the platform, “Should I quit completely? Should I find a new job while working for this job? Or should I have a long chat with my managers about my expectations despite me not wanting to be in the industry? Honestly, it feels like I messed up my first step to adulting…please share with me some of your insights on how I should move forward.”

“The job market is really, really bad now, so it’s good to have a backup.”

Surprisingly, readers this time didn’t call the poster a “strawberry” or tell him to simply “tough it out.” Many were more understanding of his frustrations and offered practical advice, often suggesting that he look for other opportunities while keeping his current job as a safety net.

“Find a new job while working there,” one commenter wrote. “If you get one, good. Otherwise, stay and keep working. The market is tough right now, and who knows when you’ll be able to get your next job if you just leave now?”

“I am a mech eng grad too and maybe 1 year your senior. My advice would be to stay in this job while actively applying to other roles that interest you! Don’t be afraid to try roles outside of mech eng if you are interested too! The job market is really really bad now so it’s good to have a backup,” another commented.

“Just keep interviewing and keep this for a backup job while you look for something better. There’s no reason to choose between ‘stay for a year’ and ‘quit without a job’,” a third added.

In other news, a man shared on social media that he’s been having second thoughts about completely cutting ties with his cheating girlfriend, as she allegedly threatened to harm herself if he “refused to meet up or reply” to her messages.

Posting on the r/asksg forum, the man, who is in his late 20s, said they had been together for eight years. However, earlier this year, while he was studying abroad, he received an “anonymous tip” claiming that his girlfriend had been cheating on him for “the past six years.”

Read more: Man fears ending 8-year relationship after cheating GF threatens to hurt herself