Q I have been in the marketing line for the past 11 years and am currently in my fifth job. I no longer enjoy what I do. I feel that my bosses are breathing down my neck. I have moved from firm to firm hoping to shine and show my ability, but I have kept failing.

Lately, I have thought of switching profession to private teaching but I am unsure whether this is a wise choice as I will need to start from scratch. My mother is not supportive of the idea as she is worried about the pay cut and she feels I should stay loyal to the company. She thinks it is not wise to keep changing jobs. What is your advice?

A Having been in each job for an average of only two years, you may not have given yourself sufficient time and opportunity to prove your ability or show your employers what you are capable of achieving.

When you start in a new job, your boss may not be ready to immediately entrust you with handling a project on your own. He will be assessing your work performance initially and may feel assured of your capabilities only after seeing you in the job for a period of time.

If you move every one to two years, you unfortunately fail to give yourself adequate time to gain the confidence of your superiors. Unless you stay long enough in a job, you are likely to continue facing the same issues.

You could ask your managers for their appraisal of your work performance and use that as an opportunity to express your desire to be given more autonomy in your work, and to allow you to lead certain projects.

It is generally unwise to keep changing jobs unless it is for compelling and valid reasons. In the situations you have described, it appears that you want to have autonomy and be given the opportunity to excel in your work. If you frequently change jobs, it is hard for employers to empower you with the autonomy you desire or let you take full ownership of projects.

As for moving into private teaching, you need to be sure that you are doing so for the right reasons. It should be a long-term career choice, and not merely a short-term measure to get out of being 'micro-managed' by bosses.

Teaching or giving private tuition is not an easy profession, given the demanding academic curriculum these days. You may need to put in long hours to ensure that you maintain your current income level.

You will also require patience when dealing with students and their parents. Also, how well you do as a private teacher or tutor will be measured by how your students perform in school.

Evelyn Teo
Managing director
HeadStart

Advice provided in this column is not meant as a substitute for comprehensive professional advice. E-mail questions to lorna@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Dec 7, 2008.