Had an interesting few weeks, I left my 2 other jobs thinking I would start full time in the PR firm.
As I had assumed some of my new duties could be design work and not wanting to continuously prove myself since I had no design diploma, I diverted my savings – which I had intended to learn freehand sketching to draw comics – to take a design course.
Unfortunately, probably due to my age and educational background, I was not accepted by most of the ‘design’ schools. It can be quite disheartening as it reminded me of my long search for a stable job only a few months ago.
Finally, I managed to narrow it down to this one school where the modules offered in the second year attracted me to it. I was not interested in the modules offered in the first year such as learning how to use Photoshop or Illustrator as I believed it was something I already had some experience and knowledge in. However, the people at the school did not think so. And I ended up having to take all the modules.
After resolving some miscommunications with the school, I am now taking a Diploma in Communication & Design in the first year followed by a Specialist Diploma in Advertising & Design (which had the modules I wanted to learn the most) in the second year. All in all, it was going to cost me close to SGD20,000. The freehand course I intended to take would only cost me SGD1,200.
I guess, my plan to start an online publishing firm by the end of this year, would have to take a backseat again.
I am not sure why, but it could be I am starting to believe those naysayers that claimed I need a good school diploma to get a job. But, no matter, as I plan to be in the PR firm in the long term; and the knowledge gained from the modules in the second year, such as Marketing, Advertising, Copywriting, Branding and so on, will hold me in good stead in my long term plans.
It was not easy to choose this new path, seeing that I had no mentor or someone I could turn to, to provide me the insight or foresight I needed the most.
I am now in my third week of my course. However, due to the unforeseen departure of key personnel in my firm, my position as a full-time staff is still unconfirmed. There is none to blame but myself. An opportunity to work with them full-time was offered much earlier but due to my stubbornness to stick to my integrity (since I was working in two other jobs), I did not accept the offer from the PR firm earlier.
I have not told my mother, brothers and sisters yet as I know they are going to go ballistic over this and create unwarranted drama for me.
And I think I have used up the allotted brain cells for the month as much of it was used to forge my new path. So, I am not sure what to do at the moment.
But I do know, I need to shore up my finances to tide things over until I received confirmation on my status in the PR firm. I thought I could start over by collecting the used aluminum drink cans to sell to a recycler again but I do not know how to do it without my family finding out.
Well, April is almost here….maybe the new month will allot me new brain cells to think of a new plan.
