Singapore woman questions the point of climbing the corporate ladder: ‘I’d rather earn less and actually live’

SINGAPORE: At some point, many of us were told that the goal was to land a well-paying job at a big company, climb the corporate ladder, and keep moving upwards. 

However, with the economy feeling increasingly uncertain, the job market becoming more unforgiving, and layoffs becoming a familiar reality, is that still the life we want to work towards?

Should we keep sacrificing our nights, our mental health, and above all, our time, just to get there?

It’s a question that one Singaporean woman has recently found herself grappling with as she begins to wonder whether the corporate life is really for her.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what I actually want from life and whether I’m just not suited for the typical Singaporean career path,” she wrote on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Wednesday (Sep 23).

“I’ve worked in corporate/HR environments, and honestly… I think my soul just doesn’t like it LOL. For the longest time I thought I was supposed to aim for a ‘proper’ career, a big company, a decent salary, progression, constantly upskilling, getting promoted, etc.” 

“But lately, I’m starting to wonder why I’m supposed to spend my entire life constantly optimising myself for the labour market.”

The woman said she despised the constant deadlines, KPIs, office politics, and the expectation that she should care about company goals and profits, or at least pretend to be enthusiastic about things that ultimately meant little to her.

All of this, she wrote, didn’t “feel very genuine.”

With AI changing the way we work, she has also started to question whether it is worth putting so much effort into building a career.

“I’m not saying AI WILL TAKE ALL OUR JOBS!!!” she wrote, stressing that she was not trying to fearmonger. “But genuinely, the pace of technological change makes me question the whole idea of endlessly chasing career progression. What’s the point?”

The woman added she would be quite content with a “relatively menial job” if it paid enough to get by and, more importantly, left her with enough time and energy to actually enjoy life outside work.

“I’ve been looking at things like temp data entry/admin jobs. Not glamorous, not particularly high-paying, but if I can work, save some money, go home, and actually have energy to live my life… isn’t that also a valid way to live?”

“I’d rather earn less and have the freedom to travel, explore different places, spend time with people I care about, and actually experience life. Maybe I’ll eventually find something meaningful to do, like volunteering or working with a cause I care about.”

Seeking insights, she asked the online community if anyone else had deliberately chosen “a lower-stress, lower-paying job” over climbing the corporate ladder.

‘I see my peers who have stuck to the corporate grind already reaping the rewards’

In the comments, one person said he had also opted out of the rat race, resigning from full-time work the moment his mortgage was paid off.

“Pretty much this is what I did. But I did make sure I fully pay off my mortgage first so accommodation is at least 'free' and secure. I could chill and not work hard and do random part-time, brainless jobs here and there that have no mental load. Go home; nobody disturbs you or bothers you.” 

“No targets to meet, office politics to handle, bosses to please. Be a nobody. Wanna go on vacation? Just go on vacation, no need to take leave. Feel sick, don't want to work, just don't work, self-give 2 weeks MC to recover and recharge.”

Another shared, “Left corporate HR 2 years ago because of office politics, hypocrites, and also the feeling that I felt so soulless in that environment. Left at my lowest point, where I felt completely sucked dry. I did a career switch to social service and took a >40% pay cut. It has been a year, and I enjoy my work.”

A third commenter wrote, “I gave up the day my cancer diagnosis arrived.”

On the other hand, some users said plenty of people would probably choose this path if they could. With marriage, children, household bills, and healthcare costs to consider, they said stepping away from the corporate track is only really “feasible” for those without dependants.

A few users also pointed out that lower-paid or more menial jobs are not necessarily stress-free either. In fact, the “data/admin” roles mentioned by the post author could be vulnerable to AI replacement. 

Rather than taking a lower-paying job, they suggested she might be better off finding a company with a work environment that suits her needs.

One user, who is now in their 50s, added there could also be a long-term trade-off if she chooses to stray from the traditional path: financial freedom.

“I'm in my 50s now. Now I see my peers who have stuck to the corporate grind already reaping the rewards—they are financially sufficient and can cruise at their level at work. They can choose to retire anytime.”

“I had chosen the more ‘free’ route of doing my own freelance gigs. Till now, I don’t have any substantial savings that can allow me to retire. Gotta work until the day I cannot anymore.”/TISG

Read also: The AI shortcut: Are we sacrificing essential skills for convenience?