• About
  • Advertise
  • Write For Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
Subscribe
Smart Investor Malaysia
Advertisement
  • Start Here
    • All
    • Guides
    • How-Tos
    • Analysis

    PropertyGuru: Malaysian Residential Property Market Continues To Face Challenges As Supply And Demand Declines

    Fed Turns The Tide In War On Inflation, But It’s Too Early To Declare Victory

    The Smart Investor’s Guide to Insurance

    Highlights: Malaysia’s Revised Budget 2023

    4 Reasons Why You Need To Invest In ETF

    SPY vs SPUS: A 2023 Comparison of S&P 500 ETFs

    It's time to embed ESG into your investment portfolio. | Credit: nattanan23 via Pixabay

    The Smart Investor’s Guide to ESG

    (L-R) Kenny Yee, Head of Research and Thong Pak Leng, Vice President of Equity Research

    Post 2023 Budget And Q4 Market Outlook Commentary By Rakuten Trade

    Image by dashu83 on Freepik

    Why This Economic Cycle Is Different?

    • Guides
    • How-Tos
    • Analysis
  • Investments
    • All
    • Asset Management
    • Stocks
    • Islamic Finance
    • Alternatives Investments

    Malaysia’s dance with FAANG Giants

    AIIMAN menjalin pakatan strategik dengan Bank Islam sebagai Rakan Pengedar Untuk Luaskan Capaian Kepada Produk Kekayaan Syariah

    E-mail Popup Warning Window Concept

    ICMR Research Series: Safeguarding Malaysian Investors Against Financial Scams

    How Is The Malaysian Property Industry Doing Post-Covid?

    What Can We Learn From The “Equity Risk Premium” About The Prospects For Equities Vs Bonds

    SC-Bursa: Measures To Boost Capital Market Vibrancy And Competitiveness

    Still Worth Investing In Sustainability In 2023?

    ICMR Research Series: Unexpected Life Situations And Industry Issues Drive Vulnerability For Malaysian Investors

    Bursa Malaysia Expands “Approved Securities” Criteria To Boost Market Vibrancy

    • Asset Management
    • Stocks
    • Islamic Finance
    • Alternatives Investments
  • Personal Finance
    • All
    • Cash Management
    • Grow Your Wealth
    • Protect Your Wealth
    • Distribute Your Wealth
    • Behavioural Finance

    Property Tussle: Being Left Homeless After Sister’s Death

    Employment Opportunity Fraud Syndicate: Lidt Cooperation Advertising Sdn Bhd Or Lidl Cooperation Advertising Sdn Bhd

    What You Need To Know About The Insurance Industry In Malaysia

    5 Rules For Malaysians To Improve Their Financial Wellbeing

    Tears In Heaven: Who Protects Your Insurance Money?

    Patterns And Types Of Cybercrime In Malaysia From 2016 To 2021: Part 2

    Patterns And Types Of Cybercrime In Malaysia From 2016 To 2021: Part 1

    ICMR Research Series: Millennials And Gen Z Must Plan Early For A Better Retirement In A Changing World Of Work

    The State Of Malaysia’s Education And Financial Literacy Among The Youths

    • Cash Management
    • Grow Your Wealth
    • Protect Your Wealth
    • Distribute Your Wealth
    • Behavioural Finance
  • Enterprise
    • All
    • Startups
    • Entrepreneurs
    • SMEs
    • Leadership
    • Business Planning
    From left Eizzar Supiar, AVP - Evaluation, Cradle_ Adlin Yusman, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ Suthenesh Sugumaran, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ and Joyce Wee, Former Executive Director of Etalage

    Cradle Circle: Bridging Visionary Startups and Investors in Second Series Event

    Gorgeous Geeks Marks 15 Years of Empowering Women in Technology

    MDDA Celebrates 30 Years of Industry Excellence

    DNA Mapping, A Revolutionary Medical Breakthrough

    Thomson Ushers In New Treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy

    Authority Institute’s Maverick Foo named Vistage Malaysia’s Speaker of the Year

    Digital Niaga Empowers Local Businesses With Digital Access To Financial Solutions for Micro, Small Medium Enterprises’ (MSMEs)

    Bizsu: On A Mission To Cool Down The World And Save The Environment

    Management team of Web Bytes Sdn Bhd (from L-R) at the Launch of Xilnex Retail Tech Experience Center: Ng Tiong Kuan, COO; Lee Ming Kew, CFO; Ooi Boon Sheng, CEO; Eng Aik Kian,  CTO (far right); Tan Wei Kit, Business Development Director (2nd from right) with Lee Kah Hin Jerry, Chief Investment Officer of GD Express Bhd (4th from right) and Ken Phua, Deputy President of MRCA (3rd from right)

    Web Bytes Unveils Wonders Cafe As The Hub For Xilnex Retail Tech Experience Center

    • Startups
    • Entrepreneurs
    • SMEs
    • Leadership
    • Business Planning
    • Fintech
  • Property
    • All
    • Startups
    • Entrepreneurs
    • SMEs
    • Leadership
    • Business Planning
    From left Eizzar Supiar, AVP - Evaluation, Cradle_ Adlin Yusman, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ Suthenesh Sugumaran, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ and Joyce Wee, Former Executive Director of Etalage

    Cradle Circle: Bridging Visionary Startups and Investors in Second Series Event

    Gorgeous Geeks Marks 15 Years of Empowering Women in Technology

    MDDA Celebrates 30 Years of Industry Excellence

    DNA Mapping, A Revolutionary Medical Breakthrough

    Thomson Ushers In New Treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy

    Authority Institute’s Maverick Foo named Vistage Malaysia’s Speaker of the Year

    Digital Niaga Empowers Local Businesses With Digital Access To Financial Solutions for Micro, Small Medium Enterprises’ (MSMEs)

    Bizsu: On A Mission To Cool Down The World And Save The Environment

    Management team of Web Bytes Sdn Bhd (from L-R) at the Launch of Xilnex Retail Tech Experience Center: Ng Tiong Kuan, COO; Lee Ming Kew, CFO; Ooi Boon Sheng, CEO; Eng Aik Kian,  CTO (far right); Tan Wei Kit, Business Development Director (2nd from right) with Lee Kah Hin Jerry, Chief Investment Officer of GD Express Bhd (4th from right) and Ken Phua, Deputy President of MRCA (3rd from right)

    Web Bytes Unveils Wonders Cafe As The Hub For Xilnex Retail Tech Experience Center

    • First Time Home Buyers
    • Central
    • Northern
    • Southern
    • Sabah & Sarawak
    • Regional / Global
    • Feature
  • ESG
  • Lifestyle
  • News & Events
  • Bahasa Melayu
No Result
View All Result
  • Start Here
    • All
    • Guides
    • How-Tos
    • Analysis

    PropertyGuru: Malaysian Residential Property Market Continues To Face Challenges As Supply And Demand Declines

    Fed Turns The Tide In War On Inflation, But It’s Too Early To Declare Victory

    The Smart Investor’s Guide to Insurance

    Highlights: Malaysia’s Revised Budget 2023

    4 Reasons Why You Need To Invest In ETF

    SPY vs SPUS: A 2023 Comparison of S&P 500 ETFs

    It's time to embed ESG into your investment portfolio. | Credit: nattanan23 via Pixabay

    The Smart Investor’s Guide to ESG

    (L-R) Kenny Yee, Head of Research and Thong Pak Leng, Vice President of Equity Research

    Post 2023 Budget And Q4 Market Outlook Commentary By Rakuten Trade

    Image by dashu83 on Freepik

    Why This Economic Cycle Is Different?

    • Guides
    • How-Tos
    • Analysis
  • Investments
    • All
    • Asset Management
    • Stocks
    • Islamic Finance
    • Alternatives Investments

    Malaysia’s dance with FAANG Giants

    AIIMAN menjalin pakatan strategik dengan Bank Islam sebagai Rakan Pengedar Untuk Luaskan Capaian Kepada Produk Kekayaan Syariah

    E-mail Popup Warning Window Concept

    ICMR Research Series: Safeguarding Malaysian Investors Against Financial Scams

    How Is The Malaysian Property Industry Doing Post-Covid?

    What Can We Learn From The “Equity Risk Premium” About The Prospects For Equities Vs Bonds

    SC-Bursa: Measures To Boost Capital Market Vibrancy And Competitiveness

    Still Worth Investing In Sustainability In 2023?

    ICMR Research Series: Unexpected Life Situations And Industry Issues Drive Vulnerability For Malaysian Investors

    Bursa Malaysia Expands “Approved Securities” Criteria To Boost Market Vibrancy

    • Asset Management
    • Stocks
    • Islamic Finance
    • Alternatives Investments
  • Personal Finance
    • All
    • Cash Management
    • Grow Your Wealth
    • Protect Your Wealth
    • Distribute Your Wealth
    • Behavioural Finance

    Property Tussle: Being Left Homeless After Sister’s Death

    Employment Opportunity Fraud Syndicate: Lidt Cooperation Advertising Sdn Bhd Or Lidl Cooperation Advertising Sdn Bhd

    What You Need To Know About The Insurance Industry In Malaysia

    5 Rules For Malaysians To Improve Their Financial Wellbeing

    Tears In Heaven: Who Protects Your Insurance Money?

    Patterns And Types Of Cybercrime In Malaysia From 2016 To 2021: Part 2

    Patterns And Types Of Cybercrime In Malaysia From 2016 To 2021: Part 1

    ICMR Research Series: Millennials And Gen Z Must Plan Early For A Better Retirement In A Changing World Of Work

    The State Of Malaysia’s Education And Financial Literacy Among The Youths

    • Cash Management
    • Grow Your Wealth
    • Protect Your Wealth
    • Distribute Your Wealth
    • Behavioural Finance
  • Enterprise
    • All
    • Startups
    • Entrepreneurs
    • SMEs
    • Leadership
    • Business Planning
    From left Eizzar Supiar, AVP - Evaluation, Cradle_ Adlin Yusman, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ Suthenesh Sugumaran, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ and Joyce Wee, Former Executive Director of Etalage

    Cradle Circle: Bridging Visionary Startups and Investors in Second Series Event

    Gorgeous Geeks Marks 15 Years of Empowering Women in Technology

    MDDA Celebrates 30 Years of Industry Excellence

    DNA Mapping, A Revolutionary Medical Breakthrough

    Thomson Ushers In New Treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy

    Authority Institute’s Maverick Foo named Vistage Malaysia’s Speaker of the Year

    Digital Niaga Empowers Local Businesses With Digital Access To Financial Solutions for Micro, Small Medium Enterprises’ (MSMEs)

    Bizsu: On A Mission To Cool Down The World And Save The Environment

    Management team of Web Bytes Sdn Bhd (from L-R) at the Launch of Xilnex Retail Tech Experience Center: Ng Tiong Kuan, COO; Lee Ming Kew, CFO; Ooi Boon Sheng, CEO; Eng Aik Kian,  CTO (far right); Tan Wei Kit, Business Development Director (2nd from right) with Lee Kah Hin Jerry, Chief Investment Officer of GD Express Bhd (4th from right) and Ken Phua, Deputy President of MRCA (3rd from right)

    Web Bytes Unveils Wonders Cafe As The Hub For Xilnex Retail Tech Experience Center

    • Startups
    • Entrepreneurs
    • SMEs
    • Leadership
    • Business Planning
    • Fintech
  • Property
    • All
    • Startups
    • Entrepreneurs
    • SMEs
    • Leadership
    • Business Planning
    From left Eizzar Supiar, AVP - Evaluation, Cradle_ Adlin Yusman, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ Suthenesh Sugumaran, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ and Joyce Wee, Former Executive Director of Etalage

    Cradle Circle: Bridging Visionary Startups and Investors in Second Series Event

    Gorgeous Geeks Marks 15 Years of Empowering Women in Technology

    MDDA Celebrates 30 Years of Industry Excellence

    DNA Mapping, A Revolutionary Medical Breakthrough

    Thomson Ushers In New Treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy

    Authority Institute’s Maverick Foo named Vistage Malaysia’s Speaker of the Year

    Digital Niaga Empowers Local Businesses With Digital Access To Financial Solutions for Micro, Small Medium Enterprises’ (MSMEs)

    Bizsu: On A Mission To Cool Down The World And Save The Environment

    Management team of Web Bytes Sdn Bhd (from L-R) at the Launch of Xilnex Retail Tech Experience Center: Ng Tiong Kuan, COO; Lee Ming Kew, CFO; Ooi Boon Sheng, CEO; Eng Aik Kian,  CTO (far right); Tan Wei Kit, Business Development Director (2nd from right) with Lee Kah Hin Jerry, Chief Investment Officer of GD Express Bhd (4th from right) and Ken Phua, Deputy President of MRCA (3rd from right)

    Web Bytes Unveils Wonders Cafe As The Hub For Xilnex Retail Tech Experience Center

    • First Time Home Buyers
    • Central
    • Northern
    • Southern
    • Sabah & Sarawak
    • Regional / Global
    • Feature
  • ESG
  • Lifestyle
  • News & Events
  • Bahasa Melayu
No Result
View All Result
Smart Investor Malaysia
No Result
View All Result
Advertise with Smart Investor Advertise with Smart Investor Advertise with Smart Investor
Home Personal Finance

Don’t Let A Career Change Lead To Your Undoing

You can embrace a mid-career change but you will first need to plan ahead before taking the plunge

3 years ago
in Personal Finance
0
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Subscribe to Smart Investor E-Magazine Subscribe to Smart Investor E-Magazine Subscribe to Smart Investor E-Magazine

Author and motivation speaker Simon Sinek said, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.”

If you totally relate to this and are considering a career change after climbing the corporate ladder for the past 15-20 years, you are not alone. It is becoming more common for early millennials, who are now in their late 30s or early 40s, to decide to venture out and start a business in a field new to them but which they are keenly interested in. There are numerous different reasons why professionals who have put in some of the best years of their lives into establishing a successful career are now willing to give all of that up.

For the majority of Malaysians, it mainly tends to include a desire for a better work-life balance, more independence and autonomy, less stress and wanting to spend more time with young children. A decision of this nature is clearly not one that can happen overnight nor should it be rushed through.

Many individuals have long harboured ambitions to embrace a mid-career change but due to uncertainties surrounding their circumstances, have been forced to put their dreams on hold indefinitely for fear of the financial impact such a change would make. This need not be the case so long as you plan ahead before taking the plunge.

Before we look at how you can prepare financially to make a career change, it is vital that two prerequisites are covered. First, you need to already know what it is you want to do and why. This is not the time to dabble in a variety of gigs to figure out your calling; you can afford to do that when you are in college, not when you have dependants, loans and expenses.

Secondly, family support plays a large part in a major decision like this as they are the ones most affected by the change and require assurance that the most important needs will be covered. It is crucial to discuss with your loved ones before taking the next step.

Once this is done, you can proceed to this eight-point checklist to see how prepared you are before taking the plunge:

1. Ensure you have sufficient emergency funds

Your take-home pay is going to change but your household bills might remain the same. If both you and your spouse are working, the effect might not be so drastic. But if your spouse is not employed and you have young children, you will need to factor in a bigger buffer. Your family may need to temporarily cut down on non-essential spending such as upgrading a car or going on an overseas vacation.

Don’t forget to take into account outpatient medical expenses which you will now have to foot on your own. A comfortable emergency fund of around two years of annual expenses is recommended if you anticipate a fairly certain cash flow from the new business venture, or more if otherwise.

2. Ensure your family has adequate insurance protection

The current insurance benefits under your employer will cease once you leave. You will need to review your personal coverage to anticipate a range of circumstances so that your dependents will be taken care of. These include family income insurance (in the event of death), total permanent disablement (in the event of disability), critical illness, medical card for hospitalisation and surgical benefits and also personal accident coverage. You will need to consider the insurance needs of your spouse and your children – particularly for a medical card.

3. Business funding

If possible, start with businesses that require lower start-up capital so that you do not exhaust too much of your savings at one go. Should a larger capital be required, consider using “other people’s money”. This does not mean borrowing from banks (or other shadier sources) and getting yourself further into debt.

Try approaching interested investors for funding or seek out like-minded partners to be joint shareholders in the business. This way, you need not stretch yourself too thin to shoulder the entire capital requirements solely.

4. Learn the ropes

In stark contrast to larger organisations with different departments for different functions, once you are a business owner, you will be HR, Sales and Accounts all rolled into one. If your current job function is specialised or niche, it would be timely to start charting a learning path to take you from “employment” to “self-employed” by learning the key aspects required to run a business such as day-to-day operations, finance and marketing.

Also, it would be a good idea to bring yourself up to speed with digital and social media advertising trends as these will provide a more cost-effective way to market a new business. Talk to friends who are also business owners to get some insights into their experiences and the challenges they might have faced when starting out. While they may not necessarily be in the same industry as the one you intend to break into, all new businesses tend to share some common general issues such as sourcing for investors, regulatory and statutory requirements or shareholding concerns. Certain businesses also require certification and licensing from the relevant authorities so if possible, get a head start on this early on.

5. Test drive before jumping in

If the new business venture is not something you are already familiar with, you might want to consider testing it out on a part-time basis to see if it truly suits you. For example, if you plan on getting into the F&B industry, you could help out at a friend’s café over the weekends and gauge if you are indeed cut out for the job demands (long hours, busy weekends, multi-tasking, dealing with customer complaints, etc).

Given that you might be short on cash flow once you’re in the business on a full-time basis, test out your household’s ability to live on a single income (for double-income families) or on a smaller budget.

6. Ask those who are already in the game

Industry experts who have a wealth of experience in their respective fields often give talks to share tips and advice to business novices. You can seek out mentors or coaches in such capacities to guide you in areas that you want to work towards.

7. Be prepared to give yourself time

Success is not going to happen overnight, so you will need to have realistic expectations when embarking on this new chapter of your life. Include patience and perseverance into your mantra because chances are you are going to need lots of it. Business owners face multitudes of stumbling blocks all the time regardless of the industry they are in but many survive and become more resilient as a result.

8. Get clarity on your financial well-being before pulling the plug

Review your financial status thoroughly and stress test your numbers to ensure you have covered all the key areas of your personal finance for yourself as well as your dependents. Engage the help of a licensed financial planner to be the devil’s advocate and make sure you have not overlooked anything.

With the assurance that you have the financial green light to make the switch, you will have less to worry about and can direct more energy into researching and preparing for your new career. All decisions involve an element of risk, especially one where your family’s livelihood and financial security may be impacted the most.

By taking steps to mitigate the risks and increasing your preparedness financially, mentally and emotionally, you can embark on a mid-career change with confidence, knowing that you are one step closer to achieving your dreams.

By Felix Neoh

Felix Neoh CFP CERT TM is the director of Financial Planning at Finwealth Management Sdn Bhd and is a certified member of FPAM. He can be contacted at enquiry@finwealth.com.my.

Previous Post

How-To: Stock Valuation Strategies

Next Post

Malaysian Capital Market Continues to Finance Economy

Next Post

Malaysian Capital Market Continues to Finance Economy

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ESG Evolve 2023 ESG Evolve 2023 ESG Evolve 2023
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
From left Eizzar Supiar, AVP - Evaluation, Cradle_ Adlin Yusman, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ Suthenesh Sugumaran, Co-Founder of BeMalas_ and Joyce Wee, Former Executive Director of Etalage

Cradle and Bursa Malaysia Collaborate to Facilitate Listing of Local Startups in Bursa Malaysia

11/09/2023

Robo Advisor In Malaysia, 8 Robo Advisor Platforms To Choose From

17/08/2022
drawbacks unit trusts investment

5 Drawbacks Of Unit Trusts Investment That You Should Know Before Investing

19/09/2023
A calculator on financial chart, financial concept

Tax For The 6 Common Investments In Malaysia

19/09/2023

Digital Fundraising Platforms in Malaysia

Retirement Plans for the Self-Employed

SC Guidelines On Digital Assets

Retirement planning advise from the experts

Retirement Planning: Best Practices and Advice From Experts

Datuk Ir. Dr. Dennis Ganendra Achieves Coveted RAE International Fellowship for Exceptional Engineering Contributions

21/09/2023

Worldwide Holdings Berhad Leading the Green Revolution

21/09/2023

Malaysia’s dance with FAANG Giants

21/09/2023

ESG Evolution: COP27 to Carbon Stocks Insights

20/09/2023

Datuk Ir. Dr. Dennis Ganendra Achieves Coveted RAE International Fellowship for Exceptional Engineering Contributions

2 days ago

Worldwide Holdings Berhad Leading the Green Revolution

2 days ago

Malaysia’s dance with FAANG Giants

2 days ago

ESG Evolution: COP27 to Carbon Stocks Insights

2 days ago
Smart Investor Malaysia

© 2023 Smart Investor Malaysia | The contents on this website are for educational purposes only. You should always seek your own professional advice from the appropriate financial advisor or institution.

Category

  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Write For Us
  • Payment Policy
  • Shipping Policy
  • Cancellation and Refund Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Sign up to read our newsletter

  • Start Here
  • Investments
  • Personal Finance
  • Enterprise
  • Property
  • ESG
  • Lifestyle
  • News & Events
  • Bahasa Melayu

© 2023 Smart Investor Malaysia | The contents on this website are for educational purposes only. You should always seek your own professional advice from the appropriate financial advisor or institution.

No Result
View All Result
  • Start Here
    • Guides
    • How-Tos
    • Analysis
  • Investments
    • Asset Management
    • Stocks
    • Islamic Finance
    • Alternatives Investments
  • Personal Finance
    • Cash Management
    • Grow Your Wealth
    • Protect Your Wealth
    • Distribute Your Wealth
    • Behavioural Finance
  • Enterprise
    • Startups
    • Entrepreneurs
    • SMEs
    • Leadership
    • Business Planning
    • Fintech
  • Property
    • First Time Home Buyers
    • Central
    • Northern
    • Southern
    • Sabah & Sarawak
    • Regional / Global
    • Feature
  • ESG
  • Lifestyle
  • News & Events
  • Bahasa Melayu

© 2023 Smart Investor Malaysia | The contents on this website are for educational purposes only. You should always seek your own professional advice from the appropriate financial advisor or institution.