hey friends, as most of you are aware...I am leaving my current job. It is with sadness that I leave my nice colleagues and my comfortable state in my current place but yet with excitement and anticipation as I start my new career path outside.

I accepted the other job offer last Fri and tendered my resignation this morning after having a long talk with my director. Before I even stepped into his office with my white envelope in hand, he said to me " Dont give me the letter Val, I am not going to accept it." I guessed his secretary already pre-empt him about my resignation or he has some pretty accurate sixth sense after hearing that I would like to speak to him at 8.30am in the morning.

He was like "Val Val..talk to me..why? why you want to do this?..Is there something you not happy about? Can tell me about it and we can work things out." Then he started his talk about how I am such a valuable employee to the company with all my contributions (err..thanks?) and saying that I am someone with multi-gifts which he really appreciates (well, thank you very much :)) or maybe it is just sales talk for him to get me to stay.

Anyhow, I told him that it was more of a pull factor for me to go rather than a push factor although there were certainly some things that I was not too happy about but then, the opportunity has come for me to pursue my interests and further my career advancement outside.

Director: Well what would you be doing?
Me: Corporate communications.
Director: There are plenty of opportunity for you to do corp comms here. We are going to expand and we definately need to work on our corp comms.
Me: Well considering this is my first job after graduation and I want to venture out to learn.
Director: Well that's not an excuse, first job or not, there is plenty for you to learn here.

As you can see, he was trying his best to get me to change my mind but I was quite firm.

Director: You know you can stay here, have your second child..
Me: Er...no la..not second child la..not so fast..
Director: Well the age gap shouldnt be that big..two yrs is good.

What so he has become my family planner now??!!

Director: You know a lot of people has go out and came back to work. Ok I give you two years, you go out and learn then come back to work. There will always be plenty of opportunities for you here.
Me: But Prof you wont be here liao right after two years?
Director: Well lets just say I will be here for another 3 yrs.

To my colleagues..get the hint. He is not leaving. YET.

I then told him some feedback about the "unhappiness" in my division and he said, "Well if I make the changes, will you stay?"

In my heart and mind.... NO.

I mean, seriously I have thought over it. Frankly I AM very comfortable here yet I dont want to be too comfortable. Know what I mean? Maybe if I am like 40 plus yrs old, I would probably stay and get my long service award or something but nooooo...I dont want to retire here. I need to go out and venture and learn more new stuff! It has been close to five years here and I am like one of the most senior (in terms of number of years worked here) staff around (coz of my office's high turnover rate) and hence I guess, more "valuable" since all the knowledge is like at the back of my hand.

But no one is indispensable. And what my Deputy Director told me that doing President's Lunches is personal to job holder aka me, that's not true. That's just pure laziness in training another staff to do my work and wanting to maintain status quo.

So I told my director that the feedback I have given is to hope for better working environment for the people left in my division not as a bait for him to make some changes and give me a promotion so I would stay. Like I mentioned, it is pull factor more than a push.

So finally in the end, he told me "I guess you have thought over it and discussed with your hubby and at this point of time, I guess I have to wish you all the best and this week is going to be a sad week for me." AWwwwww....really??

And with that, he gave me a bear hug.

So..I take it that my letter was accepted hence after much calculation, my last day of work after clearing my leave will be 11 April. That's like next Friday. That's fast.

So, my time has come. No more sumptuous staff buffet lunches, book shopping, shiok retreats and spa massages, vouchers for staff awards (which all goes to buying Kate Spade), lunch time KTV, yoga, belly dancing or flower arrangement classes.

But I believe there is that place for me outside, to learn, grow and experience a whole new culture. Hee....tata!