3. Learning English through Workplace Communication

You write an advice column for Jobs Online magazine. A reader submitted the following question:

My dream is to open a cafe with a few friends, but I’ve just been offered a promotion at my company. The pay is good, but I’m not that interested in the work. Should I leave now or wait a few years?

–Kam Chai, 25 years old

Write a reply to Kam Chai offering your advice.

Dear Kam Chai,

I am writing in response to your question about whether you should develop your career at your current company or pursue your dream of opening a café with your friends. I would suggest you accept the promotion and stay at your company for a few more years instead of giving it up and investing in a business that you have not had any experience before.

First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your promotion at your company. As you may know, the job market has never been more competitive and only competent candidates can have the golden opportunity of getting a promotion. Therefore, the offer of promotion is a good sign that affirms your talent, value and contribution to the company. Your hard work and positive work attitude must have impressed your boss a lot such that you have got a promotion.  As the chance of being promoted is rare, why don’t you just stay on at your company and give it some time to try and see if you would become more interested in the job?

Moreover, as promotion comes with more job responsibilities and requires more sophisticated skills, you might find the job more challenging and exciting. You can take this opportunity to test your ability as well as explore your potential. Meanwhile, you might also find the job more rewarding in terms of salary and work experience. If you have stayed on your job for several more years, you will have a much better resume, in short, an achievement record, which means you will have a bigger bargaining power to negotiate a higher salary. Besides, working with a bigger title at your current company can help you broaden your horizons and build up your professional connection network as you can get to know more closely different kinds of colleagues and clients worldwide. Even if you come away thinking that you do not like the job at all, at least you have tried and gained some valuable work experience such as communication skill and international sense which you would not have learnt from opening a café with friends.

Opening a café requires a large sum of money. As your pay is good, working in your company can help you earn enough money to pursue your dream of opening a café. What’s more, you can always have the chance of opening a café as long as you have enough money. However, if you have given up the job right now, not only will you have a bad resume, but also you will lose the opportunity of developing yourself professionally. It will be very unlikely for you to be able to enter the industry again, not to mention a promotion.  Last but not least, opening a café is a kind of business. When the economy is bad, you will have to run the risk of losing money and even closing the cafe. Have you ever thought about any other options that you would have in case your business fails?

Given the above reasons, I would recommend you stay on your current job to gain more professional work experience instead of opening a café with your friends at this stage.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Wong