Hi you guys!

I was graduated of Engineering degree in one of the Malaysia public university.

At the first, after my graduation day which was last year, I tried to find a job and it's quite difficult so i tried another non-related job which brought me to be working in Digital marketing field which only me in this company knows about IT so everything I google but I'm quite a fast learner in IT. (Even though i'm Engineering graduate, I love and I really fast learning about IT)

My job scope here basically:
- Develop websites (corporate and e-commerce websites)
- Design something for marketing purpose
- Help other coworker if they have any computer problem

During that time i'm thinking of changing a job to engineering field because the first purpose I chose this job was just to earn some money but it's too late because after 2 months, my employer gave me permanent position which I'm bound to 2-months notice to quit the job. (usually 6 months probation but due to my performance, they give after 2 months) I'm stuck here

I was getting like 5 interviews in engineering field during that time but after hearing my 2 months notice, they kinda give up.

Now, it's already one year, should I continue in this IT field which I enjoy doing it but I didn't see any future in front or what field of IT should i choose..; or find a job in engineering field which has more bright future and big salaries than IT since I have a degree in it?
Any suggestion:-
- if i continue in this IT path what path should I take since IT has so many paths and which path is brighter.
- if i change to engineering, is it worth?

p/s: sorry my English so damn bad

Why do you say IT got no future ? So only engineers have future ?

Think again and decide quick. Do what you love ? Something that challenges you. You just graduated and if you get into a boring job, you will suffer in the long run.

Ever seen some people are miserable at work. Dont end up like them

I'm not sure why I thought IT field like that, maybe because I have no degree in IT and no one guides me so it's quite not a bright future for me but I really love IT.

I spent 6 years studying engineering would be very wasted.. And some people say only about 20% of engineers have a good life and others are miserable. That also what makes me afraid to jump to engineering field/ Now I'm stuck in between..

If you still can find your answer in Google, mean you are not deep enough on leaning that things.

A big misconception in freshie is they thought they are super mighty when they seems like they can solve everything and ask Mr. Google.

If you love IT, you shouldn't change field.

I love programming, my 1st job is as a manufacturing engineer. I found that boring. I self learn programming and end up working in a automation company now.

I have a same feeling like you want I 1st join programming field. I feel like everything can Google, I basically can solve every problem that throw to me.

But when you work longer and higher position. Things changed. Is not about the code anymore. Is about program structure, architecture, source control, bla bla bla, all these thing you can learn concept, but you can't find the answer in Google.

If you ask me, I think the main problem is not whether IT support or Engineer which one have a better life. But rather where your passion of career lies with. You don't have to love your job, but at least find something you can bear with (extra bonus if you are good with it)

Now many engineering companies don't dare to take you because you are like blank paper to them, your previous job experience (Web developer + IT support) doesn't contribute much to the engineering related experience. I mean if I'm the employer I have to think twice about hiring you.

Both IT and engineering will have a bright future if you ask me, just that their job scope and job nature is different. IT will most likely in urban city and sit in office, engineer probably have to go on site more. Depends which is suitable to you. You can try talk to your fellow classmates who work in engineering line to see if the work nature is what you like.

And you don't need to feel bad about wasting your 6 years study in engineering, as long as the career can fulfill you (both financially and spiritually), I don't see what's wrong working in a total different field.

Your advantage now is that you are still young, so you can go out and try more. You have to luxury to work in IT and engineering line then only you decide which one you like more.

I love programming too, seems you have a dream job of mine I'm manufacturing engineering graduate so working in automation company is my dream job. Because it combines both IT and engineering fields.

Can you tell more about this and how can I be like that. What programming should I master etc..?

And in order to achieve that, should I quit my current job and move to engineering but at the same time self learning programming?

Yea thanks your replies really like very understanding and suits my situation right now.

In order to stay in IT field, I need to see which path should I take, web dev or digital marketing or others. But now I haven't seen it yet it's like empty in front of me that's why I'm considering to move to engineering field.


By this, really what I think about employers who interviewed me. What should I do then? Because no matter how many employers interviewed me, it's the same when they heard my "2-months notice".

tell you the truth, if the employer likes you, don't say 2 months notice, 20 months notice they also willing to wait.

the reason they don't wanna wait is because they don't feel worth to wait for a 'blank paper' (freshie).

so just keep trying to look a company that willing to take you. I wouldn't recommend you resign first because first you have a good relationship with current company, and second after resign you probably couldn't land a job.

speaking from my own experience who work more than 10 years.

If you wanted to try things out, now is the time. You are young and a freshie. Job Galore. You mention you are getting quite a few interview. Resign and look for jobs during the 2 months notice.
Once you get older and when commitments comes in. You will no longer have the luxury of doing so.

If you wanted to see which you preferred. Now is the time to test it out.

Transition from my job to engineering job would be really long because I need an engineering company that willing to take a fresh graduate with 2-months notice it's really hard because if I'm really desperate I would quite my current job and try to find another engineering job but I'm afraid not getting any job.

Hey I'm not sure bout that because most of my friends wouldn't recommend that action because if you resign then you have no luck not any job landed, you're dead me getting a few interviews maybe it's pure luck since my pointer is quite low.

Do you think that is really a big risk to do? I'm not sure because never tried this before.

You are a freshie. With 6 months work experience on IT.
If you are applying for an engineering job and requested for the employer to wait for you for 2 months. (I think even you will not hire yourself, if you are the employer)

You are right now a blank paper as mention by the other forumers above. (in engineering field)

Do you have a lot of commitment ongoing right now, that is preventing you from quiting a job?

Since you love IT, then stick to this. There are many people out there who have degrees in other fields doing IT. So go for IT if I were you.

Deepen your knowledge and get some professional papers later on to strenghten your resume and such.

unless you have savings or your family can support you. Don't resign first.

those companies who turn off by 2 months notice actually just not that interested in you.

another alternative is you try to find engineering job that require coding / programming, you can sell your skill say you have some web dev experience so you know the logic of coding.

Is different man. Programming is a very wide field.
Automation is programming that do to control, data collection. Another wide field in automation programming is machine Vision. Which is what I am doing now. Machine vision is image processing. Is about mathematics and algorithm.


ecommerce related programming also have a very bright future now. I have 2 friends doing ecommerce related program or some short of more like internet related program, they do better than me (earn more than me).

I have quite a few, studies loan, and my hometown doesn't have any engineering company so I'll have to keep staying in Selangor after I quit my job while searching for a new job. So, it's rentals, foods etc in Selangor I need to support myself during my "no job" time. Even right now my 2k+ salary is not enough living here I wonder what happens if I quit my current job to search for another job.

Worse case if I have no luck at all I'll be stuck not getting any job for months..

Basically, it's all about money

The very first problem I'm afraid to continue in IT is because I have no people to guide me to choose which path should I take because IT has a lot of division and I can't learn all from Google. I love IT seriously T.T I'm in dilemma..are you in IT field currently?

It's quite complicated but if I were given any chance in automation programming would be good for me because I'm majoring in automation field.

Is the "ecommerce" related programming regarding website development?

Hey man that's a really nice vision, i can self study about some of the programming that related to web dev or something. But the problem is, I don't have any guidance on what should I self study or anything. But I'm not sure employers will accept my 2 months notice or not if I have that skills, (self study and not experience)

I am not sure man. Like I said, programming is a large field. I am not sure what ecomerce covered as well.

TS, dont rush your decision. take the time to learn the ropes in your current job. the most important thing is to gain as much experience as possible. you can rethink your options after a year or two.

dont forget there are so many fresh grads out there who are jobless..

Yea, when I think again, I should be glad cuz I got the job even not really much because so many fresh grads are jobless out there.

But maybe I'll try to find an engineering job that can accept my 2 months notice then

Im in IT. A rough guide. Choose you want hardware or software.

Hardware : Servers and PC, networking, IT security, infrastructure, data center, etc...

Software : programming, web design, databases, IT security, IT applications.

Since you are into Web stuff, go for those kinda certifications. Pick up a programming language like HTML 5.

Go look at some courses in trainnign centers. You do need some guidance but you must commit to do something you love. If you do something you love you will put in the effort to go for it. If you love IT, go for it and pick up some things. Buy some books and read up on programming that will enhance your present job.

Speak yo your superiors about your present issues. Ask them what is the direction of the company and your role in it. Ask for training opportuniites ( with certification ).

I want to correct you in one of your statement:

Engineering in Malaysia except oil and gas has slow progression ($$) compared to IT field..

I'm Engineer myself..

As a junior with work exp of 2yrs+, ayam here just giving opinion but not advice.

I just have diploma in CS, In Software field, wat i see in these 2 yrs is what you can earn is based on what you can offer/provide the company the solutions of their problems.
I super love IT too, and I totally know what i'll be doing in the next 5 year just by googling around the trends of the industry, what is the hot topics every programmer is talking about.

I'm not trying to condemn TS that you're not good enough, but from what i can see, in the thread, you're still not that in love in programming(that's a very big chance that ayam is wrong, and i apologize, u can tell me more abt wat framework u use, what lang u use, what db u use, how u integrate them tgt.)

the reason i said this is because, passion/love have a degree also.

u can say "i love programming SO MUCH", but how much is that love is, people throw 40 hrs work week in programming and say they love programming but more than that could be no life ady,

and there're some who throw 80 hrs work week in programming and say they love it too, some even more.

The purpose of me saying these is because i hope TS can realize "how much love, TS have in IT" and from there, u can choose whether u want to continue or change.


P.S. if you're really want to continue in IT, my best advice(this time really advice) is really take some prof cert(oracle, cisco cert) depend on which field u want to specialize in.

because as an engineering degree, during the time when u want to jump ship, HR will be the first level to filter candidate by their academic(which is degree you have), and second only is wat you do in your job.

so to top up that you're not from IT background, u need those cert to back u abit to let HR know even tho u grad in engineering but u excel and tip top in IT in order to get into interview.

(even nowadays in this field, even u grad in CS doesn't mean anything to company as they only want those who can build solution or product for their company only. that's wat matter, and this industry starting to shift ady, if you can see the trend, demand in php, java, .net is getting softer.)


digital marketing comes after web dev.

digital marketing(implementation) is part of the Web Application, all digital marketing tools build from there. and as i know, the web application field is still big in the coming few years in msia.

everything things we come across as 80s or 90s will at least touch abit of web application or not all of it, when the time u open your browser in your pc, laptop or ipong.

about the interview for those engineering company, all i say is when trying to switch industry, u have to at least know what's going on in the industry to get you an advantages to the interviewer, like you know what this job is going to do, and who's the competitor(if u don't know try ask your f&f, for sure u have some friends in the same industry right). so this make interviewer knows that, even tho u're a fresh grad in engineering, u know what's going around you, and even tho that you're not been expose to, which let them prefer you more than those really fresh grad, and attitude also important factor.

my 1st company has 3 mths notice period. my 2nd company, just wait me for 3 mths.

good luck

Hi Hades, thank you for your guide. I do want to choose in software. Is future as a web designer kinda bright? Do this position has high demand? Because mostly I study myself with no guidance and no guarantee I can compete with other people to get the job since I'm engineering graduate.

Of course as you suggest I will do learn about HTML 5 programming language which mostly for web developer I suppose. I don't think my boss ever given me any chance to do some training because he's kinda.... haha

Which field of engineering are you in? What do you think being an engineer? Worth your time or if you have any chance or knowledge about IT you would go for IT field?

Thank you so much for this, really helps in motivating me. May I know what industry are you in? I do love programming but it's like I have no guidance unlike people who are graduated from CS they are guided well and that I have a disadvantage. I can consider myself a fast learner in IT field tho. Ok, if I need to stay in this IT industry, I need to imporve myself by taking some cert.

I'm mostly interested in web development thing. What is your opinion about this? Will this industry getting lower demand in the future? What cert should I take? (sorry a lot of questions on my mind right now)

I can say when I interview for engineering jobs, I have a big disadvantage over other candidates which are fresh grads too. I'm currently employed and have 2 months notice so I think they won't even bother me because mostly they don't want to wait 2 months for a fresh grad to enter.
The reason they take fresh grad maybe because they want urgent replacement.

I don't know what my future gonna be if I don't plan any now I'm really scared to get into the future seriously

Why you studied engineering at first place?

Revert back to your path

you are in digital marketing?

develop websites is more to UXUI designer now

design something for marketing purpose you mean hero banner and some images with marketing message?

then do you do facebook marketing? instagram marketing? email markting? google ads marketing?

not sure will you back to engineering.

But if you are doing develop website and design something for marketing, you future path will be stick to UXUI or multimedia design.

the industry needs UXUI designer now but quite hectic imo

if your job position is digital marketing, shd ask the company to let you do some marketing purpose like email marketing, google ads, google analytics, learn about marketing + analytics at the same time.

woah, me too, which company you're in?

I'm sure that was too young and too dumb to realize lol. Ya I need to revert back to engineering path but 2 months notice is making it harder. I just need an engineering company that willing to wait just 2 months is enough then I can start in engineering back.

Yes, because actually my boss gonna save some budget and he asked me to develop websites which I learn entirely from Google because it's not really my job here but I managed to complete corporate and ecommerce websites which is really hard for me haha.

And yes too, design something like that hero banner, catalog, etc..

And more yes, I do fb ads, ig marketing, ems, google ads, analytics and quite a few more too. Actually I'm here is the first one in marketing dept. Only me in marketing here so most of the things I know I learned myself in this company.

From your opinion, should I move back to engineering or stay in this path? Not sure if this path (which my job scope now as mentioned by you) will have a bright future ahead because many competitions.

What do you mean by this? Quite hectic?

I'm in Banking/Financial industry, 1st company, local banks, 2nd company local banks, 3rd company, china banks, all vendor.

abt the guided part tho, i don't see it as a head start for people. Ayam have no degree but my diploma pointer is 3.9 and degree's course structure didn't teach those framework and lang that the industry is using also. So CS degree don't get you any further than those who know OOP only( i mean of course CS will have advantages because in their studies they learn encryption, cryptography, but so what, u can just learn it in saylor.org today, now and it cost u nothing. i learned all the courses that local U provide to their degree student in saylor, sometime we have some conversation in some course they have in that sem, they surprise that i know exactly what they know.)

To be honest, u just have to keep search and ask, and search and ask bunch of ppl(online, quora, stackoverflow, forums), lucky u ask in /k, some ppl just live a white picket fence life. (trust me, ppl in this world still willing to help those who is in struggle, so don bother your starting point just continue the path that you have choosen, don look back, keep going.)

from what i expose to(senior in IT, feel free to correct me if im wrong. thanks), below its the current trend (quite hot topic recently, steadily have increase demand in the job market.)

Web Front-end tech
-Angular 5/6 (i only learned 1 & 2)
-Vue.js (haven learn)
-React.js (haven learn)

Web back-end tech (mostly services, restful)
-Java, Kotlin (kotlin is much better but msia still slow, not much ppl use, java still the big boss)
-ASP.net (know some of my friends did, and didn't want to put my mind into it bcause want to specialize in Java, but in market, still freaking
high demand)
-php (did some freelance to startup companies, its a quite good feeling, but have to re-learn as it's syntax its more differ from .net and java)
-node.js (super HITZ, a must learn i can say, because it can use as services or front-end)

DB, framework, etc..
framework diff comes from which lang you use( exp, java use spring more, php use laravel, asp use .net etc...), doesn't bother as long u know sql, t-sql, and get things works. as newbie, i myself just try to get things done, performance, tuning and optimization, comes after.( but also need to have a bit of concern also lah, cannot totally ignore)

i might left out some, apologize beforehand.

i wouldn't say getting lower demand, as demand in this industry is getting high because a lot of startup pop-up want to be the next google lmao, but the problem is, a lot of grad, a shit tons of grad every yrs, from private or gov, 1-2 batches per year, and small or medium SME want ppl with exp, so only left out MNC who willing to train fresh meat, so abit more opinion, u either stay in MNC to climb the coporate ladder, or join SME but taking risk tat those companies will closed due to problem but if successful, good luck as those bosses will treasure you.

about cert, really depend on what u wish to specialize, i on plan to take oracle one, but still thinking. maybe will get cisco one because ayam more specialize in back-end so on top of it, if i know how to set up all the server, and routing stuff, will have huge impact on ayam punya career.
you can go search on all those cert and see what they specialize in and go on.



if the employer don't bother, just want to get people as fast as they can,

you can see it as, they're expanding need lot of ppl ASAP, don care quality, just quantity, it might be pain ass if u get in one of those
or the turnover is freaking high.

i can say if it's a really good and quality employer, and u're able to impress them with your attitudes. FOR SURE, con 9 lan 7 firm, they will wait you, even you're fresh grad, (even if you're a employer, both also fresh grad, one need wait 2 months(better attitude, quality), one tmr can start work(ego, shit personality), which one u choose?, both also need train, why not train the one, who is humble and good boy) so what i suggest is, sharpen your interview skill, this one dictate all of it.

lastly, a bit personal chicken soup for you, the reason i didn't cont my degree is because my 3.9 pointer wasn't high enough, because in order to grant both in-house scholarship and ptptn in degree, my diploma pointer must >3.95, and i was so sad during that last 2nd sem because i know even i take gpa 4 in the last sem couldnt drag up my cgpa to 3.95, and that i reach the conclusion to take a fast way to reach floor 1, ayam floor 16(because my dad couldn't afford my living expenses so i have to think a way to cont my degree). i called befriender...couldn't help...hang up ....half leg ady step outside the window. and no joke, my mom's face flash in my mind(im single parent, my mom pass away when i was young). and.....i didn't do it.... so after so many days of torture, i didn't stay inside the past, i just try to do whatever i can, i learn to write resume, and send out shit tons of them, help to get employ as i ady give up my degree at that moment, and my interview comes, i tell the employer, i just diploma, but i willing to learn, and i'm a slow pace learner, but i don give up on things. they wait me for 1 months, because ayam is a part-time teacher that time.

and things getting better and better for me nowadays. what i want to say is, when god shut the door in front of you, he always open another window for you, just have to look for it.

so if u're want to revert bek to engineering, don give up, try to do some research online and learn what the market looking for, and wat stuff u at least need to know abit of. and keep trying on interview. One day, the ngam one will just tell you "come work for me, after 2 months notices".

lol i personally think design job is hectic and tedious




im in this industry so i think it is bright, because social media always exist, and AI is coming in, and you need analytics to analyse the data for your marketing purpose. So it is important.

Im not sure about your path, you can decide based on what are you doing now VS engineering

Why not go for IT Engineering?

Wow, you're very kind. If you were a girl I'd chase you till the end already even you rejected me

These are the best bro. I read it like 10 times and it is very motivating me. Anyway, you're banking industry but are you in IT department?


No kidding I'll research and learn all of these and become a master. But only if I've given up being and engineer. Right now I'm still in the middle, don't know where to go it feels like my future is so dark I can't see anything.


These are very beautiful words spoken. You're lucky maybe you can do degree and master too after this because your life has gotten better. And me, maybe the same sad life like yours, had no both parents since 3 years ago and I'm not a rich person either. Living is hard at some point I was gonna kill myself lol but thinking of my siblings, I feel like I need to do something so my future will be bright and can support them.


I'm really hoping your last sentence will come true. This making me sadder..

Ya,I'd love to. Since I'm majoring in automation, so if IT Engineering would be good, it's quite my dream job too. But my title in my current job now, digital marketing, and job scope isn't related to that. And as mentioned, it's hard to get into engineering company in my current situation.

I can self study, but I have no guidance at all about what should I study, what IT engineering industry would work etc.. if you have any opinion can share me here. I'd very thankful for that.

Ya, I think IT has so many field that takes hundreds years to master all. Maybe need to choose something like more demandable in the future...

Seriously, I agreed with this. I'm working as a design freelancer too, so my client always demand that, want to amend that and that but want cheaper price for something I took hours to do lol.

My boss too, I sent him a design, then he rejected, need to do another... T.T

thats why i quit as graphic design and be digital marketing instead

You're in digital marketing? Wow same position as mine. Mind to share any experience on how to succeed in this field?

i think there are creative side or analytical side

i think im in the middle

succeed? hit your KPI? lol

Hard to say, u need to hands on to that.
But you can try apply jobs in Siemens. They just got SCADA project in Kedah and currently they want to hiring SCADA team because they dont have one. Who knows if they will hire you.

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