Dear Serious /k,

Salam and hello to everyone. Please bear with me as this would be a wall of text from me.

I'm 38 years old with plus minus 12 years of experience in manufacturing industry (mostly automotive) but my salary is still below RM5k/month. Married with 2 kids (6 yo and 4 yo). My wife is fulltime housewife but she currently doing a dropship agent for muslimah apparel and she teach kids at our neighborhood "mengaji" Al Quran. Basically her income is around RM300-RM500 depends on her sale on that month.

I didnt have a degree but I have a diploma in mechanical engineering from local university.

I would breakdown my work experience below :-

1- Japanese MNC. Role as Technical Assistant 2009-2011. Starting salary RM1460, left after two years with last drawn salary around RM1700.

2- Korean MNC, 2012-2018. Role as QC Executive with starting salary RM2200 left 6 years with last drawn salary around RM2800. Married my wife while I'm still working at this Korean MNC.

3- Local Cinaman Company, 2018-2018. Role as QC Engineer with starting salary of RM3000 left before confirmation due to toxic management. My wife and I welcomed our first bon son while I am working at this company.

4- Singapore Cinaman Company, 2018-2019. Role as QA Engineer with starting salary of RM3200. Left as I received better offer nearby my hometown at Negeri Sembilan.

5- Japanese MNC, 2019-2022. Role as QA Engineer with starting salary around RM3500. Last drawn salary RM3800.Have to left my job here because I have to take care my late mother as she was seriously sick at that time. During this time I work as a Foodpanda Rider (Bekal) as I need the flexibility even the salary is not sufficient. I used most of my savings just to survive and sadly my mother passed away December 2022. My wife and I welcomed our daughter while I'm working here.

6- Local Cinaman Company, 2023-2023. Role as QC Executive with starting salary around RM4500. Left as i got a job offer nearby my home. I live in Seremban 2, this local cinaman company is at Kampung Pandan KL. Daily travel 140km with my bike from Seremban 2 to KL. Plus this was not a permanent just a contract job.

7- Japanese MNC 2023-2024. Role as Warranty Engineer with starting salary around RM4000. Left this company without my consent due to conflict with the management as I feel the KPI they set to me is impossible to achieve.

8- Local Cinaman Company. 2024-currently working here. Salary around RM4500. This is typical cinaman company that you literally have no work life balance (need to do remote job even after working hour). No other benefit.

Last week I received a job offer from Taiwan MNC with a basic slightly lower than my current company but with a much better package (allowance, epf contribution higher, medical etc etc). Basically I made up my mind and I accepted the job offer as previously they are Japanese MNC but the Taiwanese tycoon bought the majority of the share. Based on my observation they still implement Japanese working culture that I already familiar with.

I know most of you would suggest to learn new skills or maybe get a degree to so that I can demand the salary more with my experience. So I would like to ask serious /k which skills that is currently have the most demand in the market that I can learn and maybe use it so that it can be my side income. So far my wife and me, we didnt have any plan to get another kid plus we are getting old.

After working around 15 years, I am well verse in ISO 9001, IATF16949, 5 core tools of IATF and I have green belt in 6 sigma (which I didnt fully utilize all this while Im working).

Thank you for reading and thank you in advance for the suggestions.

This post has been edited by Akmall540: Nov 18 2024, 12:03 PM

Hello good man,

Have u ever thought of getting a HRD trainer cert?

https://hrdcorp.gov.my/hrd-trainer



I wish you all the best, and hopefully you will be getting better soon in every aspect.

You either learn something completely new, or specialize deeper into your field.

If you're unsure of what new skills to learn, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a refresher to re-certify what you do know and go from there.

Hi, I didnt know annou this HRD trainer cert. I will take a good look of it later. thank you for the recommendation.

I'm not sure about learning something new as I'm now 38 years old. Reaching 40 in just 2 years and I feel that I'm way behind compared to my mates in schools and university. To learn something completely new would take sometime for me. Anyhow thank you for your reply.

Most welcome bro!

My cousin also got a mechanical engineering diploma from a local college.

But, his experience is pretty much focus around power plant since the beginning, he work with the technician from start and slowly climb to ladder, I think he's now commissioning engineer on contract basis with mainland company that setting up power plaint at Indonesia.

He used to work at the power plant at Lukut near to Seremban 2. Maybe you can consider the path way.

Wish you all the best!

p/s I am 40 yo also drawing RM5k salary only.

Gaji so many Ks still need to foodpanda?

I did try to apply for jobs that slightly different than my experience but sadly most of it requires degree and as you would have guessed I didnt even get the call for the interview.

I did it as i need the money. but now i am "on leave" from foodpanda until further notice. didnt do it for about 5 or 6 months now but my id is still active.

Sale , look at u ... U can't even sell yr self to get a better pay .

thank you for the encouragement!

I might not be able to advise properly, but throughout your 12 years of working experiences, I think you are unfairly treated in terms of your compensation and promotion.

First, in 2012-2018 they only gave you extra RM600 over 6 years, and in 2019-2022 only gave extra RM300 over 3 years. That is about RM100/year or 2.5-4% increment yearly. Didn't they promote you even when you've worked so long in the first company? Try to seek other jobs in cities like KL, Penang, Johor to demand better pay (possibly 20-30% increment).

You can also learn more about the art of negotiation and enhance your resume, showcase your certifications expertise to potential employers. With this, your yearly 1 on 1 review might land you promotions or better increments, and new job opportunities.

It's clear that you've had a challenging career journey, marked by frequent job changes and salary stagnation. While your experience in the manufacturing industry is substantial, factors like lack of a degree and frequent job switches might have hindered your career progression.

Potential Avenues for Skill Enhancement and Income Generation

Given your experience and the current market demand, consider the following areas for skill enhancement and potential income generation:

Quality Assurance and Management:

- Certification: Pursue certifications like Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) to enhance your credibility.

- Consulting: Leverage your experience to offer consulting services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on quality management systems and improvement initiatives.

- Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma:
a) Advanced Certification: Aim for Black Belt or Master Black Belt certifications to deepen your knowledge and skills.
b) Training and Coaching: Share your expertise by conducting training workshops or coaching sessions on Lean Six Sigma methodologies.

- Project Management:
a) Certification: Obtain a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification to validate your skills.
b) Freelance Project Management: Take on freelance project management roles, especially in the manufacturing or automotive industry.

- Digital Skills:
Data Analysis: Learn data analysis tools like Power BI or Python to extract insights from manufacturing data.
Automation: Explore automation tools like RPA (Robotic Process Automation) to streamline tasks and increase efficiency.

Additional Tips for Career Advancement

Networking: Build strong professional relationships with people in your industry. Attend industry conferences, webinars, and join professional organizations.
Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in manufacturing.
Financial Planning: Create a robust financial plan to secure your future and your family's well-being.
Mental Health: Prioritize your mental health. Seek support if needed, and practice stress management techniques.

Remember, your career path is not linear. It's important to be patient, persistent, and adaptable. By focusing on skill development, networking, and strategic career planning, you can overcome challenges and achieve your financial goals.

Based on ur salary increment and frequent job change. Seems u have problem building rapport with ur superiors and colleagues? If i were u i will focus hard on japanese/mandarin and be proficient at it. Not just beginner level. My main criteria for mid level management is always communication, i dont need nerd that have zero social skill creating a lot of speed bump in work flow. Usually those nerd don't understand "what is right thing to do may not be what your boss want"

Thank you for your reply. I am not sure if i were treated unfairly in terms of compensation or promotion as in manufacturing industry it is normal to have increment around 3-5% per year. i got no chance to taste any promotion due to limited opportunity. Maybe it caused by me too due to the fact that I'm just an average Joe, not your best employee of the year type.

Thank you for the suggestion and input.

To say that i have problem building rapport with my superiors or colleagues is not accurate. from my list, only twice i resigned due to management issue. Unfortunately these contribute to the fact that I changed my job too frequent. Basically I tried to stay at least for two years in the company that I joined but somehow this is not happening.

Will try to look into learning new language. Maybe japanese would be nice.

My dude. Here is some of my unsolicited advise. Do take with a generous pinch of salt.

From your summary, i deduce that your main background is in QA/QC. i myself did my internship 16 years ago in similar role, and i quickly decided it wasnt for me (my background is in electronic engineering). Since then i have quickly branch out into better and highly sought after roles, but only after first meddling around in other industries for 6+yrs.

As a tech guy, u may be more inclined to work with physical "things". Try to switch to work with people or processes, thats where the demand mostly is. Things get obsolete quick and very hard to catch up. People and processes stay roughly the same for many decades just minor update every few years or so. Use those free time to build rapport and get to know "real" people (people with actual connections, that can help u progress in your career). My recent few jobs were intro by connections, and very significant jump in pay.

These are what brings u the money. People and how to bullshit around them.

Edit: im just 1 year older than u. =)

This post has been edited by tabikaeru: Nov 18 2024, 02:15 PM

You are restricted by the academic qualification. Like it or not, you need to remove this restriction. The only way is to complete your degree(upgrade from diploma). Go take the degree part time during weekend ( use the money from your EPF). It is hard, it will be time consuming but that is the only way to remove this restriction.

If you did not remove this restriction, forever you will be trapped at individual contributor level. No established organization will give you the opportunity to move to managerial position to lead ppl/ team. Even if they allows you to lead, your capability will be in question all the time. Market is ruthless, do not expect it to be kind.

This post has been edited by nihility: Nov 18 2024, 03:30 PM

He's not restrictred by academic qualification, with 15 years of experience no one really looks at academic from 15 years ago.

He's restricted by his very short and unfocused tenure at each company.

Starting from 2018-2024, he already have six jobs and keep taking on roles that offered a slightly higher salary but not accountability (understandably), but now is stuck being viewed as overpaid for an exec, but not experienced or exposure for a more senior role.

He was a QC Executive in 2012, and he took a QC Executive job in 2023.

He needs to focus a bit more on what he wants as a career and double down on that.

You want to believe in the fairy tales opportunity from 30 ~ 40 years ago, please go ahead. I have seen ppl with diploma being stuck at the individual contributor role for the rest of their life even if their experience of 20~30 years.

Give ppl the hard truth so that they can take remedial act now not the fake hope.

This post has been edited by nihility: Nov 18 2024, 03:46 PM

I do hiring for a workforce of over 30k headcount across ASEAN, but yes do tell me what is your experience based on that 5 people you see.

Secondly, individual contributor has their own leveling as well, so using education as the only reason one can't move up the value chain isn't acceptable.

Thirdly, if you see a candidate who keeps joining and leaving jobs in a year or less vs a candidate who has 15 years experience but no degree, you want to tell the hiring manager to pick the first candidate?

Experience, skillset, intelligence etc can only get you so far if you do not have the opportunity..

Sometimes all you need is opportunity, and you can create this opportunity by expanding your network aka circle of friends..

This is from my own experience. No matter how well praised you are in the whole company, how well you performed, if your boss doesn't want to raise your salary or promote you then you are basically fucked.

Beginning from 40 years old, it is time to use both your experience and network to make money..

This post has been edited by david5343: Nov 18 2024, 04:10 PM

Mine had almost similar "hopping" history like yours though probably my degree contributed for some betterment, other than my eagerness to work more than my own job scope/boundary @ procurement, so my knowledge actually encompasses basic-to-mid operation management too.

Realistically like most commented before me,
1) Market is ruthless
2) Experience and network
3) Luck

Closing to 40 one can't help to admit that the other better way probably waiting for one of the close peer who climbed to management, to pull you together abit probably into Ast. level.

Ops didn't finish and answered your question and since you want honest answer:

1) At your current arsenal, IATFF and Six Sigma probably one of the best thing to get them hooked on, try getting these highlighted in your updated resume.
2) Speaking for resume, perhaps you could alter and do some "white lie", probably merge and make good of those older more than 7 years into one,
although ethically it's wrong, I'd think some bit of refinement and make up will make it glow better.

This post has been edited by quartre88: Nov 18 2024, 04:58 PM

improve your communication skills bro, focus on how to sell yourself. advise from someone who is also stuck in the same career & situation as you. Stay strong & keep moving forward.

Hi friend,
Just here to wish you luck and share some random experience.
Yes, working for people/company it's kind of a paradox, you're expected loyalty but there's no guarantee of anything either (down size, retrenchnent etc). I ve been doing sap for years, I treat my perm job like a contract sometimes and get asked left right, but of course in this specific industry there's some leeway (there are quite a few high paid contractors). Anyway, something happened along the way and I just can't do sap project anymore. A bit fortunate as I don't have much of a family so I can just learn new things from scratch (3d modelling) and make a bit of money enough to survive without job.
It's quite possible to start a new life from scratch (of course situation is difficult with family). Just here to say that, if youre focused, determined, and don't have too many ocd adhd, addiction, you should be fine. It might take a while.

And don't listen to cynical advice saying you're dead, killed your career with bad moves etc. Lives is bigger than making sure you got a good resume. Have a blessed day.

I don't have any advice for you, but just want to wish you all the best in your career.

You have a good command of English though.

Ever thought of giving English classes as a side income?

Nowadays tuition also good money.

Thank you for your input. I am still trying to get the right opportunity form different field but so far I didnt get the chance yet

This is what I been thinking too. My target by 40 I need to get at least RM5k monthly. i dont mind the position but I do mind the salary and of course to get better salary you have to take bigger responsibility and I am fully aware about this.

Thank you for your input. Yeah, i agree with the IATF part. I did some research on how to be an IATF auditor but the path is not easy. It doesnt mean that I fully reject this path. Just need more research.

Thank you. Maybe my communication skills still not top notch. but i do get my point across during work meeting and interview session.

Thank you for the input. I try to learn basic editing using canva and it took me a lot of time as i didnt have much time after work. Need to spend time with my kids too.

I dont think my english is that good. maybe just average. but i do get my point accross. thank you though for the compliment. As for your suggestion, I never get any chance to research more on giving english classes as I am not that good yet.

Value yourself more during salary negotiation.

Sometimes candidates just accepted the salary offered by HR but the actual range is actually higher.

i dont have advise for you since manufacturing is not my field.

but i'm here just to wish you and your family all the best.
i understand your struggle and ambition to be better.

i remember reading something similar some time back, back then you were choosing whether to work nearer to home or drive farther - iinm when you had to choose the job at Kg Pandan - then again, my memory isn't the greatest

If we start with 2022 (sorry for the loss of your late-mum, condolences), your last drawn was 3,800 - which makes your last significant salary JUMP in 2023 when you became a QC Exec @ 4,500.
Then fluctuated to 4,000 ('23-'24) then back to 4,500 (you current work) - maybe, just maybe - you jumped too many in such a short span (yes, there are many out there also hopping around ever so often)
#6. cinaman co., joined 2023
#7. Japan mnc, joined 2023
#8. cinaman co., joined 2024
*#9. taiwan mnc (bila start, tahun ni ke tahun depan?)

i'm curious, your new offer "basic slightly lower than my current company but with a much better package (.., epf contribution higher,..)" - does it mean the new company opted to contribute EPF more from their end? cause as your base gets lower, your own caruman also lesser, and (sorry kalo straighforward) does the extra epf from company cover the dip in you basic salary?
Getting more EPF is neat, but EPF is meant for retirement - don't you need higher basic for the present-day expenses?

hoping the new job brings you personal peace/well-being (as in, you know the culture and prob familiar with the job scope - maybe it's closer to home too, lets you spend more time with your fam, tak de cam kg pandan kena pandu jauh jauh) - wishing you well, good luck

You work for OEM or Parts Automotive?

I don't think there is much money in QC roles, I am not sure why you remained this long in the role. Also, warranty engineer role also have limited opportunities in the automotive industry.

Best are managerial roles, every 4 years you should move up position.

Talking as an employer here.

What is important to employers is your value to the company. You must be able to prove that and also make it known to your superiors. Try to get close to 1 level higher than your immediate superior.

On paper, it looks like you have the qualifications and experience, but probably not the result to show. Regarding quitting on unrealistic KPI, employers always set high targets for growth. But employers sometimes lose touch with what's required to achieve the KPI. Maybe discuss on conditions to fulfill it. E.g. if want to achieve so and so, the company needs to provide me so and so.

Remember, employers like to hear solutions, not excuses.

This post has been edited by kelvinlym: Nov 18 2024, 07:02 PM

I think your salary growth is hinder by your lack of degree.

If i were you, if i want to stay employed, i will get myself a degree part time in affordable institution like uitm

If you want money instead, if i were you, i will find business opportunities. Buy and resell online, rope wife to help out when you are working. Set up online store, or maybe set up home day care together with teaching mengaji. Upsell teach tuition to your existing customers on weekends.

To be honest, i find there are many you can do to earn more than 5k. Starting is hard, especially when u are main provider. But dont give up finding business opportunity or potential business for your family. Better than become panda driver. Buying fruits from farm owner and resell roadside from car booth also can make money. Wash car subrent small corner also can make money. Do business landscape, cut grass also can make money. Put yourself out there on weekends see anything worth / potential to earn more than 5k. Good luck

Food delivery earn quite a lot for full time rider. Part time better go sleep je

You though I never try full time. Always no shift to take how to do full time. Or from batch three become four due to just few minutes late

Maybe can consider doing this as part time basic as it not too expensive

https://www.oum.edu.my/programmes-offered-a...t-with-honours/

my view is that your are limited by your education background

correct those work for hiring firm will sound, experience are important than education background is because their employer put emphasis as such not the other 90% employer in markets

for firm that use jobstreet, they will just filter degree and no degree holder to get your resume \

at least in your CV once you started, your can list under education (degree in manufacturing management) 2024 - current

Individual contributor is not an issue here. There are many IC earning 15k-18k in my company, engineering dept. It is how we upgrade ourselves to get to that level. Not everyone is interested to go to management ladder.

I agree with the fact that TS is changing job too frequently. The impact is interviewer will not take risk hiring him for a proper/good job. So what is left are those shitty job where the turnover rate is high and company got no problems hiring ppl like ts as they expect him to leave after a year or so. Personally, I will not hire ts based on this too frequent job hunt.

As for you ts, one good advantage is you have green belt. My advise is stay at a company for at least 3 years and get a black belt in the process. Black belt will request you to be involved in a project. So this project + black belt + at least 3 years stay in a company is your passport to a bigger and more rewarding job.

Sorry to say that you changed job too often based on your resume.
But in reality you need to have a degree to move further.
This is true for the big companies/MNC in Penang.
No matter how experienced is the technician (eg. >10 years with strong performance), HR policy would not let the manager to promote the technician to engineer level without having the minimum degree requirement.
So think of it as a long term investment to get >RM5K salary.
Else, find a job with big company/MNC but with great OT pay (I've known my wife's friend's husband who manage to get ~RM9K per month (including OT) as manufacturing Technician). However he needs to work shift. But to think of it, he earned better than a Senior engineer with salary of ~RM7K + less stress and better time off. lol.

suddenly education becomes important here, thought everyone says education is useless.

Thank you for the pointer but I doesn't mean I'll have to change my stand. The "beauty" of the different opinions, lets leave it there for TS to decide his own cause & effect. If everyone is giving the same opinion & having the same thought, then this world will be a disappointment.

This post has been edited by nihility: Nov 19 2024, 08:29 AM

Yup, totally agreed. Our point of view is based on how our career went and what type of culture we went through, so for sure there will be different opinions as there are many variations in the working industry.

We just speak based on our experience and it depends on which path ts want to take.

I'm not so good at communication also.
However, I noticed that good communication when is the ability to convince, persuade & influence people.
These communication skills can take you far in anything you do & get what you want.

You're totally right! Good communication isn't just about talking; it's about connecting with people and getting them to understand and agree with you. This means being able to convince, persuade, and influence others.

To convince someone, you need to be credible. Present your ideas clearly and confidently, back them up with facts, and anticipate any questions or concerns. Keep your language simple and easy to understand.

To persuade someone, you need to appeal to their emotions and show them how your idea will benefit them. Use stories and examples to make your point, and tailor your message to their specific interests.

To influence someone, you need to be a good listener and build strong relationships. Pay attention to what others are saying, ask questions, and show genuine interest in their ideas. Be a positive role model and lead by example.

These skills aren't something you're born with; you can learn and improve them over time. Ask for feedback, practice active listening, join a public speaking group, read books on communication, and take communication courses. By doing this, you'll become a better communicator and achieve more in life.

that's why politicians/salespeople and the such are top earners.

Yes many are very smooth and confident with their words from talking everyday. Even though they don't know, but they talk and give impression that they are very good. I encounter recruiters, talent acquisition staff, HR, etc all very smooth like that. Technical maybe not so great, but they excel because can talk good.

The good thing is that if you got both some technical knowledge and can carry yourself in conversation a bit, can easy pass through initial round. Especially in SMEs where the hiring manager is too busy to shortlist staff.

all the best in your job hunting (im currently in job hunting mode as well).

also , since you alreardy share your salary range, just out of curiosity , do you mind share your monthly spending ?

This post has been edited by sammm33: Nov 20 2024, 12:01 AM

Yup, most technical practitioners are not good at talking.
They are better at calculation & talking science stuff.
During school/ uni, they are nerds, don't socialise much, and are not exposed to becoming charismatic.

I've got the job. Will start the new job on 9th December 2024.

My monthly expenses generally would be like this :-

Car - RM400
House - RM550 (rent). My owned house at my hometown got it from my late mother.
Coway -RM55
Astro- RM140
Celcom - RM100
Utility bills - RM150
Petrol - RM200~RM300 (commute to work by motorcycle)
Groceries - RM400
Wife expenses - RM400
Child expenses - RM300

Total roughly around plus minus RM3k.

Workplace quite far also, RM 300 for petrol with motorcycle. I did RM 35/month for Ara Damansara - Puchong commute.

TS, I think it not all bad for you. You have years of experience and need some realignment. Only down point is too many job change but I would understand in the manufacturing industry is quite common.
Like some says, start emphasizing on processes, go into Leadership and work your way to management. Not a big fan of learning new skills for old dogs. people want you for your experiences.

I am sorry to hear about the loss of your mother, but I believe you did the right thing to take care of her and spend time.

Here is what I will typically want to know your greatest achievement for each role. Can you share that with us for each job undertaken:

1- Japanese MNC. Role as Technical Assistant 2009-2011.
2- Korean MNC, 2012-2018.
3- Local Cinaman Company, 2018-2018.
4- Singapore Cinaman Company, 2018-2019.
5- Japanese MNC, 2019-2022.
6- Local Cinaman Company, 2023-2023.
7- Japanese MNC 2023-2024.
8- Local Cinaman Company. 2024-currently working here.

gratz for getting your new job!
can see your expenses is quite lean already,
all expenses is quite normal for a single income family with kids and wife.

i travel to work using motor too , total around 120km per day.
so per month petrol is around RM200 - RM250 + motor parking.

Try building your network in your new company. Your biggest problem is that you always think leaf greener elsewhere. Except for the sacrifice you made for your mum, I see it isn't really worth jumping from job A to B. U want a bigger paycheck you gotta move up not move side ways. I hope you get what I mean.

Work experience can only bridge the gap to 5 figure salary but /k 20k range it has to come with network. Knowing the right ppl. Knowing how your industry works in and out.

I would say i didnt have much achievement for each role as I'm just an average joe. But anyhow I will try to list it below :-

1. Managed to get the approval from the HQ for 1 new product to be run as mass production. Involved heavily starting from design stage, design review and mass prod. I got my 6 sigma green belt here with cost reduction project. Company got saved about 150k per year.

2. Involved in IATF16949 (back then still called TS16949) certification process. Joined Toyota Production System (TPS) training at Japan for 3 weeks.

3. Not much I did here, just continue the normal quality management system.

4. Managed to get the First Article (FA) approval for most child parts from the customer for new product.

5. I did get certified as internal auditor here. Went to India and Singapore for supplier audit. Got part submission warrant (PSW) approval from Korean customer for new project. Got trained for IATF 5 core tools. Got promoted to Sr QA Engineer.

6. I got my oil and gas safety (OGSP)passport here. Learned in detail about reverse engineering process and 3D metal printing. Got the company certified in ISO9001.

7. Managed to get reduction in compensation to the OEM in warranty claim. Negotiated with the OEM the percentage of payment rate for each model in term of warranty claim.

8. No notable achievement because just join for 3 months.

That would be all.

This post has been edited by Akmall540: Nov 21 2024, 11:06 AM

there's a limit on maximum salary for diploma & degree, if 'makan gaji'. The break the limit, you need to upgrade your certificate, from diploma to degree.. Go take part time study and get a degree..

same age, local uni diploma, more than 10 years experience but never get above 2thousand salary.
goodluck ts, hope got better job in ur future.

TS, chii gonna give nasihat. Maybe good maybe not. But to lend some credibility, chii works in manufacturing for many years already.

QA positions, normally stagnant because QA just keep tunggu instructions. That’s the main QA problem most of the time.

What the boss want is, for QA to get off their asses and propose improvements to the process, get in new equipment for better quality control or productivity. If you can do that you get more leverage over your increments and promotion.

Another thing is, you need connect with your bosses more, if you want more salary. They must be happy and you deliver what they want. Your principles or your stand do not matter to them. But of course to a certain extent only, if too extreme, of course u can just call it quits.

My 2 cents, all the best to you TS. Use back more of your lean skills.

Another criteria to make it far in manufacturing is to try to know all, bosses like that.