Thursday 16 November 2017

How to avoid saying you jobless



Jobless sounds negative. As if you can't find or hold on to a steady ob.

Unemployed is worse. Now people assume you got fired or retrenched... No employer wants you...


Some may say there are "in between jobs". Good try. People are not fooled. They straight away think you jobless or unemployed. LPPL.

So what to tell others and at the same time can make ourselves feel good? Never mind they are little lies we tell ourselves?



1.  I'm studying; I've gone back to school.

Ego feels better right? For the next 1 to 3 years, no need to stress or worry about finding a job. That's until the course ends...

Then its reality bites again... Still, its a good stop gap measure against prying relatives during CNY. 



2.  I'm financially free!

You are living off your savings and investments. In the meantime, you try to put on a brave front until you find a new job.

Have you noticed quite a few have started their own small businesses, yet instead of acknowledging they are now business owners, they like to still claim they are "financially free"? 

Being a business owner so shameful meh? Unless...



3.  I'm a stay-at-home dad or mom (or bum).

You are living off your working spouse or parents...

Hey! If they don't mind, why should we care?

I personally find its very cool, provided its because you want to; not because you do it as a form of "escape"...



4.  Sabbatical from work

I like this the best!

"Retired" sounds too old... Like we've been put to pasture...

Sabbatical "officially" meant you are still employed but have taken time-off to pursue your own interests - with either fully paid, part paid, or unpaid leave.

Since all snake-oils like to take creative license with words, I'm no exception!

So I say I'm taking sabbatical from fulltime work.

Which gives me lots of wriggle room. Wink.



Words are powderful

No way I'll tell anyone I'm jobless.

Or unemployed.

Or retired.







40 comments:

  1. Don't look younger when you say you are retired; you will invite untrusting eyes. You sure you want to retire?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CW,

      Yes, to avoid skeptical questioning by people we don't care, I just say I now work weekends...

      To people who know me a bit, I'll say I got lucky! And have enough ;)


      Delete
  2. SMOL,

    Why cant you tell people you are a trader? Isn't it a proper full time job? Or I am a risk manager or working in risk (if you sell options).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. chewyc,

      What? And get even more questions back? LOL!


      Only to people inside of our community do I say I'm a trader. And if I feel like it, I may even call myself a nano hedge fund manager managing my own money ;)


      Delete
  3. Just say I '不务正业', do japalang things. When people give the wide-eye stare, then just whack in Hokkien - 'Gar li gong, li ah buay hiao. Gai xiao li, li ah umm bak.' (Tell you, you won't understand. Introduce to you, you also won't know'.

    Then roll eyes 200 times. LOL.

    Someday, I'll just say I'm a pet if I decide to be 'kept' by my hubby.

    Or I'm a Grab Hitch driver, 客串出來接客的. ROFL!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Endrene,

      You are one "terror" girl!


      客串出來接客的...???

      Hmm... Don't say this near Orchard Towers, Geyland, and Desker Road!

      Wait ah pek come and ask you, "How much?"

      LOL!


      Delete
    2. Yes, it's 接客 not 载客. Language is the way I want to define it. Say like that then people will go lagi wide-eye mah and let their jaws drop! They want to be so kaypoh about what I'm doing or not doing, then be my guest. :P

      Ah Pek umm zai see, I drive my bulldozer to 'hancur' them like cockroach ah. *Evil laugh*

      Delete
    3. Endrene,

      You win liao lor!

      Can be "chiak zar bo"; can also purr like little kitten in front of 老公 ;)

      Delete
    4. LOL!

      No conflict one mah. Need to be chiak then flex muscle, flip table and send regards to the 18 generations of whoever incur my wrath.

      At work, oredi used a lot of brain power and have to exercise loads of EQ to keep the job. Punctured big time by end of the day.

      So at home, I just default to the happy-go-lucky, funny, silly, act cute, act blur persona lor. Like that everyone happy and I get my way. That's win-win, not I win. :P

      Delete
    5. Endrene,

      You smarter!

      Some women at home lord over hubby; outside act like little lamb.

      Your hubby will be more at ease. No one outside will dare "touch" you. Not even Weinstein!

      LOL!



      Delete
  4. Hi all,

    I think that there is no need to bother with other people's comments and views. Be oneself and do the things which he/she desire to do.

    Even if one works whilst achieving financial freedom, it is also a blessing. This is because he/she works as he/she want to do so and not need to do so.

    Enjoy life!

    Ben

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ben,

      Yes, happy can oredi!

      Pocket got money - walk here walk there; eat here eat there; tired rest, hungrey eat!

      At night can sleep like a baby without a care in the world.

      Now that's the life!

      Call me a bum or man-whore, who cares?

      LOL!


      Delete
  5. Hi SMOL

    No wonder why you are always taking sabbatical from full time work even though you are still working on weekends. I like that reason, it will be my new pet phrase of financial freedom from now on :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. B,

      Trust a snake-oil to poke fun at others for "abusing" minimalism, but have no qualms "bastardising" sabbaticals ;)

      Hey, feel free to use it!

      It gives us lots of wriggle room - can work, don't work; got pay, no pay.

      Anything also can!


      Delete
  6. "I'm a necromancer"

    "I make my minions work hard for me"

    http://resource.mmgn.com/Gallery/full/WBX9H29J.jpg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unintelligent Nerd,

      That's a start!

      Having minions or sheep work for you, you're shepherd.

      Get other necromancers or shepherds to work for you, you're a land owner ;)


      Delete
    2. sy sy,

      Not bad.

      A girl knows her Diablo II ;)


      Envy the 3 guys amongst your 9 girls.

      3:1 - that's good odds!

      Ah! To play dress-up. To be young :)


      LOL!

      Delete
    3. Me play D1 till now lah... long time fans liao... hehehe
      But i didnt buy the recent launch nec version... wait got promo then buy... hehehe

      Delete
    4. Think blizzard will bankrupt if all gamer like me buy during promo... hahaha

      Delete
    5. sy sy,

      No wonder!

      I was playing Diablo II in my early 30s.

      Was thinking you must be playing it when you were a toddler!?


      Not bad. Its always nice to have more female gamers. That's an otaku's dream girlfriend :)

      Delete
  7. Hi smol

    When i walking "kai kai" some strangers will asking me question like do i have savings account or do i have insurance... bla bla bla...
    Normally i will just reply them i dont have bank account then they will ask me why... my reply is "i no work" 无工做then we will run away from me liao... hehehe
    I dont mind i just reply them that i jobless just to avoid being "盘问" by strangers... hehehe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sy sy,

      That's a good one!

      All those grand visions on World Peace and helping others be financiaily free sort of fly out the window the moment they realise they can't fleece commisions and/or milk fees from you ;)


      Delete
    2. sy sy,

      This is funny.

      At least strangers stop you to ask. The strangers don't even bother to stop me. They probably already condemn me as jobless from the way I dress.

      Delete
  8. Hi temperament... are u direct this question to me arh??? I very blur blur 1... i just assume u ask me this question can??? I still working lah, i bluff the sales people only ;p just to avoid the Q&A by those sale people... me very bad hor... hehehe

    ReplyDelete
  9. Replies
    1. sleepydevil,

      Enjoy this "jobless" phase in your life!

      Remember I told you to taste the local wine, women, and song during your travels?

      Once you come back and start your corporate rat race, you'll look back longingly your "carefree" days now...


      Don't get distracted by all the talk about starting young and compound interest distractions...

      We are only young once!


      There's a time and season for everything ;)


      Delete
    2. Winter wear for the winter! And bikini for the summer. This is a perfect season now (it’s snowing) for some local wine!

      Delete
    3. sleepydevil,

      OK...

      Hey, if you feel like wearing bikini... All the power to you man!

      Now that's comfortable being who you are!

      ;)



      Delete
  10. I think one way for a jobless person to avoid embarrassment would be to register a self-proprietorship, subscribe to a cheap virtual office business address and classify himself as self-employed. If neighbour asks, he can say his company allows him to work from home which is not uncommon nowadays. When he fills up forms, he can at least have something to fill up in the "company" field. Even better, in the "job title" field, he can put "CEO" if he needs that ego boost. From jobless to CEO. Haha. But my personal preference is to just put something ordinary like "Engineer" to avoid attracting questions.

    In fact, I think this is what some people who achieved financial freedom and retired early would do. For these people, announcing the truth will invite uncomfortable probing questions at best, or jealousy at worst.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hyom hyom,

      Hmm, I think I go Queensway shopping centre and print my own name card:

      Company: Singapore Man of Leisure Asset Management

      Title: Nano Hedge Fund Manager



      Trader, buy-side analyst, risk manager, also me. One man show.

      One solo client also me!

      LOL!

      Delete
  11. Wa I like this idea. But will be subjected by corporate tax leh!

    SMOL Asset Management
    Nano Hedge Fund Manager

    I shall make set up one too! And I’ll be able to proudly tell people that I’m a Managing Director of Snake Oil Tradings Pte Ltd , my own company!!

    Probably I look for P2P lending and tell them that my business has high ROI and able to pay off high dividend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sleepydevil,

      How to pay tax when its not registered anywhere?


      Talk about P2P, think about it for a moment. At current low bank interest rates, if a company is willing to pay 18% for their loans, that means that company is...

      Only retail bei kambings will bite.

      There is a price to pay for being a yeild hog ;)


      Which is why credit card businesses are so lucrative! 25% per year!

      Anyone with a consistent 20% annual returns track record for 10 years and more will be considered a guru ;)

      Delete
  12. I always say i have a small business. When I quit my job, people offer me jobs. And its hard to turn them down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymouse,

      Ah! That means you have a wonderful and successful corporate career!

      A premier league shepherd. I raise my glass in professional courtesy ;)


      Makes sense. Without the EARN more ability, how to take advantage of 2009 with SIZE? Wink.


      Nothing spells success like getting head hunted or being inundated with multiple unsolicited job offers from our network contacts...

      I always coach my mentees that to "apply" for a job and getting offers we can't refuse from others - the benefits and pay are a world apart ;)

      In the corporate world, the most sought after resource is TALENT.

      Feel free to look around at this watering hole. And don't be shy to challenge or give me a poke or two ;)






      Delete
  13. Jobless? Never! I am simply the CEO of my ME Pte Ltd.

    This gives me endless opportunities for engaging and entertaining job rotation. On a daily basis.

    I am the head of Sales, Finance, Production, Marketing, Quality Control and R&D. Not always in that sequence.

    I am even in charge of my own training department as well.

    I TACOMOB - I am taking care of my own business because I am convinced that "“The biggest mistake you can ever make in life is to ever think that you work for anyone else but yourself.” – Earl Nightingale

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andy,

      LOL!

      I see you are having FUN being your own Chief Entertainment Officer!


      That's true. During my corporate days, I'm never shy away from promoting my own "Jared Seah" brand name.

      I've always considered myself as a sellsword; never part of someone's flock ;)

      After fighting other people's battles, we both have discovered the pleasure and pain of "taking care of our own business" at the same time!

      I rather be King of my own dog kennel (nano land owner) than be the eunuch in a Grand Palace ;)


      Delete
  14. What's wrong with telling others that one is jobless, unemployed? Been saying that for a good 5yrs now. If it invites unsolicited help, I'll just say I'm freelancing on and off. At least it has kept investment peddlers away...real estate, insurance, etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. krz md,

      If telling people that you've been "jobless" for 5 years doesn't faze you, then all the power to you!

      I'm not so sure people will offer me unsolicited help... I think they will move away from me like the investment preddlers you mentioned...

      LOL!


      Your experience and mine different.

      Let's celebrate our diversity :)




      Delete
    2. Yes, I'm unfazed by it. In fact I find it liberating to say things as it is. Maybe our experience/circumstances are quite different. Cheers.

      Delete

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