UTP Graduate Changes 4 Job In 7 Years, Takes His Salary From RM3,500 To RM15,000

What makes his story particularly relatable is his average academic background – with decent but not outstanding results (5As in UPSR, 7A1B in PMR, 7A2B in SPM, and a CGPA of 3.27), proving that career success isn’t limited to top academic achievers.

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A Malaysian tech worker’s story is making waves on social media, showing how strategic job-hopping turned a modest starting salary into an impressive monthly paycheck.

The story begins with a regular graduate from Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), who started his career like many others, earning RM3,500 per month, just slightly above the average salary for a fresh graduate today of RM2,500 to RM3,000.

What makes his story remarkable isn’t his academic background. By his own admission on Threads, user @s3ij0h wasn’t a top student.

With 5 As in UPSR, 7A1B in PMR, and 7A2B in SPM, topped with a university CGPA of 3.27, he was far from the perfect scorer we often hear about in success stories.

View on Threads

Strategic Moves That Paid Off Big Time

But here’s where it gets interesting.

Over seven years, he changed jobs four times, each move carefully planned.

While most Malaysians stick to their jobs for modest 3% to 5% annual raises, this guy quadrupled his income to RM15,000 a month, far exceeding the typical salary of a fresh engineer, which is around RM2,800.

Don’t be afraid to change jobs, but make sure you learn everything you can at each company.

His strategy wasn’t just about jumping ship for better pay. At each new workplace, he focused on learning new skills and getting certificates to prove his worth.

This approach proved especially powerful in Malaysia’s booming tech sector, where skilled professionals are in high demand.

Perfect Timing in a Changing Job Market

With Malaysian fresh graduates typically starting between RM2,500 to RM3,200 these days, his story offers a blueprint for career growth that challenges traditional wisdom.

Instead of the old-school loyalty to one company, he showed how calculated moves could fast-track career growth.

The response on social media has been overwhelming, with many young professionals rushing to update their resumes.

His success story resonates particularly well in today’s job market, where skills and adaptability often matter more than perfect academic records.

Riding Malaysia’s Digital Wave

The numbers strongly support his strategic approach.

Recent data from Randstad Malaysia reveals that 49% of Malaysians who changed employers received salary increases of 20% or more, validating his job-hopping strategy.

While those who stay put typically see modest 4% raises, job hoppers average 5.3% increases, according to an Upscale research.

His timing in the tech sector couldn’t be better.

Malaysia’s digital technology industry is set to contribute 22.6% to the country’s GDP by 2025, with tech job vacancies surging from 19,000 to 56,000 in just one year.

The rollout of 5G technology alone is expected to create 750,000 new jobs, suggesting plenty of opportunities for those willing to follow his path.

Do you have 6 months savings?

If yes, and you can't stand working anymore, Boleh resign, even though it's risky.

If you don't have any savings, stay for another 4-6 months while jobhunting.

The least you can do is to leave the company with an offer in hand. pic.twitter.com/PMlxusYdu4
— Edd | Design & Career Strategist (@eddthinksdesign) March 9, 2023

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