03/06/2026
Our salary wasn't limited by our skills. It was limited by how we communicated them.
If I could give advice to my younger self, I would tell her to focus on communication much earlier.
When I first started my career, I worked very hard. I did a lot of things, took on a lot of responsibilities, and always tried to improve my skills. But for years, I couldn't seem to break past a salary of RM3,000, and I honestly didn't understand why.
That's actually one of the reasons I started working remotely for overseas clients in 2020. It felt like the fastest way to increase my income. Looking back, it was worth it because it opened many doors for me.
But after almost 10 years of working, I realized something important. The reason I was stuck wasn't a lack of skill. It was communication.
I asked good questions, and I worked hard, but I didn't understand how much things like communication style, vocabulary, presence, and self-presentation influenced how people perceived me.
Things like how you structure your thoughts, how you speak in meetings, when you pause, how you carry yourself, and whether people trust you when you walk into a room. Those things matter more than I realized.
So if a younger version of me asked for advice, I wouldn't tell her to work harder. I would tell her to learn how to communicate her value. Because people can't always see your capabilities, but they can see how you present them. ❤️
#𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
