I Quit the Army for the Private Sector. I Have No Regrets Serving.

• Jia Hui Ong enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces when she was 20. 
• Ong, 26, served for five years before she left for the private sector. She is now on a career break.
• Ong said that serving in the army helped develop her sense of identity. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jia Hui Ong, who left the military to join the private sector. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her employment history.

I felt quite directionless as a teenager.

Back then, I was filled with self-doubt. I was always questioning my own decisions and doubting my self-worth. I briefly considered going to college but felt I wasn’t academically inclined.

I remembered how my father would tell me about his days as a commando and the exciting things he’d do, like jumping out of a helicopter. He also told me that the military helped define his life goals.

I wanted that for myself, too. So, I decided to enlist in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) instead of pursuing a college degree.

While my dad was very supportive of my decision, my mum was initially a bit skeptical.

My male friends also questioned my decision. They would say, “You want to go through this? Females can do it?”

Proving the naysayers wrong became one of my main motivations after I enlisted. I wanted to show that women can do just as well, if not better, than men.

Battling self-doubt and growing as a leader

I learned a lot about leadership during my time with the SAF. After graduating as a sergeant, I had to learn how to take care of a platoon.

Being a young leader was difficult, especially for someone still wrestling with self-doubt. I wasn’t a natural leader. I made many mistakes during my training, which only fuelled my insecurities.

I got lost during my first field exercise as a section commander. I was embarrassed, and it was a huge blow to my confidence.

It took me quite some time to get past this setback. However, I eventually found satisfaction as a leader when I improved my platoon’s physical fitness.

I would train with them outside our working hours, using jerry cans as barbells and running with them. Seeing them perform better in their fitness assessments validated my efforts.

Leaving my life in uniform wasn’t easy, but it was necessary

My decision to leave the SAF wasn’t easy because so much of my identity and self-worth was built there.

I started considering other career opportunities during my fourth year of service. I also earned a degree in marketing, which allowed me to discover my creative side. I wanted to explore this interest further.

I also felt that innovation and initiative weren’t appreciated in the army. People generally believe that if something isn’t broken, you shouldn’t fix it.

That kind of thinking didn’t resonate with me. I wanted to be in a place with constant innovation and change.

Joining the private sector

My journey into the private sector wasn’t a smooth ride. It was difficult to find a job because my military experience wasn’t relevant to the corporate world.

It took me about two and a half months to land an internship. But after my stint, a former SAF colleague asked me to join him at ST Engineering, a technology and engineering company in Singapore.

As part of my responsibilities, I worked on product marketing and business development for defense simulation systems.

Working at ST Engineering felt very similar to my life in the SAF. I was engaging a lot with my ex-bosses and former colleagues.

Though it was a familiar environment, I knew I left the military for a reason, and I didn’t want to stagnate.

I then joined DBS Bank, where I managed their corporate credit cards. It was a full 180-degree change for me.

The transition wasn’t easy, but I could tap on some of the hard and soft skills I picked up from my SAF and ST Engineering days.

Life in the corporate world

One main difference I observed in the corporate world versus the army was that everyone in the military appears to be working toward the same agenda and objectives.

However, in the corporate world, everyone has their own agendas and personal goals. I had to learn to be more discerning about whose agendas were more important.

After transitioning to the private sector, I also had to find a new sense of purpose in my work. When you are a soldier, your objective is set out for you. You put on the green uniform, and you serve the nation.

But spending time in the private sector has helped me redefine my interests and strengths. It gave me a broader perspective of the world. That’s something that I wouldn’t have learned if I had just stayed on with the SAF.

I wouldn’t say I have found my footing in the corporate world. But for now, I’m continuing to explore, and it works for me.