I’m so proud and happy to be able to say that I’m a Senior UX Writer at Booking.com, based abroad in Amsterdam where I’m living the life I’ve always dreamed of living. It took a lot for me to get here, so this is not a Get your dream job in 2 years guide. It’s a lengthy and personal story about a series of fortunate events that led me to where I want to be.

The Booking.com headquarters in Amsterdam

20 years ago

It all started with a childish wish to be on the same continent as some of my favourite bands. I loved the music, movies, and books that came out of UK and Europe, so I yearned to be part of that. To be at the summer festivals which were advertised to me in SPIN and NME magazines, hang with alt kids, and live that hedonistic lifestyle that sounded pretty cool to me then. That, along with Singapore’s tininess, was really what lit my desire to live abroad.

14 years ago

I discovered pretty early on that I enjoyed writing. I was also stubborn enough to make academic decisions that enabled me to hone my interest. And I say “stubborn enough” because it was general knowledge amongst average Singaporeans that creative pursuits never led to material success.

It’s so bizarre to think back on how I was ready to accepted a lifetime of struggle when I decided to take the arts route. When in reality everything I was told at school about achieving a successful life and career was a load of rubbish. Taking the alternative path of vocational school, pursuing a diploma in Mass Communication, and then a degree in Bachelor of Communication Studies taught me how to make a living doing something I loved.

12 years ago

Studying abroad was always out of the question as my family could not afford it. But that changed when my parents took up some insurance savings plans and amassed enough money for me to go on an exchange semester in University of Hertfordshire (UK).

For the first time ever, I could live independently and do whatever I wanted. I tasted freedom and I loved every minute of it. Living in UK also confirmed everything I knew all along… that I’d love living in Europe.

7 years ago

I never stopped thinking about getting a job in Europe. I never stopped applying for jobs there, but got rejected every single time. So I thought, why not get myself to Europe first? Perhaps being available for face-to-face interviews would help.

So after 3 years as a Writer at Home & Décor magazine, I decided to quit and become a freelance writer based out of Europe. It was extremely stressful in the beginning, but I actually managed to earn a decent income thanks to the contacts I’ve gathered throughout my time with the magazine.

As I only had 90 days as a tourist in the Schengen region, I frantically applied for every writing-related job I found. Most of my applications were ignored, and the few companies that replied rejected me once they realised I didn’t have a work visa. When my 90 days ran out, I cried my eyes out and dragged my ass back to Singapore.

4 years ago

Seemingly from out of nowhere, I got a message in my LinkedIn inbox from a Content Strategist manager at Alibaba about a job opportunity in China. It wasn’t Europe, but it gave me the crucial kickstart to living and working abroad. I will always be grateful to Kyle for helping me leave Singapore.

So despite a less-than-favourable and non-negotiable contract – my biggest concern was that there was only 7 days of annual leave — I decided to take a leap of faith and accept the offer. I knew that if I hated it, I could always just quit and return home.

It turned out to be a smart career move. As a Senior Content Strategist at AliExpress in Hangzhou, I successfully transitioned from journalism (low pay; dying trade) into content strategy (better pay; promising job prospects). And I got my foot in the door of the growing tech world.

I was involved in fast-paced projects that required me to collaborate with product managers, engineers, designers, and language specialists. The learning curve was steep, but it trained me well to thrive as a writer in a big tech company.

Some of the most valuable work skills I picked up include:

Stakeholder management
Localisation and writing for an international audience
Crafting data-focused case studies
Seeking opportunities for content-driven business solutions

2 years ago

While my love for writing as a craft never waivered, I always struggled to find a niche that I was passionate about. It was only after I did an internal transfer to Ant Group (Alibaba’s affiliate finance company), that I slowly come to discover my place in this big world of writers.

I had my first taste of working in Fintech as a Senior Content Strategist at Ant Group in Shanghai, and as I dug deeper into the payments industry, I started to find its complexity both challenging and fascinating.

Another thing I got to delve deeper into was UX writing. As our content team sat within a newly-established department, it meant taking on content requests in every shape and form. While that’s hardly a best practice, it gave me the opportunity to lead UX projects for the first time. That made me realise that UX was actually great fun!

And just like that, I finally found my sweet spot – I’m a writer who’s genuinely passionate about Fintech and UX writing.

1 year ago

Now that my positioning was in place, I was better equipped and more confident in pursuing the next phase of my career. With my sights still focused on Europe, I set out a plan. I gave myself an exit deadline and worked backwards.

It took many weekends sitting at cafes agonising over the contents of this portfolio, which took me 5 painful months to put together. Once I was satisfied with how it presented my story, skills, and strengths as a writer, I started applying for UX writing roles at all the notable payments companies in Europe (as well as in Asia and the USA to cast the net wider).

6 months ago

When I got my first positive reply to an application, I could hardly believe it. For the first time in my life, working and living in Europe was within my grasp. And the positive replies kept on pouring in… for roles in Amsterdam, London, New York, Stockholm, and Shanghai.

During my interviews with these companies, I was surprised to learn that many design teams in tech companies face the same challenges I faced during my time in Alibaba and Ant Group. This put me in a great position to solve similar issues in most tech companies, regardless of where they’re based. I also made the effort to convey my enthusiasm for B2B content, UX writing, and payments.

When I got the offer for the Senior UX Writer role with Booking.com in Amsterdam, I was over the moon. I finally achieved what I’ve always wanted, and it felt incredible.

Today

I spent the day at the office collaborating with UX designers and frontend developers to build compliance and finance tools. After work, I strolled along the pretty streets of central Amsterdam and bought myself the latest issue of Apartamento magazine and a book titled Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops. Then I cycled home and published this article. And I’m happier than ever (quoting Billie Eilish because I really enjoyed her recent Glastonbury set).

How I got my dream job