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Stuck As An Engineer?

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AnITEngineer

Stuck As An Engineer?

Post by AnITEngineer » Sun, 31 Jul 2005 10:40 pm

Hello,

I'm a Senior Software Engineer in Singapore. My last drawn salary is almost 6k/month. However, I'm pretty concerned that I've reached the salary ceiling for Software Engineers in Singapore. Are there any senior engineers out there who are in the 9-10k level? Or the only way to break this ceiling is by a title change? (i.e.: becoming Architect or something).

My boss told me that there was no ceiling for Engineers in the company--but given my last increment, which was less than 200 bucks, I'm afraid even if there's no ceiling, it's at least a plateau which I'm hitting (what's next year, if any? 100 bucks? the year after? 25 bucks?).

On the other hand, when I go to this site:

http://www.contactsingapore.org.sg/over ... ries.shtml

it seems that even the average salary there is still above what I make (unless you count it per year, which has the 13th month included--then I'll be right in the middle).

Thanks in advance!

AnITEngineer

Re: Stuck As An Engineer?

Post by AnITEngineer » Mon, 01 Aug 2005 9:19 am

No Engineers out there? :roll:

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 01 Aug 2005 9:49 am

I checked out your site re: average salaries here in Singapore and found the following:

Senior Software Engineer 76,119
Software Engineer 55,185

Given your salary of 6K/mo x 13 is already higher than the Senior Software Engineer Statistics ( 78K/pa ) I don't see where your beef is.

If you want to go higher then you need to get additional qualifications or try to find a position that will put you in the next level e.g., Staff Software Engineer (95,891 ) or venture into Management 11-12K/mo.

But if you want to continue what you are doing, be prepared to continue to be paid what you are currently earning. Actually, be prepared to be replaced by someone from the region who is hungrier than you are.

sms
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

AnITEngineer

Post by AnITEngineer » Mon, 01 Aug 2005 11:42 am

Hey, thanks for your reply. No beef. Just trying to get a better look into the future. Mind you, I'm not saying I'm not happy with what I have now. I'm thankful. This is a question about the future instead of what I have now. So you concur with my observation that as an Engineer, this is already as far as one can get.

See, since in jobsdb a "senior software engineer" typically earns 4-5k, to get an average of 76k/year, obviously there are other engineers that are paid 7-8k. But are there? That's what I'm curious about. Or contactsingapore just inflated the figure to attract more foreign talent? Or the people they research inflated their salaries so they could tell their boss, hey boss, I'm underpaid?

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 01 Aug 2005 5:24 pm

AnITEngineer wrote:Hey, thanks for your reply. No beef. Just trying to get a better look into the future. Mind you, I'm not saying I'm not happy with what I have now. I'm thankful. This is a question about the future instead of what I have now. So you concur with my observation that as an Engineer, this is already as far as one can get.

See, since in jobsdb a "senior software engineer" typically earns 4-5k, to get an average of 76k/year, obviously there are other engineers that are paid 7-8k. But are there? That's what I'm curious about. Or contactsingapore just inflated the figure to attract more foreign talent? Or the people they research inflated their salaries so they could tell their boss, hey boss, I'm underpaid?
Frankly, the 4-5K seems not too far off the mark if one is a regional software engineer. Some Expatriate positions I have seen at 7-8K and of course we have all hear about the 10-12K ones as well, but I have yet to see the IR8A of one of these people. Talk is cheap. If you're local and at 6K I think you are doing rather well considering the dearth of well qualified, overseas experienced Indians who have returned to this part of the world looking for positions to keep from having to return to India. That said, If you're an Indian, you might want to think about returning to your homeland. I have been reading a lot lately that the wages in the IT sector have gone up dramatically in the past 2 or 3 years. (This would obviously cut down on the expenses of maintaining an abode here).

Obviously, there has to be a cap on salaries of s/w engineers just as there are in any profession. I doubt if any project manager started out as a project manager. You have to continue to grow to get ahead.

sms
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by Guest » Tue, 02 Aug 2005 1:14 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:I checked out your site re: average salaries here in Singapore and found the following:

Senior Software Engineer 76,119
Software Engineer 55,185

Given your salary of 6K/mo x 13 is already higher than the Senior Software Engineer Statistics ( 78K/pa ) I don't see where your beef is.

If you want to go higher then you need to get additional qualifications or try to find a position that will put you in the next level e.g., Staff Software Engineer (95,891 ) or venture into Management 11-12K/mo.

But if you want to continue what you are doing, be prepared to continue to be paid what you are currently earning. Actually, be prepared to be replaced by someone from the region who is hungrier than you are.

sms
sounds like youre telling him there is a ceiling when his boss says theres not
maybe this boss is giving the coporate answer....

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Tue, 02 Aug 2005 9:31 am

Anonymous wrote:
sounds like youre telling him there is a ceiling when his boss says theres not
maybe this boss is giving the coporate answer....
No, I'm just telling him to use common sense. All positions HAVE to have a cap whether or not stated, otherwise taken to the extreme you would have millionaire sanitation workers wouldn't you. The boss probably said there was no cap because it wasn't spelled out in the company manual or in the guy's contract. Surely he has the common sense to realize that a single position cannot have an unlimited scope of increases. One cannot expect to continue to grow your salary doing exactly the same job forever can one?
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by seasider » Tue, 02 Aug 2005 9:59 am

You need to take into account a lot more factors than a job title. Somebody with international experience, for instance, may be able to command a higher salary than somebody who has never worked out of Singapore. Not because they're foreign, but because they have a broader base. (Not saying this is you, just an example.)

However you hit on a valid point. If System Architect is the next logical step for you, get on with achieving that. Do some further qualifications, whatever it takes. Don't be content to sit still.

AnITEngineer

Post by AnITEngineer » Tue, 02 Aug 2005 12:19 pm

Thanks peeps for all the replies. You guys have convinced me that I've hit the ceiling. Like sundaymorningstaple said, talk is cheap. If there's technically no limit but I'm getting like 10 dollars increment for the next 5 years... time to get moving.

(I still wonder how contactsingapore got their numbers though...)

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Re: Stuck As An Engineer?

Post by Merlion » Tue, 02 Aug 2005 8:28 pm

AnITEngineer wrote:Hello,

I'm a Senior Software Engineer in Singapore. My last drawn salary is almost 6k/month. However, I'm pretty concerned that I've reached the salary ceiling for Software Engineers in Singapore. Are there any senior engineers out there who are in the 9-10k level? ....

Thanks in advance!
I can assure you that you should take what you are making and be VERY pleased with 6k. I am an American "software engineer" with a wide range of skills that could be of good use to many companies. I would be more than pleased to work for 4k!

In a few years I will be relocating to Singapore with my local wife and children. Being an outsider with no connections I will take what I can get and be happy. Please be aware that I am a grain of sand - there are many, many more like me.

AnITEngineer

Post by AnITEngineer » Wed, 03 Aug 2005 12:36 am

Hey Merlion,

Like I said, I'm thankful for where I am. I owe it to myself (just as you owe it to yourself) to find how far I (you) can go in this life. The fact that there are probably many engineers earning less is definitely not an excuse not to go higher.

I asked this not to complain, I asked this to find out whether I had to stop being a Software Engineer to break the 7k mark. It seems that the answer is yes.

Wishing you a great future in Singapore a few years from now. Hey, just my opinion, but if you still have a few years, why only aim for an SE position? You have heard my case. In a few years you'll be stuck. So why aspire only to be a software engineer in a few years? Especially that you have a wife and (several?) children.

Plus, you have your looks (Caucasian) and your accent working for you--I guess that Ang Moh Aura thingy will still works strongly in this part of the world a few years from now :wink:

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Post by Guest » Wed, 03 Aug 2005 3:45 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
sounds like youre telling him there is a ceiling when his boss says theres not
maybe this boss is giving the coporate answer....
No, I'm just telling him to use common sense. All positions HAVE to have a cap whether or not stated, otherwise taken to the extreme you would have millionaire sanitation workers wouldn't you. The boss probably said there was no cap because it wasn't spelled out in the company manual or in the guy's contract. Surely he has the common sense to realize that a single position cannot have an unlimited scope of increases. One cannot expect to continue to grow your salary doing exactly the same job forever can one?
if inflation was rising by x percent you would expect at least that in a pay rise just to brake even therefore on that basis a salary would increase year on year

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Wed, 03 Aug 2005 9:28 am

Guest,

A COLA is not a Salary increase. You must still be in school or didn't listen to your economics professor to well. A salary increase is an increase of salary over and above the current inflation rate. A cost of living increase (COLA) only keeps you at par with inflation.

Employers would love it if all they had to do was give people COLA's because that would mean a cap on their salary costs (% wise) as their product costs, and resale values follow the cost of living as well.

sms
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu, 04 Aug 2005 4:54 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Guest,

A COLA is not a Salary increase. You must still be in school or didn't listen to your economics professor to well. A salary increase is an increase of salary over and above the current inflation rate. A cost of living increase (COLA) only keeps you at par with inflation.

Employers would love it if all they had to do was give people COLA's because that would mean a cap on their salary costs (% wise) as their product costs, and resale values follow the cost of living as well.

sms
it may not be an increase in real terms but still and increase as pay rises are discretioary

Guest

Post by Guest » Thu, 04 Aug 2005 9:54 pm

I'm an engineer myself, earn only half your pay. So shut up and go back to work!!! Stay where you are now, cos you can't get any higher anymore anywhere.

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