Tricky situation.

[Wd40]

The only companies that want to hire immediately are really short term contracts. I got calls for like 1.5 months contract and 3 months contract and the salary was like less than perm something like 6k. I was like WTF! are there so many desperate people in Singapore looking for jobs?

Why don't you consider these to buy time and try jag one of these interviews. I know the salary is a slap but it's only very short term and will give you a bit longer to try your luck here, if you decide that is worth doing

Good point. I don't know why i didn't think about it. Oh wait a minute, I know, at the moment I have given notice to my landlord that 17th May is my last date and they have been searching for tenants like mad for more than a month now. If I tell them, I am changing my mind and want to stay back, then this time I better stay atleast till the end of the contract. In the worst case scenario that I take up the short term job contract and the long term opportunities don't materialize, I will be back to square one and the landlord will have to go through the whole trouble again.

Not to mention the fact that even if I get these short term contracts, its not going to be any cakewalk there, normally for me after joining a company it takes like a month to just get to know about the project. I don't understand how can they expect me to contribute in a 1.5 or a 3 month contract .Which is why I need something solid atleast 6 months contract.

[JR8]

You should try not to be so self-defeating!

What can you contribute in a 3 month contract? It's not your problem, it's theirs to scope the requirment. But it keeps you here with a foot in the door. Plus as we all know a 3 month contract can very easily stretch to 6, 9, even 12 months. I once had a job in a bank as a week-to-week temp. That was after being laid off from futures trading. It was a big come down to then work as an admin clerk, but as a weekly temp I got hourly pay, and with long hours, good money. it wasn't until after nearly two years as a 'weekly' that they hired me into permanent staff!

re: your tenancy. I believe there are ways of withdrawing 'Notice to quit'. Just say you're following unexpected new avenues in your job-hunt and would like to stay a few more months. Your LL should be quite relieved as, we're heading into summer and that, together with Xmas, is not a period when people tend to wish to relo in to a new country. I.e. If you stayed but had to leave end August. Your LL is going to looking at a more positive market (lots more arrivals) from say Sep-Nov.

[Wd40]

Thanks Beeroclock and JR8, after thinking hard over it, I think its worth buying the time by taking these short term contract opportunities.

I am glad I posted in this forum and as always, you guys have helped me out. Thanks again

[zzm9980]

Wd40, despite you being a myopic pain in the ass, I wish you the best of luck. You know what company I work for. If their job site has anything that matches your skillset then send me a PM and I'll gladly get your CV directly to the hiring manager.

[JR8]

On two occasions I have been forced to take a career-step backwards, and both times it was decidedly against my will. In a culture where one is defined by one's career/position it is a little crushing on the ego. But it's better than being unemployed, and gives you the benefit of time.

On both occasions, looking back now, it was a positive thing for me; a case of one-step back to later take two steps forward. In an ironic way when you take a step-back/down by definition you are likely to shine vs your new peers. That is when internal offers/promotions can come into to the frame, since you can seen as really 'hungry' and too good to loose.

You have a great opportunity in that you have a PEP, and most people don't have that flexibility.

p.s. Your LL might be somewhat P'd off that you gave notice and now want to withdraw it. So act as if you are as surprised as he is. Also check your tenancy. Were you still within the fixed term? Or had your lease gone 'Periodic', i.e. past the fixed term, when the TA automatically becomes a Periodic Statutory Tenancy. I.e. a 'rolling contract, month to month, where either party can then serve notice any month (the LL can give one months notice, the tenant needs to give two). We entered this scenario when we were last here, as our relo-out date was unknown at that point in time. I did a similar thing as I alluded to earlier, suggested that it would likely leave the flat vacant at a much better time for the LL, and basically grovelled for flexibility and understanding. And indeed that was how it worked out.

[yogaloungeforever]

JR8 your last few posts have really got me thinking about my current situation. had someone asked me just recently if it's alright to move into something entry-level but an entirely different field altogether. am really comtemplating that now!

[AngMoG]

JR8, frankly I think your opportunities will be better back in your home country, with a better position and a (relatively) good standard of living. I left SG recently to my wife's home country, and so far have not regretted it. I get less money in absolute terms, but the reduction in costs is more dramatic. Just thinking that here I can drink for a whole night for the price of one beer in Singapore

The position I got was a good step forward in my career as well, btw.

[Wd40]

Thanks ZZM and JR8,

AngMoG, I agree with you that there are better opportunities in anybody's home country, whether its London, New York, Bangalore or Manila, compared to Singapore.

The reason we would like to give one more shot at Singapore is because we have some momentum going here in terms of family is happy here and have formed their own circles here.

[zzm9980]

Thanks ZZM and JR8,

AngMoG, I agree with you that there are better opportunities in anybody's home country, whether its London, New York, Bangalore or Manila, compared to Singapore.

The reason we would like to give one more shot at Singapore is because we have some momentum going here in terms of family is happy here and have formed their own circles here.

Why not send the wife and kid home to stay with family in India for a few months? You can just share a room while taking those short-term contracts and see if anything works out. Best case, you land a good role and EP, find a new place, and the family comes back with just a long vacation in India. Worst case, they're home a few months before you and you saved a bit more money up.

[JR8]

JR8, frankly I think your opportunities will be better back in your home country, with a better position and a (relatively) good standard of living. I left SG recently to my wife's home country, and so far have not regretted it. I get less money in absolute terms, but the reduction in costs is more dramatic. Just thinking that here I can drink for a whole night for the price of one beer in Singapore

The position I got was a good step forward in my career as well, btw.

Thanks AMG, but I took retirement 10+ years ago, and have no desire to be in others' employment ever again. I am 'but a trailing spouse' these days. The one thing I do miss about being employed, is the ease with which a ready-made social life comes together with it, but that's one for another day.

Our standard of living here is all we could wish for, but that is self-limited by being in the middle of a highly-work-orientated urban environment. I do miss things like a walk in the country, going out 'rough-shooting' on a mates farm, (pigeons, rabbits etc), and evenings in a decent pub. But hey we all have to make compromises, and I'm very happy with my/out lot.

I am questioning how much longer we might stay because:
- This is a very expensive place to live
- It is ultra-urban with limited leisure options (as above)
- It is a *great* travel hub for the region
- The weather etc, although challenging at times is a damned sight more enjoyable than in say Europe.

We are fortunate in that we have the ability to decide when it is time to leave. But in some ways that only makes reaching a decision harder.

[Wd40]

Thanks ZZM and JR8,

AngMoG, I agree with you that there are better opportunities in anybody's home country, whether its London, New York, Bangalore or Manila, compared to Singapore.

The reason we would like to give one more shot at Singapore is because we have some momentum going here in terms of family is happy here and have formed their own circles here.

Why not send the wife and kid home to stay with family in India for a few months? You can just share a room while taking those short-term contracts and see if anything works out. Best case, you land a good role and EP, find a new place, and the family comes back with just a long vacation in India. Worst case, they're home a few months before you and you saved a bit more money up.

This is the default route that most of my friends take, when in this sort of situation. But in my case, my wife is not so keen to live with my inlaws in Bangalore, without me and her parents live in a rural place in India and she isn't keen to live there either. But yes, this is an option that we may consider in the event that I get one of the short term opportunities and the owner of my current place is reluctant to let me continue for a short period or they find a tenant immediately.

But next week if I don't get any of the short term opportunities or no solid hint of an offer, we will leave on Saturday to Bangalore and then worst case I will get into a services company the likes of Infy, Wipro and you never know they might send me onsite to a new country, worth exploring

[ecureilx]

You should try not to be so self-defeating!

What can you contribute in a 3 month contract? It's not your problem, it's theirs to scope the requirment. .

confusing though ... and a common voice is the fellows employed may have walked out after a tryout ...

[Wd40]

You should try not to be so self-defeating!

What can you contribute in a 3 month contract? It's not your problem, it's theirs to scope the requirment. .

since I been sent home end of Feb, albeit with a 6 month pay, i took the opportunity to spend time with my little fellow and took the opportunity to move to a smaller place/less rental.

and I too been offered 3 months contracts and while initially wondering what I will contribute in 3 months, I didn't hesitate ... I said yes, ias its not my place to ask, let them employ me as long as i get paid ...

btw, despite many claims of many jobs in the market, and as mentioned, in job street showing hundreds asking much much less pay, most jobs are still left open and see them relisted --- again and again...

confusing though ... and a common voice is the fellows employed may have walked out after a tryout ...

6 months pay! wow! Were employed with them for a long time, like 6 years?

[yogaloungeforever]

Why not send them over to JB on tourist passes? it's helluva cheaper there. Besides she can try to look for a job there and see how it turns out. I know 1 Indian (from your country) who did just that whilst her hubby was in Singapore. She stayed behind in KL and looked for a job and having been there for over 15 years last I heard she's obtained M'asian PR. Not that I think you would want to settle in KL but quite a number of Indians do this.

Thanks ZZM and JR8,

AngMoG, I agree with you that there are better opportunities in anybody's home country, whether its London, New York, Bangalore or Manila, compared to Singapore.

The reason we would like to give one more shot at Singapore is because we have some momentum going here in terms of family is happy here and have formed their own circles here.

Why not send the wife and kid home to stay with family in India for a few months? You can just share a room while taking those short-term contracts and see if anything works out. Best case, you land a good role and EP, find a new place, and the family comes back with just a long vacation in India. Worst case, they're home a few months before you and you saved a bit more money up.

This is the default route that most of my friends take, when in this sort of situation. But in my case, my wife is not so keen to live with my inlaws in Bangalore, without me and her parents live in a rural place in India and she isn't keen to live there either. But yes, this is an option that we may consider in the event that I get one of the short term opportunities and the owner of my current place is reluctant to let me continue for a short period or they find a tenant immediately.

But next week if I don't get any of the short term opportunities or no solid hint of an offer, we will leave on Saturday to Bangalore and then worst case I will get into a services company the likes of Infy, Wipro and you never know they might send me onsite to a new country, worth exploring

[ecureilx]

pay! wow! Were employed with them for a long time, like 6 years?

no hard feelings though as it happened when my wife had a difficult delivery and me being jobless helps for now ...