Job offer in Singapore - should I take it?

[Pavy Bez]

Hi,

I am an Indian national working for an investment bank in Hong Kong. I have a better offer in Singapore but am having second thoughts about it given the recent news in media about growing hatred towards foreigners especially Indians.

Could you someone on the ground please tell me the reality? It is a promising job but I am worried about the racism. Please advise.

[bgd]

I work with plenty of Indians and they don't seem to have any problems, in fact a number have become citizens.

I wouldn't worry too much about what you read in the press. Be more concerned with the package, the cost of living and getting a visa. Oh and the lifestyle, everyone I know who has worked in HK much prefers it to Sg.

[Wd40]

It is relative. I dont know how you feel as an Indian in HK, so I cant compare v/s Singapore.

But I can tell you on a absolute basis, how it feels in Singapore.

Racism is not "In your face" in Singapore. i.e. you are not likely to be attacked or anything. People also wont make comments openly on your face here, no matter what is going on in their mind. Its hard to know whats going on in their minds though.

Reading from some of the "alternative websites", their opinion about Indians isnt good at all.

Here is one example:
http://therealsingapore.com/content/sto ... indian-fts

Again, I am not sure, how much of the population shares these views. But hey who cares, as long as we are not affected.

As long as there is Mustafa, Little India, so many fellow Indians, Indian restaurants and groceries stores all over the island, such that I dont miss India at all.

Mustafa alone is reason enough for me to consider Singapore over Hong Kong.

[ecureilx]

Could you someone on the ground please tell me the reality? It is a promising job but I am worried about the racism. Please advise.

What racism ?

[Girl_Next_Door]

Let me chip in a bit here.

If you are working with other Indians as well and you speaks Hindi among yourselves, don't be annoyed or shocked if your colleagues start speaking in Mandarin among themselves. Singaporeans are generally polite, and we always speaks English infront of everyone (unlike HK whereby they all speaks Cantonese). However, Singaporeans tend to speaks Mandarin just to annoy colleagues if they feel that the foreign colleagues are intentionally/unintentionally speaking a foreign language among themselves.

[Addadude]

Singaporeans are generally polite, and we always speaks English infront of everyone (unlike HK whereby they all speaks Cantonese).

On the contrary, it is in fact very common for Chinese Singaporeans to suddenly start talking in Mandarin to each other during what is supposed to be a discussion taking in place in English. Especially if they happen to be the majority in the discussion.

[Girl_Next_Door]

Singaporeans are generally polite, and we always speaks English infront of everyone (unlike HK whereby they all speaks Cantonese).

On the contrary, it is in fact very common for Chinese Singaporeans to suddenly start talking in Mandarin to each other during what is supposed to be a discussion taking in place in English. Especially if they happen to be the majority in the discussion.

I guess it depends on industry. I am from the banking sector, and always noticed that most Chinese Singaporeans speaks English (and complain about Hongkie speaking Cantonese) until someone else start speaking in a foreign language.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I have a background in several different industries across 3 decades here and frankly, I've got to disagree with you girl-next-door. It sound like you have a very unusual working environment. I'm with Addadude on this one.

And we've got a half a century of experience here between us!

Dame 'dude, you been here a long time!

[taxico]

just to add: in most cases, such as when they inadvertently switch language, the chinese (generally) won't be offended if you told them to speak english instead of continuing in mandarin...

i've done this many times myself to no ill effect or feelings.

of course if it was a private conversation or the switch was done on purpose, then... perhaps not.

[Addadude]

Just to clarify, I rarely take offense when this happens as, very often, my Sg Chinese colleagues slip into Mandarin simply because they feel they can get their point across more clearly - amongst themselves. Sometimes I start speaking in Irish (which means I'm really only talking to myself) to get my point across.

There have been times however when some of the nastier types have started speaking in Mandarin in a deliberate attempt to exclude others and I have absolutely no time for that.

[Girl_Next_Door]

I have a background in several different industries across 3 decades here and frankly, I've got to disagree with you girl-next-door. It sound like you have a very unusual working environment. I'm with Addadude on this one.

And we've got a half a century of experience here between us!

Dame 'dude, you been here a long time!

I can only said I am lucky to work with culturally sensitive colleagues while you might have encountered the more insensitive colleagues.

[Wd40]

I actually dont blame the locals, there has been some systematic propoganda in the media to show how Singapore/Singaporeans are better than the rest of the developing countries. The show called "Indian Revealed" in Channel news asia, for example. There is more to "Reveal" about Singapore than India, if you compare their relative freedom of press index

[rajagainstthemachine]

I think Op has working exp in Hong Kong, the culture at work is similar, Cantonese is spoken amongst the group when that's the majority. I don't see the linguistic preferences to be a major barrier for you to seek work in Singapore.
however my question would be, is there any specific advantage of working in Singapore over Hong Kong? I always felt Hong Kong was a better choice over Singapore.
is there anyone out there who feels otherwise? Anyone here worked in both countries? I would like to hear their experiences about how it was to work in Hong Kong

[Wd40]

There is a difference, even linguistically. In Hong Kong, careerwise, the choices are fewer if you dont speak Cantonese/Mandarin. Most of the business there is directly related to the mainland.

In Singapore, you have better choices with English, careerwise.

[Addadude]

No direct experience myself but having spoken with colleagues who have lived an worked in both cities, it seems to break down as:

HK for younger, ambitious. career-minded singles who want to work and play equally hard.

SG for for married folks who want a healthier environment in which to raise their kids.