I have 3 yrs exp as a field engineer in an oilfied service MNC in australia, after I just graduated from my uni in Indonesia.
I also had some other internship exp, which in total would be like a year or so, so in total my exp is like 4 years.
Now I've been working as a forex trader since Nov 2015 (~1.5 year), it's nice to learn the knowledge and stuffs, but to be honest I'm still yearning to return to a corporate lifestyle

Trying to achieve a stable income monthly in forex is not an easy thing, it indeed requires a lot of experience, sweat and blood :p
As I previously posted in this forum, it's been hard for me to land a job in Singapore, very very hard.
Even when I applied to a non-engineering role.
My wife and family don't really approve this kind of forex trader thingy, so I feel the peer pressure to find a job. They do understand my struggle with it though.
I can see that I already applied to almost 400 vacancies from linkedin alone, I made massive change on my resume to make it a lot better.
I already tried the "networking way" by actively involved in my university alumni organization, got some of my colleagues asking for my resume. You know people said connection might give us a job in tough times.
But yeah, it seems if the job is in Singapore, my exp is not relevant with the job, too different I can say, and they'd reject my application. Or maybe because of my residential status is not PR if the company is a mid-sized local company.
And if the job is in Indonesia, they'd think someone with an international exp like me would be too costly...
*Sigh, at the beginning I feel like by having an exp in a reputable MNC, and getting an assignment overseas, would land me a job easier.
Not many people is selected to work overseas by that company, most are assigned in their home country.
But now it feels like those things are worthless, sometime I feel like my qualification is not as good as I thought.
Especially when some of my friends managed to land a job in Singapore and they're coming from an MNC exp, they're not graduates from top uni in indonesia, etc...
Jealousy and despair mixed and it tastes like a bitter, bitter drink.
I keep telling myself that it's not my fault, it's the job market everywhere which is currently not in a good condition, especially with rising unemployment in many countries since two years ago...
Right now I'm thinking of going back to study. At least I can push the boundary which limit my access to a corporate career. I can gain knowledge, network, and increment in my value.
I'm currently trying to decide whether a master degree in Petroleum Engineering with specialization in Reservoir Engineering is a good option or not.
In Singapore there's only one program similar to my interest, Master of Offshore Technology program in NUS, which is pretty new and kinda like a combination of subsea eng & reservoir eng.
I'm afraid even though NUS is a top uni in the world, that program is not highly regarded in the industry.
I'm looking to attend UiS, NTNU or Aberdeen if I choose to study outside Singapore.
Another problem arise with this master degree thingy, I'm expecting my baby by September this year, which means I will leave them for two years straight if I pursue master overseas.
Bringing them along is not an option, as my wife has already a good career in Singapore and it'll be too costly & too risky if both of us got unemployed.
My wife is very concerned about this, and so do I.
She asked me to consider taking a master degree in Singapore, like mechanical/electrical which still has a better prospect in a wider industry, compared to reservoir engineering.
Some of my senior colleagues also tell me to avoid pursuing a degree in Oil & gas related subject, as there's a chance that the business is still pretty bad in the next couple of years.
Realistically speaking, it'd better if I take renewable energy, or a more general subject like mechanical/electrical eng, as they might have better prospect in the future.
But yeah, I don't feel interested after reading the syllabus and program.
Since I'm not looking into any scholarship (as most scholarship requires me to go back to my country and work there), this will be a kind of important decision in my life.
I will use my saving for the study and yeah I don't want to spend it on a wrong subject, as it won't be like bachelor degree study, lots of efforts required to finish a master program.
And I'm not sure whether a master degree in Singapore would give me an advantage in finding a job in Singapore or not.
TL/DR: A guy in mid 20s trying to decide his one in a lifetime decision :p. Asking some fellow singapore expats about which one will bring a higher probability in landing a job:
1. Will a master degree in mechanical/electrical eng form a reputable Sing uni gives me advantage in finding a job in Singapore?
Or it's more about experience as opportunities for master degree holders are still fairly limited ? (which is the case in Indonesia, I got a friend with MSc in Geophysics from Aberdeen Uni ended up working in a local bank, got no option anymore).
2. Or should I better apply for PR? I know from reading discussions in this forum & previous replies on my thread I would have a slim chance in getting a PR (I'm not Chinese and not employed in Singapore). But some of my wife workmates who is not chinese, not having an employed spouse managed to get a PR. That's why my wife thinks we should try for it, hoping to get it approved, and hoping for the situation to change (a lot of hopes

I really appreciate any advice/critic .
Sorry for the very long post.
Thanks!
