UK Masters student looking to work in Singapore

mb71rev · Post by **mb71rev** » Sun, 06 Jan 2008 1:43 am

I have recently completed my Under-graduate honours degree, at St Andrews University, in International Relations where I received a grade of 2:1. I am now a third into my masters in International Relations at Sussex University which will finish in September 2008 and Im looking to move to Singapore when my course finishes.

I have some temp office work experience as well as loads of travel and odd jobs experience. 'Jack of all trades' comes to mind.

Any tips on how to get myself a decent career out there would be greatly appreciated. Oh, I grew up in Singapore and my father and brother are still there but they're a little short on practical advice to say the least!!

Many thanks in advance,

Sincerely,

Michael Brown

madura · Post by **madura** » Sun, 06 Jan 2008 10:58 am

maybe you could be a tad more specific about what a "decent career" is in your terms?

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sun, 06 Jan 2008 5:25 pm

Singapore needs Jack-of-all Trades (Master of None) like they need a hole in the head. Unless you have a very niche degree and experience to go with it, the odds are definitely NOT in your favour. My suggestion is, get some specific industry experience for 2 to 5 years and then think about it.

mb71rev · Post by **mb71rev** » Sun, 06 Jan 2008 8:07 pm

Thanks for your replies, by a decent career I mean something by which I could use the skills I have developed in my academic sphere as well as earning a fair salary. (Im not looking to get rich!)

Thats the problem though with a degree and a masters in international relations, immensely fascinating but it doesnt really train you to do anything specific...

Im thirty as well which cant help!

Cheers

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sun, 06 Jan 2008 9:11 pm

Okay,

let's put it a different way. Singapore has limited space for people. Singapore needs the top brains in order to keeps it's economy churning out faster than it's neighbours. Singapore isn't a training ground. It needs proven expertise that is doesn't have in order to jump the next hurdle. They expect the import to be able to hit the ground running and in the process train their own citizens in order to replace the imported help as it too expensive in the long run. What expertise can you offer Singapore other than Theoretical Knowledge? Proven Practical Experience? There's the problem. Why should they gamble on unknown quantities?

mb71rev · Post by **mb71rev** » Sun, 06 Jan 2008 9:33 pm

hi,
thanks again for your reply.....well, I appreciate what youve got to say but in reality I know that already. The reason i am on this forum is to get advice on how to get work in Singapore in the position I am in. If it is your opinion that I would be unable to get any job in Singapore then I'd have to disagree, theres always teaching, yuck!!!

I dont mean to sound ungrateful but I wasnt after a lecture in the political economy of city states, I should know that by now!!

Michael

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:21 am

mb71rev wrote: I dont mean to sound ungrateful but I wasnt after a lecture in the political economy of city states, I should know that by now!!

Then what did you mean to sound like?

If you don't like the answers to your questions as you wrote them then I would say a lot of your schooling has already been wasted. If you are in fact a "know-it-all" why bother to ask in the first place. If you ask me, this attempt at international relations wasn't all that good if your current reply is anything to go by.

Mayby somebody else here will waste their time with you. You ask, you get, you don't like, you get crappy. Good luck. I think you are going to need it. Masters Degrees are pretty common here. Good ones at that.

mb71rev · Post by **mb71rev** » Mon, 07 Jan 2008 2:05 am

cool

madura · Post by **madura** » Wed, 09 Jan 2008 3:54 pm

If you are willing to rough it out, sure, there will be jobs for you. I know of one expatriate masters holder who took up a job here and was given a local fresh grad salary. This pretty much gives you an idea of how much a masters degree is valued in the eyes of employers here

mb71rev · Post by **mb71rev** » Wed, 09 Jan 2008 6:02 pm

thanks 4 that,,,

this attempt at international relations wasn't all that good if your current reply is anything to go by.

hmm...sorry moderator, international relations doesnt have anything to do with being nice to people, nice try though

AJ_Fulham · Post by **AJ_Fulham** » Sun, 13 Jan 2008 5:14 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:
mb71rev wrote: I dont mean to sound ungrateful but I wasnt after a lecture in the political economy of city states, I should know that by now!!
Then what did you mean to sound like? If you don't like the answers to your questions as you wrote them then I would say a lot of your schooling has already been wasted. If you are in fact a "know-it-all" why bother to ask in the first place. If you ask me, this attempt at international relations wasn't all that good if your current reply is anything to go by.

Mayby somebody else here will waste their time with you. You ask, you get, you don't like, you get crappy. Good luck. I think you are going to need it. Masters Degrees are pretty common here. Good ones at that.

Your a barrel of laughs aren't you fella?

- Michael, get yourself on a graduate programme in one of the banks or consultancies, they eat up people like you with Politics / humanities etc etc degrees from top tier universities and St Andrew's is certianly one of those. My ex-girlfriend did Latin at St Andrews and she joined the PWC graduate programme.

Though i guess it depends what you want to do with yourself. Good luck

mb71rev · Post by **mb71rev** » Sun, 13 Jan 2008 7:14 am

Your a barrel of laughs aren't you fella?

- Michael, get yourself on a graduate programme in one of the banks or consultancies, they eat up people like you with Politics / humanities etc etc degrees from top tier universities and St Andrew's is certianly one of those. My ex-girlfriend did Latin at St Andrews and she joined the PWC graduate programme.

Though i guess it depends what you want to do with yourself. Good luck[/quote]

Many thanks for your advice al fulham, I think you're right, I've started sending applications out but couldnt find any graduate schemes for Singapore. I suppose I can hang on in the UK on a graduate scheme until I get posted out to Singapore. Is that what you meant?

Good to get something constructive! Much appreciated.

Michael

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sun, 13 Jan 2008 1:49 pm

mb71rev wrote:
AJ_Fulham wrote:- Michael, get yourself on a graduate programme in one of the banks or consultancies, they eat up people like you with Politics / humanities etc etc degrees from top tier universities and St Andrew's is certianly one of those. My ex-girlfriend did Latin at St Andrews and she joined the PWC graduate programme.
I suppose I can hang on in the UK on a graduate scheme until I get posted out to Singapore. Is that what you meant?

Good to get something constructive! Much appreciated.

So you are back to my first reply.

Get some experience and then come to Singapore.

mb71rev · Post by **mb71rev** » Sun, 13 Jan 2008 6:42 pm

you know for a moderator youre not exactly moderate are you?.....I think youre missing the point mate...

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sun, 13 Jan 2008 11:12 pm

And the point being?

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UK Masters student looking to work in Singapore

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