Hard to find a job in Singapore for expats?

[erikpatsg]

Have you tried selling yourself to NOL?[/quote]

I did indeed and I also had an interview with them. At this moment however they don't have a suitable position. Far enough I guess as I gave them a "cold call" and did not apply to a vacancy.

[ilgazd]

Hi All,

I am from Turkey, and I have been searching and applying for jobs in Singapore. I have very good qualifications and 8 years work experience but no reply what so ever.

I have now Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate from Ministry of Manpower in Singapore , so I am hoping this will help.

I am really wound up about finding a job in Singapore because it is a lovely country. From the forum I gather the only way to land a job is through networking, but where do you start?

If you can give me few pointers I would be much obliged.

Best Regards

[sundaymorningstaple]

The biggest thing you need is a skillset that is in short supply here. Especially among the locals. EPEC or not, you're potential employer is still the one who has to apply for your EP. You cannot do it with an employer unless you qualify for the new PEP (personal Employment Pass) with a income of minimum of $7K/mo supported by documentation.

It is still the onus of the employer to show due cause as to why they need the services of a foreigner if there are sufficient locals with similar qualifications.

The only thing the EPEC does is tell the potential employer that their application won't be bounced because of the potential employee's own qualifications. Nothing more. Good Luck in your quest. It would appear that for the past couple of years they are relaxing their stringent guidelines looking at the level of people being let in not days. (That is not a reflection on you, but an observation by me as an HR Manager).

SMS

[krptykcookies]

Well, I'm working hard with Monster.SG and other online job providers... But of course it would be better to be there and meet the head hunters...

Employment Agents/Headhunters are a complete and utter waste of time in Singapore and all they are interested in is collecting CVs by the thousands. I reckon half the jobs posted on sites like Monster and Jobsdb don't actually exsist. Most MNC in Singapore don't use agents because they are a waste of time and so positions themselves.

Here's where the next hurdle comes, HR departments. They are incredibly slow and are usually not skilled enough to understand CVs and just look at your qualifications. This is a problem I've had over the last couple of weeks while job hunting here as I don't have a degree so my CV tends to never hit the Business Manager's desk. This nearly cost me a job offers yesterday but it was only because I managed to find out the Manager, who was recruiting, email address and sent my CV directly to him that I got an interview with him.

By far the best way to get yourself noticed and find out about jobs going and who to speak to is by networking, virtually all the interviews and contacts I've made over the last few weeks is by going out and having a few beers with people, especially with people from Forums like this one!

I agree that headhunters are a waste of time. I am also having a tough time looking for a job in Singapore and I have a degree!!! I believe half the jobs advertised on JobsDB, Jobstreet and Monster really do not exist.

[Saint]

I agree that headhunters are a waste of time. I am also having a tough time looking for a job in Singapore and I have a degree!!! I believe half the jobs advertised on JobsDB, Jobstreet and Monster really do not exist.

It is hard going but luckily I got offered the job I had the interview and managed to sign the contract before flying back to UK!

So we'll be back to Singapore for good in 8 weeks!

[Miss Swan]

The biggest thing you need is a skillset that is in short supply here.

Hey SMS, I'm pretty curious...which skillsets are considered in short supply in Singapore?

[staryalley]

HR are not as slow as what Saint assume and rest assure, we do very well know how to read and understand CVs. Depending on the industry and position you are applying for, qualification is not everything. In fact, most employers look more at relevant experience than qualification.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Having been a headhunter for 14 years here and currently the HR Manager of a 200+ man SME, I can assure you that what saint expresses is very much true. This is especially true of HR Officer who have bought the local HR Diploma BS hook, line & sinker.

If local HR was any good, they wouldn't keep asking for photos, race, religion, sex and all the other BS that is not part & parcel to the position at hand. If they tell me that "well, that's what the management wants" then they don't deserve to be in that position. An HR manager should work for the company not the MD. (unless it is a S.P. or partnership).

staryalley, do you place ad's that require mandarin speaking when the job is not in China or does it's business in China? that require a candidate to specify their salary requirements? their gender, if the name isn't obvious? If so, then you are not an HR Practitioner I can "assure" you.

sms

[sundaymorningstaple]

The biggest thing you need is a skillset that is in short supply here.

Hey SMS, I'm pretty curious...which skillsets are considered in short supply in Singapore?

Any position which required an element of "common sense".

If looking in the IT sector, SE would be a better person to advise you on that.

At the moment, I think we will find the the Financial sector will be having excess personnel after the shakeup of the past couple of weeks.

The best way to gauge is to just read the Saturday Appointments pages and this will give you a clue as to where the shortfalls are.

The hospitality industry (IR's) will initially need experienced personnel until the local variant has a chance to get some experience & attitude shifts in addition to the courses currently being offered. (3 months OJT in Macau, while good, doesn't make an experienced workforce).

As I do not actively monitor the local job market anymore, electing to only stay in my niche and working outside the Singapore market.

[staryalley]

SMS, even if companies do place job ads that specify mandarin speaking, definitely part of the job scope will require contacts with China or the chinese speaking people. Knowing that Singapore is much exposed to China and has much businesses with China, the candidate does not need to physically be in China nor does the business needs to be operating in China.

As for the salary requirements, I am not sure if there actually is any company that employs without knowing what the salary requirements of the candidate. If there is, I will very much want to join that company. Realize that professional HR do not state salary in ads and even if resumes received do not have expected salary stated, the candidates will still be interviewed if suitable and salary is discussed at the later stage.

All I can say is that it's probably a very sad thing that all the HR whom you are exposed to locally are either not professional or not even a proper HR to begin with to let you have such a negative impression of HR.

[sundaymorningstaple]

We agree on one thing. It's sad alright. Especially since I dealt with a huge cross-section of the business environment here from small SME's to Western MNC's with locally managed HR departments. Often when the HR Director's find out what happens over here they are astounded at the mindset of the locally trained HR "Professionals"! And I do used the word "Professional" VERY loosely. I am not saying all are that bad, but a significantly high percentage ARE and that's what is tarring the whole industry with the same brush. Much the same as Recruiters are all tarred with the same brush for being "unprofessional". Recruiter and HR "professionals" here actually deserve each other. As they are just about the same in their lack of professionalism. Read some of the threads here about treatment to job applicants by HR departments & recruiters who never bother to call back when they've promised to, or indicated that "only shortlisted candidates will be contacted" or other some such BS. If someone was called in for an initial interview, they deserve to be called back to inform them that they were not successful, something rarely practiced here. My biggest wish for them is that sooner or later they are on the end of the same treatment.

Remember, do your job and respect both your employer AND those you would hire. Who knows, one of them may eventually be your boss sometime in the future. Better hope that they don't have long memories. After a total of 16 years in the two related industries (all here in Singapore) I do believe I have a pretty good handle on it.

[Plavt]

Read some of the threads here about treatment to job applicants by HR departments & recruiters who never bother to call back when they've promised to, or indicated that "only shortlisted candidates will be contacted" or other some such BS.

Ahem.........the UK is no better, many employers ask for CV and or application forms to be completed online only to ignore the applicant be they graduate or otherwise. The same is true of most job agencies.

[sierra2469alpha]

Ahem.........the UK is no better, many employers ask for CV and or application forms to be completed online only to ignore the applicant be they graduate or otherwise. The same is true of most job agencies.

Yerp - same happened quite a few years ago back in AUS. Many so-called recruitment firms became what we called "body shops". Everything went "online" - with the associated crap business processes around it. It was sooo difficult to find decent contractors through them - so it went back to the "networks" - people known thorgh other contracts.

I remember seeing so many CV's that, for a start were so massaged to my requirements, or even worse, totally doctored to suit my requirements, that even if I granted an interview, it was a total waste of my time.

More than a few "agencies" went bust (read "were amalgamated into another agency").

Oh well, we live and learn!

Cheers, Mr. P

[kira125]

hi all any ppl recurting a bbq chef??he i s v.v.v gd at roasting pig and makeing chickens.pls reply ty!

[sundaymorningstaple]

hi all any ppl recurting a bbq chef??he i s v.v.v gd at roasting pig and makeing chickens.pls reply ty!

Most guys make chicks, although a few pervs have been known to try to make chickens. You must be one of them. Too bad you never learned how to use a keyboard so somebody can understand you.