European National looking local jobs in Singapore

[chrisplease]

Hey,

I have been working in Singapore for nearly 15months in IT with a local contract for an US MNC, coming from Europe. When starting looking for new job for a couple of months already in Singapore I got the impression that my resume/candidature always got skipped or discarded don't even managed to get a first interview no matter what?

I am pretty sure that I fit at least 70/80 of the job requirement to be honest otherwise I wont apply, and in Europe I got at least 2 jobs offer per month any foreigner experience this? or just a bad impression?

Don't tell me if it is visa problem because I am already SPR so no need to apply for visa anymore.

Thanks

[sundaymorningstaple]

Maybe you are pricing yourself out of the market?

[Tartan]

Hi,

I guess there's a few reasons why you may be skiped from even being selected for interviews.

1. Some companies may see that you are western and skip based on your salary expectations. It's likely you'll be wanting more than a local/regional applicant. Unless you have something valuable to offer them that the local market cannot offer it's quite an easy decision.

2. Your CV may not sell you very well. Over the past 2 years I've done loads of recruitment out here and seen cv's from many nationalities. Sell yourself and nothing else! Too many people put loads on the companies or the projects they've worked for/on and pretty much nothing but a list of standard buzz words about themselves.

IT is a big world so not sure what area you are in. Lots of growth in this sector over recent years so there's lots of people to compete with so you really have to sell yourself and also push your agent to challenge the firms to get you in to the interview or at least find out why you are not suitable.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Tartan, I believe you missed an important bit at the beginning of OP's post. He's already been working here in Singapore for the past 15 months on a "Local" contract. Unless his English is worse that mine (which I doubt), I'd read that as he would be selling himself as local. Therefore my 9 word post probably sums it up nicely (he somehow managed to get a local contract before and I would assume aside from the new employer added to his CV, it probably didn't change too much. They rarely do unless they use a commercial CV writer.

[chrisplease]

hey, thanks for feedback, in IT area actually, I forgot to mention, I got some calls from the recruitment consultant but they are all western at 90% and 10% local people. Something weird, isnt it? nothing to do with my skills and resume at all but something to do with my origin and where I came from make Singaporean feel a bit "kiasu" and also the Indians and all the low cost countries surrounding Singapore guys are spoiling the whole market accepting anything as long as they can get out of their countries.

I might say it is something to do also with salary, Singapore employer is like I want you but I don't want to pay you.

I never thought that it was like that before coming here and Singapore government self promotion is just brilliant to the outside world but when landed you find out people are still thinking and living with mentality of 50 years backwards despite the modernity of today Singapore.

Thanks for feedback anyway I am heading to where I came from by end of this year but before, getting know more about G spot in Singapore and soak up the sun first.