how to find jobs in digital marketing from germany...!?

[Cantaro]

Dear members,

I know the situation is not perfect to look for jobs in Singapore right now and especially not in marketing… but it would help me a lot to get some tips from you in how to make contacts now for opportunities around mid to end of this year.

I already talked to one recruiting company in Singapore (Hudson) about chances but of course nothing came along at the moment and I am not sure if talking to recruiting companies does really work at the moment… Also I tried to contact a lot of advertising network-agencies about job opportunities with almost no response. Same goes for jobs via platforms like recruit.net, matchdragon and so on…

Are there any other places to get in touch with companies or Expats? Like this forum or something like linked in or other social communities?

In an ideal world I want to get the chance of visiting interesting companies beginning of june while travelling through Asia (Shanghai, Hongkong, Singapore)

FYI: I am a Senior Account Manager in classical and digital marketing with 10 years of experience with multinational clients. Languages: native german, very good english and basic mandarin.

Thanks for any help you can provide!
/cantaro

[joewandy]

I am not sure if talking to recruiting companies does really work at the moment…

This is a fairly personal opinion, but I find that recruitment companies in Singapore are pretty useless and rather unprofessional in their attitudes.

Almost all the jobs I had gotten were from direct employers' websites, so you might try that. And all the jobs portals too (jobsdb, jobstreet, monster, etc.)

Edit: you could also try Adecco, Kelly Services and Manpower. These are the better ones IMO.

[Cantaro]

Thanks joewandy,

I am actually considering this. I have heard now from many expats that talking directly to companys is far more helpfull then the recruiting companies. So I will start making contacts directly with people in companies now to be in a good position when the economy starts to speed up a bit or when I am in Asia during my vacation end of may.

As I make contacts at the moment with www.xing.com especially with germans in Singapore and Shanghai how are your experience with linked in. is this a good source as well?

Best regards
/cantaro

[joewandy]

Uhhh first time i've heard of xing

Quite a number of professionals in my circle are in LinkedIn too, but I'm in IT, so not sure how it goes for other markets ...

From my personal observation, practically all the resumes that I've sent to recruiting companies end up with the recruiters calling me to ask about details which have been stated in the resume, followed by no response at all afterward. Not even rejections, simply no responses.

The emails that I'd sent to direct employers might bring about an interview, at least.

So ... ummm, don't count too much on the recruiting companies, really.

[winger7]

This sounds really helpful. If im not mistaken you guys are looking for jobs in Singapore thru recruitment agencies if im not mistaken? I was planning on trying my luck soon by sending resumes to angencies, like the ones u guys have mentioned. I will send them my resume anyway, since there's nothing to lose to be honest, ones like Manpower, Kelly and so on.

Joewandy - i see u have mentioned job portals such as jobsdb and monster, I did consider trying that out as well but it really does look unrealistic seeing how i heard 99% of them have Singaporean or PR only written on them, or they just wont consider foreigners at all. Did u secure your job abroad before you arrive in Singapore? I think the best thing to do would be having a job in hand for my part, rather than landing in Singapore empty handed and ending up spending all my money, especially if i dont manage to find a job in a few months.

For me I've been planning on moving to Singapore for a long time now but it seems kind of unrealistic on my part. I'm not even sure what industry i'm looking to work in but i suppose the hotel and servicing industry, and possibly in Relations and such. I have studied in Canada, lived in shanghai, beijing and toronto and currently living in Hong Kong. I speak English Cantonese and Mandarin fluently too. FEEDBACK WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED

[joewandy]

Did u secure your job abroad before you arrive in Singapore? I think the best thing to do would be having a job in hand for my part, rather than landing in Singapore empty handed and ending up spending all my money, especially if i dont manage to find a job in a few months.

It was somewhat different for me. I went through my tertiary education in a government school here, and received a letter stating that I would be eligible to apply for permanent residency upon graduation. I showed that letter to potential employers and managed to find job pretty easily. Keep in mind that was around 2003, so things might different now.

Not to be discouraging, but for your case, with the lack of local experience and specialty, I think it would be pretty hard to gain any meaningful employment in Singapore especially with the current economic mess now.

There are several ways that you could try, depending on your level of determinations:

1. Return to study in a government school. Practically all foreign friends that I knew from my batch ended up being able to find employment and getting permanent residency. Do not go to private schools, that would just lead to you returning to your home country empty handed afterward.

2. Apply for the Landed Permanent Residence from overseas. I think the fee is pretty high.

3. Apply for the Personalized Employment Pass from overseas. This has a pretty high requirement, I heard.

Ironically I would love to work in Hong Kong. If only we could switch places

[winger7]

thanks a lot for the useful response joewandy. haha yes pretty funny, i would love to switch places with u. I did go to the SMC office in Hong Kong actually to ask about getting a job there but I didnt ask about the pass because I thought the price would have been somewhere like 9000 HKD, I think it was awesomearpit that said that in another thread.

But the link you posted on here i saw this guy say $6400 HKD, which is affordable, but I dont think going to a government school would suit me, i take u mean secondary school? well either way thanks for the help.
Moreover going back to getting the pass through SMC, 6400 HKD is affordable but at the same time you would need a good budget to move there because I'll be spending if I go there without a job, so if I end up not getting a job for 6 months I'll end up spending all my money

either way thanks for your help, I really need to think if it's worth going there afterall...but at the same time it's a risk and it's not for the sake of my career, it's more because I want to live in a new environment

[joewandy]

i take u mean secondary school?

uhhh ... no, i mean the public universities: National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University. But that option only applies for youngsters, I guess. Take a look at the last comment on this (rather critical) article:

"Surely, you must be aware that it is extremely easy for a foreign graduate from our local universities to apply for and obtain PR status after graduation. Your difficulty in seeking a job in Singapore has more to do with the fact that you have not obtained PR status, which is very easy to get and you have unwisely failed to apply for, than with your foreigner status."

I really need to think if it's worth going there afterall...but at the same time it's a risk and it's not for the sake of my career, it's more because I want to live in a new environment

Believe me, it gets boring really fast in singapore as well At least HK is larger.

[winger7]

yea i guess i figured u meant university, well i wouldnt consider myself too old for school just yet but i would say im ruling out that possibility.

Singapore is small but i never mentioned the more important reasons for me wanting to move there, other than being somewhere new i have friends there, and nightlife seems to be an attraction...i barely know anyone in HK and tbh it gets depressing always being alone

[walzma]

Cantaro, if you are interested, can I suggest you to get in touch with me ([email protected])? We, Pinstorm (www.pinstorm.com) are an international digital advertising agency, fully integrated (SEM, SEO, SMO, ORM, banners, mobile, etc.) and do exclusively performance marketing. We also have an office in Singapore. Who knows, maybe something can be worked out? I myself am based in Europe, however we could touch base first and see where to take it from there. Greetings!

[madura]

Since you are looking into digital marketing, you can try attending one of the Social Media Breakfast sessions in Singapore and see if you can get any leads there. http://socialmediabreakfast.sg/. Google Web Wednesday Singapore too.

Alternatively, you can try networking at industry conferences.
There's a "Youth Connect Marketing Conference" that is coming up and there might be companies at the conference that might be looking out for digital media professionals.

[OSS]

Uhhh first time i've heard of xing

Quite a number of professionals in my circle are in LinkedIn too, but I'm in IT, so not sure how it goes for other markets ...

From my personal observation, practically all the resumes that I've sent to recruiting companies end up with the recruiters calling me to ask about details which have been stated in the resume, followed by no response at all afterward. Not even rejections, simply no responses.

The emails that I'd sent to direct employers might bring about an interview, at least.

So ... ummm, don't count too much on the recruiting companies, really.

It really depends on WHO you are speaking to in a recruitment firm. I am working in the recruitment line (though I'm not a recruiter) and some of my ex-colleagues are the most responsive I know.

BUT to be fair, it's true that a big majority of the recruiters in Singapore are pretty crap and sadly it comes from big names like Hudson and a few others.

It might be good to go for executive search firms that specialises in Digital Media recruitment like "The Talent Business", "Aquent" and "Xpand".