Jobs at universities

[winger7]

Anyone fimiliar with openings at universities? I know I could simply log onto their respective websites but the thing I want to know is how big of a percentage do foreingers make up university staff? I'm looking into the research fields as well and might consider moving after a year or 2 with some experience here. The reason I ask is because I heard universities do take foreigners for staff. Any input will be appreciated!

[wcs]

If you want a research job you might want to consider looking at A-Star as well as the universities.

http://www.a-star.gov.sg

[winger7]

Thanks for the feedback! A star looks more of a sciencey place though if im not mistaken. I should have been more specific, I majored in Geography and I am currently a Project Coordinator for this International Conference in 2010. I was also wondering about whether places like unis give equal consideration to foreigners as well as locals? Thanks.

[nushk]

Thanks for the feedback! A star looks more of a sciencey place though if im not mistaken. I should have been more specific, I majored in Geography and I am currently a Project Coordinator for this International Conference in 2010. I was also wondering about whether places like unis give equal consideration to foreigners as well as locals? Thanks.

naturally, in this climate, universities would sooner hire locals and perhaps PRs for their staff. that said, if you are looking at NUS Dept of Geography research assistants, many of them are postgraduate students doing their Masters or phDs and at the same time, while attending classes and doing their research/thesis, they are also asked to teach at some of the classes (and paid). postgraduate students have a stipend of about $2000 to S$2500, some more, I think. not much at all, but if you live in campus, accommodation is inexpensive, and you can definitely get by with that.

[Strong Eagle]

Anyone fimiliar with openings at universities? I know I could simply log onto their respective websites but the thing I want to know is how big of a percentage do foreingers make up university staff? I'm looking into the research fields as well and might consider moving after a year or 2 with some experience here. The reason I ask is because I heard universities do take foreigners for staff. Any input will be appreciated!

What is it you think you want to do at a university? Teach? Be a lecturer?

Why don't you 'simply log onto their respective websites' to see what qualifications they are asking for? It really doesn't matter what percentage of foreigners make up the staff; what matters is the requirements for any job for which you might apply.

[winger7]

SE, thanks for your reply. I am aiming to be a Research Assistant, and like what you said, first and foremost I must fulfill their requirements. I am actually currently working as a Project Cooridnator as mention, we all sit in the same office though with RAs. Fitting the requirement is a must but I was trying to get at say 10 people fitted all the requirements and were to be picked, would locals be considered ahead of foreigners? Why I ask that is because in Hong Kong 50% of the RA positions are occupied by people from China, which is considered foreign.

Btw thanks nushk, I did take ur answer into mind as well

[madura]

SE, thanks for your reply. I am aiming to be a Research Assistant, and like what you said, first and foremost I must fulfill their requirements. I am actually currently working as a Project Cooridnator as mention, we all sit in the same office though with RAs.

Hey dude, sorry to be harsh, but your project coordinator experience won't count for much when applying for RA positions. Remember you are competing with people who usually have research experience. Do you have any published papers in journals or presented at any conferences? You'll be quite amazed at the achievements of RAs at NUS. They'll look at your skill set before looking at your nationality. Unfortunately, there isn't a very high demand for RAs in geography, unlike other fields.

[Luci@]

SE, thanks for your reply. I am aiming to be a Research Assistant, and like what you said, first and foremost I must fulfill their requirements. I am actually currently working as a Project Cooridnator as mention, we all sit in the same office though with RAs.

Hey dude, sorry to be harsh, but your project coordinator experience won't count for much when applying for RA positions. Remember you are competing with people who usually have research experience. Do you have any published papers in journals or presented at any conferences? You'll be quite amazed at the achievements of RAs at NUS. They'll look at your skill set before looking at your nationality. Unfortunately, there isn't a very high demand for RAs in geography, unlike other fields.

what are the other high demand fields?

[winger7]

SE, thanks for your reply. I am aiming to be a Research Assistant, and like what you said, first and foremost I must fulfill their requirements. I am actually currently working as a Project Cooridnator as mention, we all sit in the same office though with RAs.

Hey dude, sorry to be harsh, but your project coordinator experience won't count for much when applying for RA positions. Remember you are competing with people who usually have research experience. Do you have any published papers in journals or presented at any conferences? You'll be quite amazed at the achievements of RAs at NUS. They'll look at your skill set before looking at your nationality. Unfortunately, there isn't a very high demand for RAs in geography, unlike other fields.

honest answers are always ones that help, thanks anyway. good point u make there, i notice that there is very little demand in geography period, let alone as RAs. I cant say i would be surprised at what people have acheived at NUS, because mind u i do work for HKU and it is better if not at par with NUS. I guess i can only tell once I have completed this project in a year's time and see where I go from there. But thanks anyway, especially about how they look at your skill set first and foremost. Thanks

[LoriW]

An interesting question - having worked at universities in the UK and due to be starting work at A*Star in a couple of weeks time (eeek scary!!).

If you have a PhD, then the journals relating to your field will have plenty of adverts for positions around the world for postdocs. Also universities are probably the most cosmopolitan places to work since the whole point is to gather knowledge from everyone and everywhere to make more knowldege!

If you don't have a PhD but have something unique to offer, then writing to the academic of your choice with an impressive "gizzajob" letter/email often works.

In my experience, academia is always on the lookout for fresh minds and confident bods to fill their hallowed halls.

You say you are currently a project co-ordinator - that to me means a multitude of things from a admin role to a management position and everything in between.

Certainly in my field, a research assistant is a postdoc, a research student is just that and a research technician is a graduate employee.

Singapore is currently somewhere that is preferring to hire locals over foreigners if a local can do the job and you would have to go a long way towards proving you are better than a local - speaking from personal experience.

I basically woke up one morning and decided I wanted to work in Singapore - doing "something". I'm a bit restricted in that my degree and experience limits me to a certain field as well as my age being against me (mid 40s).

Applied for a number of advertised jobs, had phone interviews which were pretty much no goers, then was given the name of someone at A*Star. Had numerous interviews and was told that I was right for their team but there was no job. 2 years later, several face to face meetings as well as phone interviews, they created a role for me.

So, yes postdocs, always easy to get, other jobs less easy but persistence pays off as well as a proven ability to do the job and a good show of confidence.

[winger7]

Very useful answer there Lori, I think for many things it comes down to whether you have the balls or the desire to go for what you want. You are absolutely right about universities being a more cosmopolitan place to work in, and that is why I was wondering if I would have a chance.

To give u more details about what I do...Im a project coordinator for this sustainability conference, and I'm sure the experience will be more useful than some might suggest. I do not have a PhD either btw, but I'm hoping my experience will be useful one way or another. Hopefully the economy will settle a little by next year...even though that seems a little hopeful

[winger7]

[quote="madura]Hey dude, sorry to be harsh, but your project coordinator experience won't count for much when applying for RA positions. Remember you are competing with people who usually have research experience. Do you have any published papers in journals or presented at any conferences? You'll be quite amazed at the achievements of RAs at NUS. They'll look at your skill set before looking at your nationality. Unfortunately, there isn't a very high demand for RAs in geography, unlike other fields.[/quote]

Well thing is I do what I do now with no RA or project planning experience... so there u go, not totally impossible id say

[madura]

Well thing is I do what I do now with no RA or project planning experience... so there u go, not totally impossible id say

Most (maybe even all??) project coordinator positions in NUS/NTU/SMU are filled by fresh grads (usually from the local unis) with no experience too, so I'm not too sure what's the point you are trying to prove

Personally, I don't think it'll be a huge plus just because you have working experience at HKU, especially since it is a project coordinator position. That's just my opinion really.

[winger7]

well im trying to prove that i've beaten approximately 15 other candidates in getting this job? even if the rest didnt have experience which i doubt, they did ask for other related work experiences for this job which i have. Again point is even if this post doesnt need experience, having it can only be a plus

yea understand what u mean, well wait till u read my job description i guess, its not JUST a project coordinator

[vbelle]

dont know if this helps, but my colleague prefer to hire foreigner, as he said singaporean wants higher payment. but then i dont assume you want lower payment than locals?:)
just try..lots of foreigners than locals becoming researcher...or at least...here