Applying for jobs in Singapore - advice needed

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ceej1979
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Applying for jobs in Singapore - advice needed

Post by ceej1979 » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:21 am

I'm a 29 year old brit, with a media/communications degree, and have worked in publishing, in a sort of Editorial Assistant role, on a magazine, for about 4 years.

I'm hoping to relocate to Singapore in January 2010. I have most things sorted, bar the job.

I was just wondering what the general process is for an ex-pat?

Do companies tend to telephone interview you, so you can actually go over with a job to go to?

Or do they tend to want to Interview you in Singapore? As in, me going over there jobless - and trying to get something when I'm there.

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Post by Saint » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:46 am

Unless you have a job you haven't got most things sorted

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Post by ceej1979 » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:55 am

"Unless you have a job you haven't got most things sorted"

I merely meant, that I have free accomodation, and flights (back and forth) for my proposed time in the country.

Can I ask why all cars in Singapore have black hoods, and alloys? Is it to hide the fact that it isn't a 10 grand car?

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Post by Saint » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 1:01 am

So you have a holiday sorted.

Having read your hysterical posting on want to get a job here, I would honestly rate your chances at zero. But enjoy your holiday

btw, all cars here have alloys

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Post by ceej1979 » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 1:08 am

Saint wrote:So you have a holiday sorted.

Having read your hysterical posting on want to get a job here, I would honestly rate your chances at zero. But enjoy your holiday

btw, all cars here have alloys
Luckily, my girlfriend's parents over there are worth about 50 million dollars, so I could probably holiday indefinitely, if I wanted to. I could even afford to buy a 5 grand nissan, and put a black hood on it.

I'd like a job though.....

thanks for the constructive response..........

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Post by Saint » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 1:15 am

ceej1979 wrote:
Luckily, my girlfriend's parents over there are worth about 50 million dollars, so I could probably holiday indefinitely, if I wanted to. I could even afford to buy a 5 grand nissan, and put a black hood on it.
..
Still wont get you a visa to stay indefinitely, and thats a constructive response.

Anyway, how old are you as your postings are something like a 12 year would write!

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Post by ceej1979 » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 1:20 am

Saint wrote:
ceej1979 wrote:
Luckily, my girlfriend's parents over there are worth about 50 million dollars, so I could probably holiday indefinitely, if I wanted to. I could even afford to buy a 5 grand nissan, and put a black hood on it.
..
Still wont get you a visa to stay indefinitely, and thats a constructive response.

Anyway, how old are you as your postings are something like a 12 year would write!
Well, we are marrying in April, so that will probably help.

I'll send you an invite

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Post by littlegreenman » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 2:29 am

You should do your homework first before having a go at locals for "only owning a Nissan". A Nissan Sunny easily costs you SGD 100k+ as import taxes and COE are very high. That is a lot of money for a car and not everybody is marrying into a rich family or wants to spend their in-laws' money on a more expensive car.

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Post by ceej1979 » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 2:43 am

littlegreenman wrote:You should do your homework first before having a go at locals for "only owning a Nissan". A Nissan Sunny easily costs you SGD 100k+ as import taxes and COE are very high. That is a lot of money for a car and not everybody is marrying into a rich family or wants to spend their in-laws' money on a more expensive car.
You should do some research on the article (as in read it).

I put up a perfectly sincere message, asking for help, and I get some douche on here making fun of me.

I realise cars are expensive in Singapore. He's obviously a joker, on here to annoy - so a Nissan with a dumb-ass black hood is pretty good material to hit back right?

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Post by littlegreenman » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 4:23 am

ceej1979 wrote:
littlegreenman wrote:You should do your homework first before having a go at locals for "only owning a Nissan". A Nissan Sunny easily costs you SGD 100k+ as import taxes and COE are very high. That is a lot of money for a car and not everybody is marrying into a rich family or wants to spend their in-laws' money on a more expensive car.
You should do some research on the article (as in read it).

I put up a perfectly sincere message, asking for help, and I get some douche on here making fun of me.

I realise cars are expensive in Singapore. He's obviously a joker, on here to annoy - so a Nissan with a dumb-ass black hood is pretty good material to hit back right?
I read your thread, actually both mate. Still not sure why you had to double post which is clearly against forum rules. Also, please put your glasses on, it as a Mitsubishi. Have a look at your own post:
Can I ask why all cars in Singapore have black hoods, and alloys? Is it to hide the fact that it isn't a 10 grand car?
Your comment was talking about every car (otherwise you would have used the term "all cars").

So taking into consideration that you double posted, you have a problem with all cars in Singapore which makes you come across like you think you're something better than the rest of us and then you are quite naive proclaiming you have everything sorted out when you actually have nothing sorted out, you can't blame Saint for being plain honest and telling you that. Better than him stoking you and telling you not to worry when you really don't have anything sorted out.

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Post by Zeenit » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 8:58 am

ceej1979 wrote:
Saint wrote:So you have a holiday sorted.

Having read your hysterical posting on want to get a job here, I would honestly rate your chances at zero. But enjoy your holiday

btw, all cars here have alloys
Luckily, my girlfriend's parents over there are worth about 50 million dollars, so I could probably holiday indefinitely, if I wanted to. I could even afford to buy a 5 grand nissan, and put a black hood on it.

I'd like a job though.....

thanks for the constructive response..........

Make up your mind about your Singaporean Family. Firstly is your brother's in laws. Now its your future in laws......Why menrtion money. And why not ask them to pay for a lawyer and ask them the questions and Insult them. Not Saint.

I agree with Saint....Like the program " Not smarter than a 5th grader" :o
Last edited by Zeenit on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 9:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Zeenit

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Re: Applying for jobs in Singapore - advice needed

Post by Strong Eagle » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 9:04 am

ceej1979 wrote:I'm a 29 year old brit, with a media/communications degree, and have worked in publishing, in a sort of Editorial Assistant role, on a magazine, for about 4 years.

I'm hoping to relocate to Singapore in January 2010. I have most things sorted, bar the job.

I was just wondering what the general process is for an ex-pat?

Do companies tend to telephone interview you, so you can actually go over with a job to go to?

Or do they tend to want to Interview you in Singapore? As in, me going over there jobless - and trying to get something when I'm there.
You will be very hard pressed to get a job.

a) If you did find one it would be low paying in your field.

b) The company would have to prove they couldn't fill the position with local talent in order to get an EP, and in this economy EP's are getting harder to come by.

c) This is a small town, network wise. Everyone knows everyone in any given field. If you are here you might get an interview but I doubt it because.

d) There are only a handful of local rags produced here and as I mentioned before, pay is mostly atrocious.

PS: Yes, you are getting your chain yanked... and not responding very well at all.

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Post by ceej1979 » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 8:06 pm

littlegreenman wrote:
ceej1979 wrote:
littlegreenman wrote:You should do your homework first before having a go at locals for "only owning a Nissan". A Nissan Sunny easily costs you SGD 100k+ as import taxes and COE are very high. That is a lot of money for a car and not everybody is marrying into a rich family or wants to spend their in-laws' money on a more expensive car.
You should do some research on the article (as in read it).

I put up a perfectly sincere message, asking for help, and I get some douche on here making fun of me.

I realise cars are expensive in Singapore. He's obviously a joker, on here to annoy - so a Nissan with a dumb-ass black hood is pretty good material to hit back right?
I read your thread, actually both mate. Still not sure why you had to double post which is clearly against forum rules. Also, please put your glasses on, it as a Mitsubishi. Have a look at your own post:
Can I ask why all cars in Singapore have black hoods, and alloys? Is it to hide the fact that it isn't a 10 grand car?
Your comment was talking about every car (otherwise you would have used the term "all cars").

So taking into consideration that you double posted, you have a problem with all cars in Singapore which makes you come across like you think you're something better than the rest of us and then you are quite naive proclaiming you have everything sorted out when you actually have nothing sorted out, you can't blame Saint for being plain honest and telling you that. Better than him stoking you and telling you not to worry when you really don't have anything sorted out.
I'm not really here to argue, about trivialities to be honest.

take care

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Re: Applying for jobs in Singapore - advice needed

Post by ceej1979 » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 8:33 pm

Strong Eagle wrote:
ceej1979 wrote:I'm a 29 year old brit, with a media/communications degree, and have worked in publishing, in a sort of Editorial Assistant role, on a magazine, for about 4 years.

I'm hoping to relocate to Singapore in January 2010. I have most things sorted, bar the job.

I was just wondering what the general process is for an ex-pat?

Do companies tend to telephone interview you, so you can actually go over with a job to go to?

Or do they tend to want to Interview you in Singapore? As in, me going over there jobless - and trying to get something when I'm there.
You will be very hard pressed to get a job.

a) If you did find one it would be low paying in your field.

b) The company would have to prove they couldn't fill the position with local talent in order to get an EP, and in this economy EP's are getting harder to come by.

c) This is a small town, network wise. Everyone knows everyone in any given field. If you are here you might get an interview but I doubt it because.

d) There are only a handful of local rags produced here and as I mentioned before, pay is mostly atrocious.

PS: Yes, you are getting your chain yanked... and not responding very well at all.

Thanks for the reply. I have to be honest, I think it's something I will have to find out myself.

Anyway, the above:

a: Pay isn't really an issue. The salaries I have seen, are on a par with what I get at the minute. It's more an experience move, than a career move. I may well head back to the uk in 2-3 years anyway, if it happens.

b: I'm not convinced this is the case at all. Countries all around the world (including my own) hire foreigners, who have chosen to base themselves in the country. As in, if you're good enough for the job, and you live there, they'll consider you.

Although I don't deny that they probably have to fill the majority of roles with locals, I don't believe that every single mid level publishing role in Singapore, HAS to be filled by a Singaporean, if there is a decent one available. Laws like this are quotas - as in, a percentage - not the rule. 100% of mid level publishing jobs in Singapore, will not have to go to a Singaporeans, just because they can fill them locally. If I made a commitment to live in Singapore, and was available for interviews in the country (as in, I was already living there), I struggle to believe that I wouldn't be considered seriously, for any applicable publishing job, just because of my passport.

As for EP, I don't see the link between "The company would have to prove they couldn't fill the position with local talent in order to get an EP" and me getting an EP, if I got a job. Speaking to the MOM when I was there, they told me, if I got offered a job, and was earning more than 2'500 a month, I would probably get one. Something my brother echoed. I can't see the link between me being from the UK, and being given an EP? Or why on earth a company not hiring a Singaporean for the job, would have anything to do with it. From what I've read into it, a permit to work, of some kind, is probably the bottom of the list, in terms of worries!

c) agreed, and I've heard the same. Very network driven. However, I wouldn't be actually targeting newspapers, or local titles. Many multi national publishers and broadcasters, base themselves in Singapore. I would almost certainly be targeting a global, multi national publisher/broadcaster's Singapore office. It wouldn't be a case of working for a small Singapore business. More a Singapore base, of a western company.

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Post by ceej1979 » Fri, 04 Sep 2009 8:36 pm

Zeenit wrote:
ceej1979 wrote:
Saint wrote:So you have a holiday sorted.

Having read your hysterical posting on want to get a job here, I would honestly rate your chances at zero. But enjoy your holiday

btw, all cars here have alloys
Luckily, my girlfriend's parents over there are worth about 50 million dollars, so I could probably holiday indefinitely, if I wanted to. I could even afford to buy a 5 grand nissan, and put a black hood on it.

I'd like a job though.....

thanks for the constructive response..........

Make up your mind about your Singaporean Family. Firstly is your brother's in laws. Now its your future in laws......Why menrtion money. And why not ask them to pay for a lawyer and ask them the questions and Insult them. Not Saint.

I agree with Saint....Like the program " Not smarter than a 5th grader" :o
I'm not really on here to argue with expats, who have little more to do with their evenings, than to go on forums, trying to wind up people trying to make the same move.

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