Trying my luck within a month or two

[money]

Winger7, event management is one of the poorest paid, highest turnover, 'professional' jobs in Singapore.

I have hired event management companies. My so called 'event managers' couldn't manage a trip on the MRT, never mind a complex event.

There are too many companies, chasing limited business. Pay will be terrible, and there may be difficulty in getting MOM approval to get one of these jobs.

what about IT as a network admin/network support/help desk positions? what would the pay be like for a low-mid level position? and how difficult would it be to get approval from ministry of manpower for one of these positions for a fresh graduate with a diploma/certifications and minimal work experience (1-2 years)
i was reading on ministry of manpower website how IT network admins was one of the most desired job positions singapore was seeking.

[Strong Eagle]

Winger7, event management is one of the poorest paid, highest turnover, 'professional' jobs in Singapore.

I have hired event management companies. My so called 'event managers' couldn't manage a trip on the MRT, never mind a complex event.

There are too many companies, chasing limited business. Pay will be terrible, and there may be difficulty in getting MOM approval to get one of these jobs.

what about IT as a network admin/network support/help desk positions? what would the pay be like for a low-mid level position? and how difficult would it be to get approval from ministry of manpower for one of these positions for a fresh graduate with a diploma/certifications and minimal work experience (1-2 years)
i was reading on ministry of manpower website how IT network admins was one of the most desired job positions singapore was seeking.

Eighteen months ago I saw major managed services companies offering 1800 per month for help desk, not much more for network support (network admin is a completely different game). Trouble was, that most of the people they hired at that rate weren't competent. Then again, market demand was strong.

The same companies will probably pay the same or slightly more and get better candidates right now. Here is the problem: Most companies are out sourcing help desk, network management, etc. Companies are buying on price... which is squeezing the hell out of the managed services companies... leaving not a lot of revenue to pay decent salaries.

[winger7]

SE, thanks for your answer, brutal but true. I am the sort of person that doesn't get carried away easily anyway so even if I did get a real positive answer, things are always more difficult than anticipated, thats what I've learnt for sure.

This might be a little bit out of context but before my job now I did apply to teaching jobs there and I got offered a $2000/month English teaching job, I obviously did not take it in the end since it was as low as my previous job, plus you will be spending more in a foreign country. i did have close to no teaching experience prior btw.

I think I did mean a $3000 pay btw, conversions between HKD and SGD mislead me a little

[Strong Eagle]

SE, thanks for your answer, brutal but true. I am the sort of person that doesn't get carried away easily anyway so even if I did get a real positive answer, things are always more difficult than anticipated, thats what I've learnt for sure.

This might be a little bit out of context but before my job now I did apply to teaching jobs there and I got offered a $2000/month English teaching job, I obviously did not take it in the end since it was as low as my previous job, plus you will be spending more in a foreign country. i did have close to no teaching experience prior btw.

I think I did mean a $3000 pay btw, conversions between HKD and SGD mislead me a little

Wish you all the luck in the world.

[ceej1979]

Hi,

I'm in the same boat. Although a bit further down the line. I was sent a job offer yesterday, which I'm currently mulling over.

I really did approach at least 30 companies via the "official" application process. As in, sending in CVs and applying online.

You really really should try networking these people. As in e-mailing companies, HR departments, just to chat about your plans, and ask for advice. Just send a few messages, inquiring about the company, and how you should approach applying.

They really do like the personal approach. They like chatting, and discussing work, and I found they were very impressed with my attempts to engage them in a more personal way. I think it shows them how much you actually want it.

Anyway, from merely e-mailing an HR manager, for a chat, it snowballed into them sending someone out to my home country to interview me, to them offering me a job. They really did make a lot of very nice gestures to help me.

As in, I told them I couldn't afford to fly out to meet them (air fairs were $3000 a pop at the time of the year they wanted me to go out), so they sent a guy to London to meet me!

From a personal point of view, I don't think I would have got a job offer going down the traditional route. 99% of companies didn't even reply when I sent them my CV for jobs.

They just see "foreign" and think "he's not worth the effort".

If you really show them you are, through good networking, discussion and communication with them, you may well be surprised at the results.

I'd very much recommend trying to engage people in the field already in Singapore.

Be it e-mailing HR departments for simple advice. To be becoming more active on the various industry forums that are about

cheers

[winger7]

That was very very useful. As you say you do seem to be further down the line, you probably do have a lot more working experience than me too seeing how they flew someone there to offer you the job, there is no chance of that happening to me with my current experience.

Anyway I will certainly look into that, million thanks.

[ceej1979]

That was very very useful. As you say you do seem to be further down the line, you probably do have a lot more working experience than me too seeing how they flew someone there to offer you the job, there is no chance of that happening to me with my current experience.

Anyway I will certainly look into that, million thanks.

Emmm, not really. I'm only 3-4 years in the trade.

I'm not saying they will send someone over to meet you (I actually think the guy was coming over anyway for business, and just asked him to see me as well), but a lot of this was just striking up a good conversation with them via e-mail.

I'd suggest sending a friendly, genuine e-mail, just discussing what you want out of the move, and asking for advice. Don't go at it like "I want a job". More "I'd really like to work for a company like yours - can you give me some advice on how I can best prepare myself for this sort of job".

I wasn't even thinking about an immediate move. I quite literally just e-mailed for advice on maybe doing it in the future, and what I should be doing to prepare myself, to give myself a good shot at it - as in college course, work experience.

You know, it wasn't a line I invented to impress them. I was just telling them how it was!

Within a few messages, and some good conversation, it changed from them offering me advice, to them wanting to help me make it happen.

You know, never underestimate the power of networking, and good communication, in regards to getting a job.

They really take note if you try to be friendly, polite, curtious, and make an effort to engage them.

You know, when I was e-mailing, I was discussing the weather, talking about industry trends, asking questions on what the company had been doing recently.

You know, it really is a good thing to practice.

Once you get to a certain age/experience, networking is vital in most industries

[winger7]

Wow thanks for the feedback. I'll definitely look into that with job websites and agencies. Hope this will all work out, at least I've defined an industry/field in which I want to work in and see my market value in it, thanks.