pagophilus wrote:
SGD$4300 a month, possibly plus a $500-600 housing allowance.
Possibly? You will need as much as you can get.
I'm told I would get a 13th month, plus possibly further bonuses.
Don't believe a word about bonus and 13th months. It may happen, but for my husband at his interview, it was an outright lie that keeps being told. Check any contract with a fine tooth comb.
My concerns: Housing costs - I'd end up living in an HDB flat. I wouldn't want to get stuck with constant overtime.
Hours are long and public transport makes the day even longer.
Cars cost too much so don't expect to drive.
I hear workplace stress is an issue.
Stops you worrying about living on a small dot with nothing to do in your spare time (what spare time?)
I'm told there is a high turnover of pharmacists due to them leaving seeking greener pastures (higher salary).
Seemingly the only way to get an increase in salary once you arrive, is to change jobs.
What are your thoughts?
Good luck !
Pagophilus
I have no reference in the healthcare industry, but I wouldn't count on finding many open-minded managers here in Singapore. At least not more so than in Australia.pagophilus wrote: Singapore is expanding its health system and needs staff, Australian public hospitals are managed by anal managers with lack of foresight who only seem to want to make cuts.
My concerns: Housing costs - I'd end up living in an HDB flat.
Coming here is often and mostly about the money and you have not even been offered a reasonable package comparing to what you have now. Personally I do not complain about my contract condition, my bosses are reasonable and I do not feel that stressed. No long working hours neither. What is a real challenge for me is the working culture. But if you browse through the threads you would rather see opinions similar to FlyingScotsman's than mine. Apparently ppl come here with your open, optimistic attitude and get disappointed.pagophilus wrote: When these questions pop up there always seem to be peope particularly negative toward Singapore replying. If it was really that bad, then nobody would go there to work.
I don't want to try to convince myself that it's some utopia. I realise I will be paid less and have a higher cost of housing (other costs don't concern me so much).x9200 wrote: Apparently ppl come here with your open, optimistic attitude and get disappointed.
pagophilus wrote:I don't want to try to convince myself that it's some utopia. I realise I will be paid less and have a higher cost of housing (other costs don't concern me so much).x9200 wrote: Apparently ppl come here with your open, optimistic attitude and get disappointed.
As to work attitudes, that's something I'm trying find out more information on. I have a friend who has moved there recently, also working in pharmacy, but for Guardian. (It's very relaxed working as a pharmacist for Guardian apparently.) He has friends who work in the hospital system, and I'm trying to find out from them what the work culture is like.
Ministry of Health Holdings is having regular recruitment drives for allied health professionals in Australia, and I intend to talk to them at one of these sessions. I can't see droves of Aussies taking up the opportunity, but a few do, mostly those of Chinese origin.
hello_20 wrote:Hi pagophilus,
Yes, I noticed the pharmacist working at Guardian near my place is very relax.
Every working environment is different. You have to decide what are your expectations and manage it if you decided to go to Singapore to work. Heard that there are more hospitals been setup and pharmacies been open in the new malls around the island.
Yes, accommodation is the one that will cost you. I'm sure you have checked out this website's housing section. It is pretty helpful. My friend told me that . is also helpful.
As for food, depending whether you prefer local or western. The cost would vary. Expect to spend between A$4-$8 for each of your meals. That is comparable to going to McDonalds for your lunch in Australia. However, you have a variety of food here which are not your burgers. Therefore, if you are not picky food would be your least concern.
All the best.
Cheers
Actually, my wife wouldn't be earning anything, not in the short-medium term anyway.poodlek wrote: HDB isn't so bad, but you'll definitely want to hold out for more than $600 housing allowance. Otherwise, (unless your wife is earning significantly too), you're going to have a hard time saving anything, unless you live extremely frugally. I suspect that going from a A$70k/year lifestyle to a S$50k/year lifestyle in a country with a high cost of living might be tough.
The interior design depends on the taste of the owner. Not all owners would take photos of their flat and put it online (it's like publicly displaying your most private clutter or palace depending on the set-up). So it's easier to just search for the photos of the exterior of the building.pagophilus wrote:
I have one question though - why do so many HDB apartments for rent show photos of the exterior of the building, and not the interior of the apartment?
You sound like you'd do alright here. I'm not much of a partyer either, but my biggest expenditures have been on Ang Moh food, especially since getting pregnant (I can't tolerate anything with fish/seafood/most meat in it so that limits my options greatly). Anything particularly western is quite expensive here, at least compared to North America, and the processed food (spaghetti sauce, breaded chicken, soups etc.) you get in the grocery store seem to leave something to be desired. Best to stick with local food in hawker centres and the grocery store!pagophilus wrote:
As for the cost of living, I'm not a big spender (at least I don't have to be, my biggest single spends are air tickets),and we don't eat out much at all (2-3 times a year at best, and budget places at that), though with hawker food prices that might change. We don't drink alcohol, don't smoking, no real vices that I can think of (I like freshly-squeezed orange juice and am prepared to pay for it). My wife is very frugal. She even tends to wait until she's in the Philippines before getting a haircut or buying most of her clothes, because she's not prepared to pay $40 for a haircut when she can get one for $1.20.
Leo
The source of the stress is not necessarily a demanding boss or tight schedules but the standards of work conduct you are used to. So you may have basically some problems with yourself to adapt to the environment. Perhaps your area is somehow exceptional but being already sold some expired medicines from one of the well established medical service chains in this country I have some doubts.pagophilus wrote:As to work attitudes, that's something I'm trying find out more information on. I have a friend who has moved there recently, also working in pharmacy, but for Guardian. (It's very relaxed working as a pharmacist for Guardian apparently.) He has friends who work in the hospital system, and I'm trying to find out from them what the work culture is like.
Not sure I follow. What has expired medicines got to do with adapting to the work environment?x9200 wrote:Perhaps your area is somehow exceptional but being already sold some expired medicines from one of the well established medical service chains in this country I have some doubts.
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