Advice for Experienced I.T. Business Analyst

[nakatago]

look into http://www.couchsurfing.org then. Or make new friends.

As it turns out, LTVP can rent rooms, which is the only thing you can afford with your budget.

[ecureilx]

The closest friends I have are in Taiwan. That's not going to work.

And there was an ad which went like "Friends are strangers you haven't met yet ... "

Food for thought ??

[JR8]

As it turns out, LTVP can rent rooms, which is the only thing you can afford with your budget.

Caveat: If the LTVP has a validity of six months or more, which is not always a given.

[YankStuckinSuiss]

So what do you guys think the odds are I find a job in 3-4 months if I just come there, find a cheap accommodation...etc?

I know you haven't seen my resume, but...since I am more support than hard core tech skills...and I'm facing Indian competition, Chinese competition...

[ecureilx]

I know you haven't seen my resume, but...since I am more support than hard core tech skills...and I'm facing Indian competition, Chinese competition...

You can add Filipino competition, and locals as well (a lot of local grads have been coming up within the past 10 years, and it is not uncommon to see local guys filling the slots .. )

[generalsu]

So what do you guys think the odds are I find a job in 3-4 months if I just come there, find a cheap accommodation...etc?

I know you haven't seen my resume, but...since I am more support than hard core tech skills...and I'm facing Indian competition, Chinese competition...

You are visible non-white and non-East Asian minority? What the heck does that mean? Black? Brown? Green?

As for the time frame in the job hunting process, it depends on:

A. Your work experience.
B. How pretty your CV looks.
C. How well you present yourself during interviews (clickability).
D. Whether you are good looking or ugly
E. Whether you speak Mandarin.
F. Your education.
G. Male or female.

Point E is particularly sought after by most companies nowadays. Mandarin is becoming an important language and it's best to know a few lines rather than nothing at all. So depending on how you fare, you could land a job offer in 1.5 weeks after sending out CVs if you really damn good. This is exactly what happened to me, although I am about to decline their job offer for a very good reason!

Singapore is a land of wonderful opportunities, but you need to shape up or be shipped out.

[ecureilx]

A. Your work experience.
B. How pretty your CV looks.
C. How well you present yourself during interviews (clickability).
D. Whether you are good looking or ugly
E. Whether you speak Mandarin.
F. Your education.
G. Male or female.

Point E is particularly sought after by most companies nowadays. Mandarin is becoming an important language and it's best to know a few lines rather than nothing at all. So depending on how you fare, you could land a job offer in 1.5 weeks after sending out CVs if you really damn good. This is exactly what happened to me, although I am about to decline their job offer for a very good reason!

Singapore is a land of wonderful opportunities, but you need to shape up or be shipped out.

Load of tosh ... E ??? Hello ??? I been here long enough and never been asked if I speak Mandarin, except where the job scope says "liaise and work with Chinese custmers from China"

And G: Male or Female ??

And you forgot the most important criteria: who you know .. for reference and for moving up the selection queue in HR ..

[YankStuckinSuiss]

I'm a African American male, 35.

I can speak a bit of Mandarin, but only enough to make some basic small talk, order things, etc. I can't speak about business matters, politics, religion, etc. No way.

Ugly? Uhm, never been told that, but Asians are looking. Dark skin is generally not preferred in the region, I'm aware. This is not my first go-round...

I have two bachelor's degrees and a master's degree. The first two in International Business Management and Information Technology, the last in International Studies (East Asia focus)...all from accredited American universities.

I think my work experience is good, good enough to get me a job in one of the most restrictive countries on earth, Switzerland, where I am currently. That's no easy task considering I'm outside the EU and not Swiss.

[ecureilx]

I'm a African American male, 35.

I can speak a bit of Mandarin, but only enough to make some basic small talk, order things, etc. I can't speak about business matters, politics, religion, etc. No way.

As I said, fret not. .. if you are expected to know Mandarin, it should be fluent mandarin, not basic .. so forget that ..

Ugly? Uhm, never been told that, but Asians are looking. Dark skin is generally not preferred in the region, I'm aware. This is not my first go-round...

I don't know about this, when it comes for job selection .. except when you are in direct sales, where looks/race matters, when it comes to targetted marketing, all others don't matter ...

Did you try any of the big recruitment firms to asses you ?

If you worth it, you stand a great chance ..

cheers

[YankStuckinSuiss]

ecureilx:

I'm thinking of trying it. I have a friend in Taiwan who wants me to come, but confesses the job market is not as good there.

Coming to Singapore interests me much more, but the issue is that I have to put a lot of money out up front for room and board. If I fail, I can't come back to Switzerland and I will likely have to go back to the U.S.

I did the same thing with Switzerland. I came here for 3 months, look for a job and found one, but the difference is that I stayed here for free, I had a friend.

[generalsu]

A. Your work experience.
B. How pretty your CV looks.
C. How well you present yourself during interviews (clickability).
D. Whether you are good looking or ugly
E. Whether you speak Mandarin.
F. Your education.
G. Male or female.

Point E is particularly sought after by most companies nowadays. Mandarin is becoming an important language and it's best to know a few lines rather than nothing at all. So depending on how you fare, you could land a job offer in 1.5 weeks after sending out CVs if you really damn good. This is exactly what happened to me, although I am about to decline their job offer for a very good reason!

Singapore is a land of wonderful opportunities, but you need to shape up or be shipped out.

Load of tosh ... E ??? Hello ??? I been here long enough and never been asked if I speak Mandarin, except where the job scope says "liaise and work with Chinese custmers from China"

And G: Male or Female ??

And you forgot the most important criteria: who you know .. for reference and for moving up the selection queue in HR ..

Loads of what? Come on B, if you're gonna saying something just beat it. People don't ask you because they assume you don't speak Mandarin, as simple as that. Given SG is mostly Chinese anyways, it helps to speak Mandarin in all types of situations. I never said you can't survive with no Mandarin, I am saying it does put you at an advantage. Learn to read B before you start your load.

I didn't forget the criteria, I got it. You even know what the word clickability is B?

Relax Yankstuckinsuiss, I never said anything about you being ugly, heck I don't even know what you look like. Even if you are, people in SG are too polite and smart to tell that to your face. What do you mean dark skin is not preferred in SG? Now that's a load of troll, man! You watch too many movies or something? I told you, learn your Mandarin and respect will come to you in the region. Speaking English in SG is nothing, cuz everyone speaks it here!

I had no idea Switzerland is the most restrictive country in the world. Do they fine you for chewing gums and jaywalking? I thought Julian Assange was hiding there and getting with life just fine and yet it's restrictive like you say it for real?

The question is, how many CVs have you sent to how many companies so far? Are you getting any invitations for job interviews? That's the key in seeing how your job hunt is performing.

[ecureilx]

Coming to Singapore interests me much more, but the issue is that I have to put a lot of money out up front for room and board. If I fail, I can't come back to Switzerland and I will likely have to go back to the U.S. free, I had a friend.

I don't know what you mean by put up a lot of money, but, as I said, if you are good, you can be placed in time for you to fly in ..

Cheers

[YankStuckinSuiss]

restrictive for a non-EU (Shengen zone) person to get a work permit. VERY. If you are from an EU country you can come and go out of here as you please (almost)...Switzerland is not in the Eu but they have a treaty for "freedom of movement/labor".


I've only sent cv's to headhunters/recruiters so far. Only one contacted me back for a 2 month temp position. I have not applied directly to any companies yet. I figured it might be better to actually go there and do this, it helps to be "in the country" with a local number, I think.

[ecureilx]

[ ....

You are quite entertaining.

So you are saying you need Mandarin or NO ??? I am confused .. my Lord ..

Anyway, go on ... I am sure you gonna fire more missile to dodge my words

have fun

[generalsu]

ecureilx:

I'm thinking of trying it. I have a friend in Taiwan who wants me to come, but confesses the job market is not as good there.

Coming to Singapore interests me much more, but the issue is that I have to put a lot of money out up front for room and board. If I fail, I can't come back to Switzerland and I will likely have to go back to the U.S.

I did the same thing with Switzerland. I came here for 3 months, look for a job and found one, but the difference is that I stayed here for free, I had a friend.

well Yank, if you're in Taiwan, you better speak damn good Mandarin or you're essentially jobless dude! Taiwan is a country where you need Mandarin to survive, I dare say that!

Yeah looks and race does matter in most jobs of all kinds in SG. If you are really damn GOOD at what you do (meaning like top 5% tier), then your race and looks won't matter so much. Honestly, I haven't met any Africans at any workplace in SG, so I have no experience with them, but then again, don't let race and looks bother you. Concentrate on your skill sets relevant to the job during interviews and speak with passion. If they reject you because of your race/looks, then it's their problem not yours cuz you know you belong in the top 5% tier!