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Posted: Thu, 21 Mar 2013 6:37 pm
by JR8
risktaker wrote:Ok, so HR contact for the job send a first offer via email on tuesday but didnot see the email until wednesday. After reading this first offer i was lost for words and pardon my french i said is this company having a f**king laugh.

This company offer me basic salary of s$5k per month, 22days of holiday, 3days compassionate leave, CPF contribution, no mention of any housing allowance, relocation. The biggest part of the joke is that H.R contact is sumbitting my visa with this package. This got to be a joke surly?Over to you guys

So they're offering you 40% of your previous MNC salary, minus all the frictional costs: Relo, freight, short-term housing, rental agent, home leave etc., which are to come out of that!? They are having a complete laugh!

You could just walk away, 'forgedaboutit'. Or, the person who originally suggested a transfer (not the HR), you could e-mail him and suggest that 'there seems to have been a complete misunderstanding, as the offer appears to be local package rather than the expat package that I expected and would require. Furthermore regarding alone the basic salary element suggested, it is a small fraction of what my skills and experience merit and [have] command[ed]. The proposed position was of great interest to me, can you kindly clarify?'

Either they're having a go as SMS suggests, or they have absolutely no idea what they're doing (for example, foreigners working temporarily in Singapore are not eligible to participate in CPF, that is only for PR's and citizens, so it's like they're not only offering a local package, they go further and offer a boiler-plate package as they would to a Singaporean in Singapore!).

Good luck, keep a stiff upper lip, and remember that every night(mare?) is followed by a new dawn.

Posted: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:46 am
by risktaker
Thanks sundaymorningstaple for the head up, I don't think I ever been that offended in my whole life. I never saw that coming. For God sake, I have a degree, 3 professional qualifications and over 12yrs work experience and they want to offer me a salary of Tesco checkout boy. They knew what I was earning in my previous roles. My best friend thinks it must be typo that they meant to write 15k and I should call or email to confirm. If they submitted visa application for me already as they claim how does this affect me? I was looking forward to coming to Singapore now . I need some jobs leads guys Help

Posted: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:49 am
by risktaker
JR8 that what plan on doing emailing the director of sales and see what reponse i get

Posted: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 8:05 am
by BillyB
I'd hazard a guess (for a sales role) they might be testing your resolve by presenting a textbook 'line in the sand' extreme negotiation position to see how you would handle this for yourself as an indication of performance in a client context. I know other MNC's view this type of process as an important part hiring.

You can choose to ignore the money debate, present your experience and hence make the discussion about value-add, or you get trapped in the whole I want 18k, lets settle at 13k barrow-boy negotiation.

Tread carefully, every email you send and contact you make will be part of the process and MNC's are very savvy at using that against you.

Cynic hat off - it might simply be a typo!

Posted: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 8:56 am
by sundaymorningstaple
risktaker wrote:Thanks sundaymorningstaple for the head up, I don't think I ever been that offended in my whole life. I never saw that coming. For God sake, I have a degree, 3 professional qualifications and over 12yrs work experience and they want to offer me a salary of Tesco checkout boy. They knew what I was earning in my previous roles. My best friend thinks it must be typo that they meant to write 15k and I should call or email to confirm. If they submitted visa application for me already as they claim how does this affect me? I was looking forward to coming to Singapore now . I need some jobs leads guys Help
It's the general viewpoint of the majority of citizenry here that most expats here are here only because they cannot find a job at home. They don't realize that (a lot of) westerners, unlike most Asian expats, are NOT economic refugees but "mercenaries" who hire out to the highest bidder when they first come over here (that often changes if they were single when they arrived but later married locally). Singapore is unique in the fact that their highly educated people have absolutely no common sense whatsoever in that regard.

Posted: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 9:26 am
by the lynx
risktaker wrote:Ok, so HR contact for the job send a first offer via email on tuesday but didnot see the email until wednesday. After reading this first offer i was lost for words and pardon my french i said is this company having a f**king laugh.

This company offer me basic salary of s$5k per month, 22days of holiday, 3days compassionate leave, CPF contribution, no mention of any housing allowance, relocation. The biggest part of the joke is that H.R contact is sumbitting my visa with this package. This got to be a joke surly?Over to you guys
I seriously hope that was an honest error on the HR's end. What CPF contribution?! That's for citizens and PRs!

Even if it was a really honest error there, I wouldn't want to work in a company with that kind of HR, especially here in Singapore. If they can screw your offer like that, they can certainly screw you all over once you're here.

Posted: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:48 am
by sundaymorningstaple
^^^
+1

Re: Package advice- Pls help remember you were once new

Posted: Sat, 23 Mar 2013 1:44 pm
by noskich
JR8 wrote:
risktaker wrote: So JR8 what will be the Brockley of Singapore?
Hahaha good question!

When I'm in-country (ie in Singapore) I try and rent around Toa Payoh: central, new town (all facilities are planned), transport hub, shops etc.
It`s not really popular with expats, but I like the Geylang area in between Aljunied and Paya Lebar stations. Pretty affordable, convenient for transport and shopping. Sounds like the no fuss area that would suit you.
You could find a low end 2BD HDB flat there for 2-2.5K.

Posted: Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:33 pm
by risktaker
Hello all,
Thanks for all your comments, advice and guidance. So let me give you an update with good, bad and ugly news lol
So my work pass was approved, I should hope so with all my good character hee.
BillyB was on right track, it was a test to see how I would react to difficult situation. The less said about that the better. I have now flipped the script back on them. I re-negotiated my terms and will be coming as a consultant. Like Lynx has stated would I want to work for a company like this and agree. Therefore, the plan is to come out for 3-6months (they don’t know this) and see what I am truly getting into here. What I need now is cheap flat share under $S2000 including bills with a gym. I am not trying to live mid -class life, I want to work be working class so if I can find $S500 flat share I will take it. I want to have as much money in my hand as possible.

Posted: Thu, 04 Apr 2013 8:43 am
by the lynx
risktaker wrote:Hello all,
Thanks for all your comments, advice and guidance. So let me give you an update with good, bad and ugly news lol
So my work pass was approved, I should hope so with all my good character hee.
BillyB was on right track, it was a test to see how I would react to difficult situation. The less said about that the better. I have now flipped the script back on them. I re-negotiated my terms and will be coming as a consultant. Like Lynx has stated would I want to work for a company like this and agree. Therefore, the plan is to come out for 3-6months (they don’t know this) and see what I am truly getting into here. What I need now is cheap flat share under $S2000 including bills with a gym. I am not trying to live mid -class life, I want to work be working class so if I can find $S500 flat share I will take it. I want to have as much money in my hand as possible.
I can only advise on the accommodation. Regarding 3-6 months thingy, I'm not from your field so I have no input on that.

Now you CAN get share a condominium unit with a group of like-minded expats for less than $2000 per month (on your end) including utilities, maintenance etc. The challenge would be on looking for that group to share. It can be a hit-and-miss.

If you go for under $1000 per month instead for your room, you can share a HDB unit with a group of expats in say, Holland Village area or Marymount area. But you won't have gym, car park and other facilities provided. Just utilities. Same thing, you need to look for a group to rent together.

(HDB is a 'regular' class of apartments, condominiums are the expensive types)

Actually the East also have few good options but I'll leave it to the Eastsiders like zzm and others to suggest.

Posted: Fri, 10 May 2013 12:22 am
by risktaker
Hi All,
I am back and giving you the further update and need advice. So arrived in SG what a smaller place ....lol. Started working and within 2days just knew this job was not for me and the commission was not achievable.

So my question is about jumping ship, now that i am in SG the Asia Pacific region of my old firm has a role for me and i been head hunted for another role.

So my question is how do i play this game because both companies want o apply for EP for me before drawing the conract help

Posted: Fri, 10 May 2013 1:24 am
by JR8
So you're already working at #1 without a work visa, and now want to jump ship to #2?

Can't say more than make sure you do it it right, so as not to have left #1, and trashed chances of joining #2. I've read here of people trying to do such a job/visa-switch, and shooting themselves in both feet/obs.

One of the EP/HR pros will be better able to advise...

Posted: Fri, 10 May 2013 1:55 am
by risktaker
So you're already working at #1 without a work visa, and now want to jump ship to #2?

Can't say more than make sure you do it it right, so as not to have left #1, and trashed chances of joining #2. I've read here of people trying to do such a job/visa-switch, and shooting themselves in both feet/obs.

One of the EP/HR pros will be better able to advise...


JR8, what you take me for? I been working for a month on my EPass thank you very much. I have a valid 2year Epass with my current employer.

Further, i wouldnt not leave my current job without epass approval for new job I am not stupid.

What am asking is can two different companies apply for epass approval for me?

Posted: Fri, 10 May 2013 10:13 am
by AngMoG
risktaker wrote:What am asking is can two different companies apply for epass approval for me?
In short: No. Only one company can apply for your e-pass at any one time. Once you get the IPA, you can go ahead and quit, considering notice periods and such.

But frankly I would be a bit more careful at this point, and see the full contract first before having any company apply for your pass. Having your current employer get you one without your full consent was already quite bad. And probably, in your case, evaluate your future employer more in depth before you sign anything, since your current experience is quite bad. You have to be careful with SMEs here in Singapore, there's really a lot of bad here, since pretty much anyone can open a company. I previously worked at one whose CEO obviously got the company as a "present" from his parents a bit more than 10 years ago... needless to say, it was a horrible environment (though I learnt a lot), since he had never properly worked as an "employee".

Posted: Fri, 10 May 2013 1:24 pm
by sundaymorningstaple
Just to let you know. You can apply for an IPA with a new employer while holding your current EP with no problem, however, you can only have one new application in at a time. Once one is pending, you cannot submit another unless you withdraw the first application. This, 9 times out of 10, causes a glitch in the system when done and the poor greedy sod usually ends up with nothing because of the glitch. cavaet emptor.