Chance of getting a job outside academia and EP approved?

[Tchronos]

Hi everyone in SingaporeExpat,

I need your some opinions regarding the chance of me getting a job in Singapore, if I am a foreigner without any real working experience.

I am a Thai PhD student studying in Japan. I am almost 30 year old.
I have been with my SPR fiancé for over 8 years (with 7 years of long-distance relationship) and will be married with her in Jan 2014.
After my graduation, I plan to move to Singapore to start my family and look for job around April 2014. I will probably be on LTVP while I am doing my job search. I know I cant work without EP being approved. Not moving to Singapore is not an option as I have been away from her for way too long already.

I already have plans to apply for academic jobs and fellowships, however due to the competition in the academia the chance of getting a job in academia is quite low.

Because of this I am making plans to apply for job outside academia as well, but my knowledge of Singapore job market is next to nothing. My fiancé said that with my qualification, I have a high chance of getting a good job.
However, after I read the SE forum, it seems that currently it is quite hard for foreigner without PR to get job and for EP to be approved. I have a good academic qualification (I think lol), but almost next to nothing work experience.

Here is my profile
Bachelor of Economics with Second Class Honor Lower (NUS); Master of Applied Economics (NUS); Master of Economics (Osaka University); Currently in my final year of PhD (Osaka University); I have obtained two full scholarships (total of 10 years); I specialized in Behavioral Economics and Experimental Economics
Working experience: Intern in Bank of Thailand for 4 months; Research assistant and Teaching assistant during PhD.

Questions
1) How likely can I find a job outside academia in Singapore with my qualification? I am a bit worried as I don’t have any real working experience. I am willing to work in almost any type of industry and my lowest acceptable wage is around 4000s$.
2) Is it possible to apply to work as a teacher in International School if I do not have any sort of teaching license?
3) Assuming that I find a job, will my fiancé’s status affects the likelihood of EP being approved my MOM? She has income of around s$ 7k and owns a condominium. By the time I found a job, we would already be married. We also plan to have children in Singapore.

I am sorry for being long-winded. I just hope that you will have enough information to evaluate my case.

Thanks in advance.

[JR8]

5 degrees, but never worked a day.

Why should 'I' want to hire you? When I can get a young thruster on 1/4 of what you're going to hold out for.

Just saying.

[x9200]

Oh boy, why didn't you think before? So after these 12 years or so you are just at best an average for academia? This kind of long scientific vacation you can afford sometimes in technical applied sciences but in economy (and other non-technical areas) it pretty much sounds like professional suicide especially if one wants to find a job abroad.
I think you may be better off trying to get a job where you are now or back in Thailand and only after gaining some experience moving over here.

[Tchronos]

Thank you for the reply.
I will have 4 degrees not 5.
I am on academic track so sadly I have no working experience (except internship).

I am worried about that too, that why my minimum acceptable salary is only $4000. The only reason I am considering non-academic job because I have to move to Singapore.

[JR8]

I'd be really bummed out if I spent 25 years studying, but the ship is never rostered to dock.

[x9200]

Anyway, don't wait till your defense. Try to secure a postdoc position already at this stage. If you have a good publication record, who knows, you may get lucky.

[AngMoG]

I frankly think your best chance is staying in academia. With no work experience and so many degrees, anything else will definitely be difficult. Are your two MScs a double MSc, or is it two separate Masters? If the first, may be good not to oversell, and simply put it as a double masters.

Otherwise, I think your chances would be in MNCs, especially in finance and maybe oil & gas sectors. The positions you can apply for with such a profile are few and far between, however. Another option still are some boutique consultancies, where some may be looking for such a skill set. Frankly, your specializations are quite exotic/theoretical, and probably not too much in demand.

Also, personally I think $4k may be a bit on the lower end of your asking salary range, considering your degrees. Reason being - don't try to settle for too low a salary, MoM does not like that very much.

I think start looking on LinkedIn jobs, but your best bet is probably to look for companies that use your kind of skillset, and go a personal approach. (Again, LinkedIn can be very helpful when looking for such people.) Spring for the premium membership.

[Tchronos]

Thank you for the responses.
It is two different master degree.
I have nothing to do while I wait for my scholarship in JP to start so I did the 1 year applied econ program at NUS which i choose more practical subject to study.

I didnt expect that having too low starting salary can be a demerit as well.

Assuming that I manage to land a job in singaopore, will my fiance`s status (who I will be married to before I have a job, having a condominium, plan to have kid) help me in my EP application, or does EP application depend only on work related factor?



Will my fiance status be considered for EP approval or is it depending on the

[x9200]

No, it won't help.

[JR8]

Gil Scott-Heron at Coachella 2010: We Almost Lost Detroit / Work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue5U1G-GqlU

[JR8]

It's worthless, and you're probably unemployable.

Yes, that's the harsh truth.

[Tchronos]

Thank you all for the comments.
Well if I willing to wait I should be able to land a job in academic.
In the worst case, I will just be househusband lol.

I will post an update again later.

[Beeroclock]

Long shot perhaps , but why not try the hedge funds? Your knowledge sounds relevant and they might like the qualifications. If nothing else to put on the brochure/website and lure in more sucker money. If you manage to get a foot in the door the earnings can be way more than you have in mind. You might have to volunteer/intern initially to demonstrate the other highly sought after PhDs quality (poor hungry desperate).

[JR8]

Long shot perhaps , but why not try the hedge funds?

Hahaha....


Genuinely put forehead on keyboard

[noskich]

With strong foreign qualifications you should be able to find a decent academic job in Thailand. Very cheap low cost tickets and the nature of the academic job might easily allow you to spend at the very least three days per week in Singapore while you are working in Thailand and building up your career. After a couple of years and strong publishing effort your chances of transfer to Singapore would be much more probable.