Career change

[yowetan]

I tot banks pay good bonus of five six months when going is good

It doesn't happen to me and my fellow colleagues.

Instead, we have a simplification every year.

[leesg123]

care to share what is your qualification? your wife is a home maker?

Unlike many people, I do not inflate or under declare my income. It is a fact that I am earning this much, which is unimpressive at my age. Again, this is beyond my control and I have been very accountable, and responsible in my job.

It is not a matter of foreign talent and I certainly do not wish to be make this subject political. At times, it is more of an opportunity and appreciation. The foreign bank I working for, is not worthy to mention of except the working hour is manageable and the scope beyond the job roles and responsibilities are nothing more or less to impress anyone. As a matter of fact, I think the boss wouldn't bother for I have personally witnessing it, the bank has been changing hands a few times.

I would attribute to lack of luck, and opportunities that I am still recieving 3.5k+++ pay cheque today. I would also like to correct misconception that people who works in bank, especially back end office are well-paid. For my peers who work in the same bank as me, most of them are getting around this range too. It is the culture and the budget the bank carries, however it is really less than desire to mention of.

Office politics, favoritisim, nepotism and nonsensical work attitude somehow somewhat thriving. As usual, hardwork is not always being recongized and rewarded.

[yowetan]

care to share what is your qualification? your wife is a home maker?

Hi...I graduate with a bachelor degree in 2004.

My wife works in same company as me.

[leesg123]

Hi...I graduate with a bachelor degree in 2004.

My wife works in same company as me.

local uni or distance learning? looking at your age, you go via diploma route?

[RCT]

I think it all depends what is your character. Are u able to speak well? Outgoing? Like to social?

[yowetan]

local uni or distance learning? looking at your age, you go via diploma route?

Yes, I went to overseas university via diploma route. On campus studies instead distance learning.

[yowetan]

I think it all depends what is your character. Are u able to speak well? Outgoing? Like to social?

To be honest, I am an average joe.

[leesg123]

Yes, I went to overseas university via diploma route. On campus studies instead distance learning.

I see, perhaps you did not job hop frequently? say once every 2 years.

at your current age, an average joe of your profile should be earning ard $5k++ or annual about $80k++. we are not talking about highflyer.

if the salary you quotr is true and that your annual package is less than 16mths, you really have to job hop. you are in your prime age. time is ticking fast though as in singapore, beyond 40yrs old v risky to job hop.

[yowetan]

I see, perhaps you did not job hop frequently? say once every 2 years.

at your current age, an average joe of your profile should be earning ard $5k++ or annual about $80k++. we are not talking about highflyer.

if the salary you quotr is true and that your annual package is less than 16mths, you really have to job hop. you are in your prime age. time is ticking fast though as in singapore, beyond 40yrs old v risky to job hop.

Hi...Yes. I never job hop. First job since then.

I have been trying sourcing around since last year Q4 but not very successful.

[leesg123]

Hi...Yes. I never job hop. First job since then.

I have been trying sourcing around since last year Q4 but not very successful.

the issue that might arise with potential job application is your current low pay. it sends a bad signal to employers. as I said, the profile of avg joe of your type is about $5k+

hence you may consider quoting $5k per mth as your last drawn pay. if really go interview, act blur and show your annual pay (divide by 12 would be much higher than $3.5k)

remember, in a captalist society, company dont value loyalty over capability.

I hope it is now clear that you should job hop, as the time goes by, it will get tougher as batches and batches of fresh grads are fed into the mkt.

[indomie]

To be honest, I am an average joe.

Your brutal honesty is very striking. I understand now why u want prices to crash because u can't bring your salary up. There are jobs that a middle age man can do for a career change:
1. Be a hawker
2. Be a teaching professional, like teaching accountant to students
3. Be a church minister
4. Be a fortune teller or fungsui master
5. Start a career in funeral industry
6. (Please add more list)

[myfirstpc]

You really need to job hop. I am in 40s and job hopped >12 times. Still hopping in my 40s. Also, you may not be networking with the proper crowd. Change your friends if you have to. We all need friends who are in a (atas) better standing then ourselves to be able to improve our current state. Also, distance yourselves from Negative people, including relatives if needed. You may end up with lesser friends or relatives, but belonging to the Positive thinkers will go a long way to support, suggests, encourage in your pursuits. Come out of your comfort zone, it may be more detrimental than the unknown which is waiting for you out there. Have you seen Linkedin? tryout and you may discover schoolmates and lost acquaintances who have moved up the ladder by now, Dy Directors, business owners, etc. Touch base with them again. Nevertheless, it is easy to give advise, I was there before, am still a salaried worker now. Good Luck.

[Lovelle]

yw

even you managed to switch job to a better package. Try to forget about Mt Sinai.

Once you fixated a target that is hard to get , then life will be miserable. why not look at interlace, woodlands project, etc

[lionhill]

First time I have felt the sincerity from yowetan.
To some extent, success in career depends on luck and role in the company.
although banks generally offers high salaries, but some department, e.g., IT,
may not provide good opportunities.

and it also depends on the boss' impression on the staff. Once the impression is there, no matter how hard the staff works, the boss may simply not appreciate.

Yowetan, you are still quite young, career change is a better way than staying in the current position. Besides agent, you can also consider
teaching posistions if you are not that talkative, persuasive kind.

[Laguna]

I just have a few points

Don't blame on others
Do you know who are Soh and Ye? do they know you? Do you have proof of what they had done to you? BTW, what have they done to you in affecting your decision? Don't blame on others if you are not able to capture the opportunities yourself, this reflects on you.

Are you an average Joe? NO, definitely NO
I believe none of the forummers here can put, parents, parents in law, BIL under one roof, keep their rental income, don't give them pocket money, they do all the household work, taking care of your children etc etc. and you are not going to take care of them when they are old and sick...As such, you are definitely not an average Joe, you are so much better than all us here.

Are you an average Joe? YES, definitely YES
You are 36, an overseas uni grad, earning $3600 per month, that is the pay of a local grad with 2-3 years working experience. You claimed that you are effective, efficient, but why earning below market? and still stay put for so long? So are you worst than an average Joe.

At 36, you still have to come here to ask the forummers on your career choice.

Shall you change your job?
Looking at some of your postings, you are very good in posting two sentence questions for other to answer you instead of just make a call or do a google. Can I suppose this is your working attitude?

Lately, you have been calling crashing everywhere? is this your character?

If above is true, then you lack of positive attitude and thinking.

My advice to you is to stay put, mainly, you may not survive in the new working environment. And the interviewers highly unlikely will give you a job assessing your age and your pay and even your current job specification, that definitely is something terribly not right somewhere.


You may not be happy with the above I wrote, but life is like that, not full of fairness and happiness all the time.

Anyway, I wish you all the best

[mygeemeel]

Yowetan should just buy iskandar. Cheaper, FH, big land and considered as prime too.

Anyway i am sure leopard never changes its spots. Yowetan will be back to his irritating self in no time.

[mygeemeel]

I just have a few points

Don't blame on others
Do you know who are Soh and Ye? do they know you? Do you have proof of what they had done to you? BTW, what have they done to you in affecting your decision? Don't blame on others if you are not able to capture the opportunities yourself, this reflects on you.

Are you an average Joe? NO, definitely NO
I believe none of the forummers here can put, parents, parents in law, BIL under one roof, keep their rental income, don't give them pocket money, they do all the household work, taking care of your children etc etc. and you are not going to take care of them when they are old and sick...As such, you are definitely not an average Joe, you are so much better than all us here.

Are you an average Joe? YES, definitely YES
You are 36, an overseas uni grad, earning $3600 per month, that is the pay of a local grad with 2-3 years working experience. You claimed that you are effective, efficient, but why earning below market? and still stay put for so long? So are you worst than an average Joe.

At 36, you still have to come here to ask the forummers on your career choice.

Shall you change your job?
Looking at some of your postings, you are very good in posting two sentence questions for other to answer you instead of just make a call or do a google. Can I suppose this is your working attitude?

Lately, you have been calling crashing everywhere? is this your character?

If above is true, then you lack of positive attitude and thinking.

My advice to you is to stay put, mainly, you may not survive in the new working environment. And the interviewers highly unlikely will give you a job assessing your age and your pay and even your current job specification, that definitely is something terribly not right somewhere.


You may not be happy with the above I wrote, but life is like that, not full of fairness and happiness all the time.

Anyway, I wish you all the best

Like + Like + Like +

[shareidiot]

Yowetan,

I hesitated before deciding to write this message (as I shouldn't be a busybody)...... Hope you don't mind my 2 cents....

I think I read some where that your inlaws (from both sides), bro-in-law & your own 2 kids all squeezed into your 5 room Tiong Bahru flat.

You mentioned that both inlaws' HDB flats are fully paid up & now pocketing disposal income. I wonder u mean your inlaws' disposable or your income?

Besides, you seem to imply that both you & your spouse is the only child (i.e. the 2 inlaws' HDB flat will be yours sooner or later).

You also mentioned that your income is stagnant SGD3,500 & working in a bank.

Now........ my views (without prejudice) are:

1) Even staying in HDB, don't you think that you should provide a quality living space for your family (being the MAN of the house).

2) The rents from the other 2 inlaws' HDB should be their own living income (not your spouse nor yours).

3) Personally, I am 40+. I stayed with my 1st employer for 20 years. Now I am working with my 2nd employer (4 years & going). My monthly income more than double yours. What I want to say is even staying on with the same company, it depends on wisdom, opportunities & abilities, for your career to move on/up.

4) Having said that, with my income, I am not even considering buying a property in Mt Sinai. We should live within our own means.

5) My investment property is paid in cash (down payment), and if possible, for my loan, I shall service it on cash basis, as long as situation permits.

6) If you think you are considering to dispose off your 2 inlaws' HDB to service your personal objective of getting a SGD 1.8M property in Mt Sinai, may I say that you are just like what Chinese in China said “月光组". That is not nice. Not effort of your own.

It is NOT my intention to touch on these personal views. But sincerely hope you WAKE UP and be realistic (perhaps lower your expectation). Coz, even if you (EVENTUALLY) achieved your target, it is NOT thru your own means... Got it?

[CondoWE]

I just have a few points

Don't blame on others
Do you know who are Soh and Ye? do they know you? Do you have proof of what they had done to you? BTW, what have they done to you in affecting your decision? Don't blame on others if you are not able to capture the opportunities yourself, this reflects on you.

Are you an average Joe? NO, definitely NO
I believe none of the forummers here can put, parents, parents in law, BIL under one roof, keep their rental income, don't give them pocket money, they do all the household work, taking care of your children etc etc. and you are not going to take care of them when they are old and sick...As such, you are definitely not an average Joe, you are so much better than all us here.

Are you an average Joe? YES, definitely YES
You are 36, an overseas uni grad, earning $3600 per month, that is the pay of a local grad with 2-3 years working experience. You claimed that you are effective, efficient, but why earning below market? and still stay put for so long? So are you worst than an average Joe.

At 36, you still have to come here to ask the forummers on your career choice.

Shall you change your job?
Looking at some of your postings, you are very good in posting two sentence questions for other to answer you instead of just make a call or do a google. Can I suppose this is your working attitude?

Lately, you have been calling crashing everywhere? is this your character?

If above is true, then you lack of positive attitude and thinking.

My advice to you is to stay put, mainly, you may not survive in the new working environment. And the interviewers highly unlikely will give you a job assessing your age and your pay and even your current job specification, that definitely is something terribly not right somewhere.


You may not be happy with the above I wrote, but life is like that, not full of fairness and happiness all the time.

Anyway, I wish you all the best

一针见血。。。 ！

[Cupcakes]

Actually to be fair to him, 3.5k is a norm salary range for bank back office operation. Don't be nasty to him already. He wasn't as rude as many of us here, just a little annoying.
If everyone is born elite, outspoken, then everyone be director, doc, lawyer, minister....

[yowetan]

Yowetan,

I hesitated before deciding to write this message (as I shouldn't be a busybody)...... Hope you don't mind my 2 cents....

I think I read some where that your inlaws (from both sides), bro-in-law & your own 2 kids all squeezed into your 5 room Tiong Bahru flat.

You mentioned that both inlaws' HDB flats are fully paid up & now pocketing disposal income. I wonder u mean your inlaws' disposable or your income?

Besides, you seem to imply that both you & your spouse is the only child (i.e. the 2 inlaws' HDB flat will be yours sooner or later).

You also mentioned that your income is stagnant SGD3,500 & working in a bank.

Now........ my views (without prejudice) are:

1) Even staying in HDB, don't you think that you should provide a quality living space for your family (being the MAN of the house).

2) The rents from the other 2 inlaws' HDB should be their own living income (not your spouse nor yours).

3) Personally, I am 40+. I stayed with my 1st employer for 20 years. Now I am working with my 2nd employer (4 years & going). My monthly income more than double yours. What I want to say is even staying on with the same company, it depends on wisdom, opportunities & abilities, for your career to move on/up.

4) Having said that, with my income, I am not even considering buying a property in Mt Sinai. We should live within our own means.

5) My investment property is paid in cash (down payment), and if possible, for my loan, I shall service it on cash basis, as long as situation permits.

6) If you think you are considering to dispose off your 2 inlaws' HDB to service your personal objective of getting a SGD 1.8M property in Mt Sinai, may I say that you are just like what Chinese in China said “月光组". That is not nice. Not effort of your own.

It is NOT my intention to touch on these personal views. But sincerely hope you WAKE UP and be realistic (perhaps lower your expectation). Coz, even if you (EVENTUALLY) achieved your target, it is NOT thru your own means... Got it?

Hi...thanks for the genuine and kind input. Appreciate that.

Thanks again.

[yowetan]

Actually to be fair to him, 3.5k is a norm salary range for bank back office operation. Don't be nasty to him already. He wasn't as rude as many of us here, just a little annoying.
If everyone is born elite, outspoken, then everyone be director, doc, lawyer, minister....

Hi...thanks. Judging people capability and ability based on how much they write/reply in a forum is something new I have learn recently from this forum. Thanks for the kind understanding.

[pod]

Real Estate agent career is not for everyone.

Its really not easy scuffling with your peers for listings and closing sales with teeth grit n bleeding from opinions that may shadow your pride or integrity.

There are of cos some who get by easily as they dun think so much and have not much family commitments etc etc.

Abt working and earning more so that you can afford a ppty u desire, do manage ur expectations as well as study the mkt seriously. Dun rely too much info by agents or wat u read in the papers, cos usually btt u finished reading, the mkt has changed.

I say this becos i have many friends who are way much wealthier (cash rich) then me but failed to take the first bold step and are now are stuck with their 1st ppty becos of the implimentations of the various cms lately.

If you still think that the Sinai ppty is too exp, then it is probably true for your financial standings. Move on and look elsewhere. There's alot of hidden gem in Singapore actually

All the best

[leftfield]

I'm not here to feed the troll but we need to make a clear distinction between aspiration and obsession.

Aspiration will make one question what he/she is lacking and making an effort to change and improve oneself

Obsession will just make one blame others when things dont go their way. Anyone and everyone's fault except his/hers.

Only those with aspirations deserve help and advice.

[cbsh38584]

Hi...I would like to seek all of your kind analysis, opinions and advices on my career change.

I am already 36 year old, and my salary has been stagnating at 3.5k++SGD with little chance/prospect of increasing. With high inflation within horizon and my ambitious plan of getting a Mt Sinai property, I feel I have to step out of my comfort zone to go beyond the norm.

I am considering to work as a property agent. Please kindly offer your honest opinion and view on this career change.

Please do not flame me, thanks.

You dont need a Career change. You have not bring out your full potential which everybody has. Your INNER strength. Once you hv found your inner strength, whatever things U want to achieve , it can be done.


The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude

Positive thinking is expecting, talking and visualizing with certainty what you want to achieve, as an accomplished fact

A positive attitude brings strength, energy, motivation and initiative.


To think negatively is like taking a weakening drug.


When you say, "I can't" and expect the worst, you become weak and unhappy


When you say "I can", and expect success, you fill yourself with confidence and happiness

Positive thinking and negative thinking are attitudes. They are points of view, and show the way people handle their affairs

Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative and more happiness.


Train your mind to think in terms of 'possible' and 'can be done'

With the right attitude, you can inspire and motivate yourself to do greater things

The power of positive thinking is like a car with a powerful engine that can take you to the summit of a mountain.

rdgs,
Vic

[Laguna]

Well said Vic
怕只怕
江山易改,本性难移
This guy shall do an analysis of himself and map out his path and realistically move on.

I doubt in his entire career life, he had ever thought of how to enhance his market value and marketability.

Hope he listen to you..

[Ricade]

Yowetan,

You are a fortunate fellow. You are asking this question at the right time.

if you really willing to try stg new and increase your income, maybe can check out opportunity to be crane operator.

The job is dangerous (you need to climb very tall cranes, clock work whether it is sunny day, cloudy day, rainy day, need to spend a few hours on the crane at one go, need to do OT and sacrifice publick holidays, need to be alert at all times because it can potentially hurt and injure fellow workers who are on the ground).

But, there is a severe shortage of Singapore citizen and PRs working in this line.

If you believe the construction boom will last for a while, maybe u can make career switch into this job and make hay while the sun shines.

Go and check out this website

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...d-/661066.html

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...rs-needed-khaw

http://sbr.com.sg/building-engineeri...rane-operators

http://www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safe...plication.aspx

http://www.asiaone.com/Business/Offi...029-32905.html

[Mary Lee]

[QUOTE=Ricade]

The job is dangerous (you need to climb very tall cranes, clock work whether it is sunny day, cloudy day, rainy day, need to spend a few hours on the crane at one go, need to do OT and sacrifice publick holidays, need to be alert at all times because it can potentially hurt and injure fellow workers who are on the ground).


I think that is cruel to a bank officer. I'd rather make less money, stay in HDB and be happy and safe.

[evolutionx]

bro - i can tell you .. if you want to increase your salary .. be prepared to work for it or sacrifice something major. can you do that? my weekday work schedule is from 9am to 11pm (with the exception of Friday. I work alternate saturdays if need be, and I always work sundays most of the time.

sure, can make $, buy a decent house. i am blessed my gf has stuck by me all this while. but difficult to have a proper life when work calls me day in and day out and i always am available to answer my phone for work .. even at 11pm.

yes .. can earn $$ ... i put down a deposit for a small place in river valley a few works ago - not my parents money but mine. every single cent. instead of taking from my folks, i lowered my expectations and bought something reasonable in my budget.

so keep that in mind ... im not telling you to work stupid hours like i do ... but find something you're good at ... and then excel at it ... most of my clients always tell my boss they appreciate my speed of working .. which means my boss finds it hard to replace me :P

[ay123]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d5eP0wWLQY

try something different. it will work for u unless u are worse than him