First of all, thanks for allowing us to interview
you online AJ and can you provide us with some background information on
yourself?
i am a 36
year old Singaporean lady and earned my Economics degree and MBA from a top-notched
business school. My last drawn was between $300,000 to $400,000 per annum.
What was your last occupation and you have told me
that you were unemployed for a few months, can you tell us more about this and
also your job search experience?
Been in finance industry (doing the same thing) for
15 years. Unemployed for 18 months. Initially, frustrating and embarrassing.
Now more of frustrating and angry (especially after the MOM 2015 statistics). I
must also add that I applied to all government and government related
organizations (Temasek, GIC, MAS, Ministry of Finance), and the local banks
(OCBC, UOB and DBS) but am faced with repeated rejections or was simply
ignored. Not too sure what MAS and Ministry of Finance mean when they say they
are looking to develop a strong Singaporean core for the finance industry (and
in fact every industry). –
See more at: http://www.transitioning.org/2016/02/18/36-year-old-banker-who-used-to-earn-300000-to-400000-per-annum-frustrated-at-labour-policies/#sthash.df7qsGlA.dpuf..
Also read 38-year-old ex-civil servant used to earn $8500 now works in Cambodia
for half the salary Depressed Singaporean banker jobless for a year after
forced to resign by foreign superior - See more at:
http://www.transitioning.org/2016/02/18/36-year-old-banker-who-used-to-earn-300000-to-400000-per-annum-frustrated-at-labour-policies/#sthash.df7qsGlA.dpuf
There is
hope that more Sinkies will face the same fate before real change can take
place.
36 year old lady last drawing between $300-400K per annum? Must be those relationship managers in private and investment banking lah. Must have been lucky to snare some ultra rich foreigner clients lah.
ReplyDeleteI think this type of calibre very difficult to fit in normal banking and finance jobs lah. No wonder she got rejected.
"Not too sure what MAS and Ministry of Finance mean when they say they are looking to develop a strong Singaporean core for the finance industry (and in fact every industry). –"
ReplyDeleteDo you think they were making "populist" noises ahead of General Election 2015?
Do you think this Sinkie is daft?
Do you think she voted for the PAP?
Do you think she should join the Opposition Party to make sure her family gets represented in parliament?
Do you think there is any use for her to ask her MP for help at the Meet-The-People session?
If there is a long queue at the Meet-The-People's session ... do you think this means that the civil service is broken?
- because if the civil service is working properly ... why is there a need to go and see your MP?
Do you think going to Meet-The-People session is just like petitioning the Chinese emperor 3,000 years ago?
All the foreigners in the banking industry are more talented than this woman. Just walk around Raffles Place and MBFC and you will notice how talented they are with their little villager's look in their faces.
ReplyDelete4.5 million in 15 years.
ReplyDeleteHave we help the poor or do good deed when we earn 25k per month?
At 36,its the best time to give way and produce more babies and talents.
It's a blessing in disguise.
because if the civil service is working properly ... why is there a need to go and see your MP?
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:14 am
You cannot simply correlate like that lah, because they are separate matters.
Just like MRT breakdowns and fare increase are separate matters, according to Gerard Ee, ex PTC chairman.
ReplyDeleteBut pls note that in 2015, 70% said OK, thank you very much sirs!
So how now? So how now?
U tell me! U tell me!
Very "siong" lah!. Very "siong" lah!
Who did she voted in the GE?
ReplyDeleteI think many missed the point. The issue is that most companies are given the freedom to employ foreigners because of costs. Nothing wrong as far as these companies are concerned but a big disadvantage to us Singaporeans. While we are not against competition, we cannot allow this to be cost based. This is not a fair completion in the first place.
ReplyDeleteWe had been telling the Government that we are not against companies employing foreign workers on sectors that local do not want but certainly be selective when comes to PMET jobs. Is that so difficult to understand?
You too miss the point.
DeleteOnly khongcum employer will pay more if he can get someone cheaper.And it's not necessary she was replace by FTs.
30k a month can be use to create more jobs and employ 10 local uncles or aunties as cleaner,tea lady,or screwty guard etc and help to create more jobs.
Many just fail to realize that they are are overpaid .A job with such nature should be lucky to fetch 7 k per month.
Employer do not owe us a living.
Want high pay and be like those chia leow Bee,go join the You Know where.
You are absolutely right here. It has nothing to do with foreign workers but the dismissal of our PMET talent pool that is being abused and taken over by foreigners. The foreign PMEs are not paid dirt but some even more than our local PMEs. Are they really the talents, better than our locals?
ReplyDeleteThis is the most pathetic state of affair happening to our PMETs. Most govts would have been voted out in other countries or there will be rioting in the streets if it happened elsewhere.
Daft Sinkies just forgot that they are citizens of this country and have rights to be treated with preference as citizens and they have the right to vote out any govt that do not protect their interests.
Yes, more of the above is going to happen.
ReplyDeleteHave you read read Thomas Friedman's "The World Is Flat"? 3.0 is the latest updated edition. Here is the summary
Until up to the present the reason there were the aforementioned jobs at 100k-400k pa was because the market could support it. i.e.: those with the skills were a part of SCARCITY hence the ability to command such wages.
However now, the is no such thing as a local job. There is just "a job"---people compete across borders and across cultures. People are more mobile now, so relocating to a place where there is competition for good paying jobs is no longer an issue.
If your job can be outsourced, automated, digitised or tendered to someone who has the capacity to do your job faster or cheaper or both....you had better be making plans to "reinvent" yourself, and you might want to start by reading Friedman's book, or something along those lines.
People from China, India, Vietnam, Brazil and now the new states formerly part of the USSR, PLUS the European Union are all now direct competition.
As Freidman says: "We used to be told 'Finish your dinner. Children in China and India are hungry and starving'."
Now it is better to tell the kids "Finish your homework. Children and China and India are hungry and starving for your JOB!"
Seriously guys, we're not going back to "the goode olde dayes" where you could just sit pretty in your cushy high-pay, bonus-driven job and feel secure.
Got globalization? Got free trade agreement?
agongkia said...
ReplyDeleteYou too miss the point.
Only khongcum employer will pay more if he can get someone cheaper.
Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...
You are absolutely right here. It has nothing to do with foreign workers but the dismissal of our PMET talent pool that is being abused and taken over by foreigners. The foreign PMEs are not paid dirt but some even more than our local PMEs.
Who is missing the point? Told you to talk about something at your level and not out of your depth, like mei meis, and you keep trying to engage in serious conversation that you have difficulties in comprehension.
This is called 'beh hiow' but want to 'how lian', pretend to be smart.
ReplyDelete@ 1013:
ReplyDelete>> While we are not against competition, we cannot allow this to be cost based. This is not a fair completion in the first place. <<
Actually enterprise owners and employers could care less about non-stakeholders opinions on "competition". They follow the Golden Rule:
"He who has the GOLD makes the RULES".
"Fair"? "Fair" is a highly individualistic word. If something concurs with your sensibilities, then it is "fair" If not it is "unfair". You simply cannot operate an enterprise or allow a modern highly competitive economy to run on the idea---which can't really be defined properly---of this fluffy, touchy-feely, and highly personalised idea of "fairness".
For e.g.: to a ChIndian worker in today's globalised labour marketplace, where their individual cuntries have signed free trade agreements and thus have facilitated them to openly compete...to them, it is FAIR that they can compete across their borders.
To the local who's lost their job to one of these "globalised" workers, it is UNFAIR. The locals are citizens who've chosen their governments democratically, and those governments have signed and ratified free trade agreements.
At the end of the day, the Rule Of Law prevails.
Bloody hell....complain about the rich or aristocracy then defend the rich when it is in your interest
ReplyDeleteIt is people like this 36 years old woman that will fuck you in parliament
ReplyDeleteSalary 1 day 1k.Since when we seen these rich taitais showing concern on the less fortunate.Many even despise local elderly.
DeleteBut I think many got it wrong.it's a propaganda to tell the dafts that 25k a month salary can lost the job so those Pmets earning lesser should wake up and work harder and contribute more or longer hours.
Writer only know as AJ.36 years old,300 to 400 k annual income.Bluff who? My towkay soon 24 hours oso dun earn so much.Lucky got many gullible and naive uncles.
If she is so qualified, do you think she should become an Opposition politician?
ReplyDeleteAn attack on a Singaporean is an attack on all of us.
Do you think she should fight against the injustice done to her?
Ownself fight for own justice?
The evil that man do, lives after them.
ReplyDeleteThe good is oft interred with their bones.
William Shakespere
@ 1216:
ReplyDelete>> The evil that man do, lives after them. <<
So true. And thankfully so! 🙏
Homo sapiens (humans): Best estimates place the age of our species at between 100,000 and 200,000 years; the latter being the "accepted norm" in the science community.
Neanderthals: Appeared about 300,000 years ago, and went extinct about 40,000 years ago. Age of species: 260,000 years.
We now know with a fair degree of certainty that humans and neanderthals co-existed and interbred for THOUSANDS of years---science hasn't got a precise estimate.
So we have a combined INTEGRATION of "evil" from 2 separate species, and we carry the combined genome of both.
So we have about nearly HALF A MILLION YEARS of EVIL to draw from. 👍🏽👏👌
If you've ever wonder what life is so AWESOME, now you know why! 😂😂
'Bluff who? My towkay soon 24 hours oso dun earn so much.Lucky got many gullible and naive uncles.'
ReplyDeleteSo proud to prove your ignorance?
One daft only, ok lah.
ReplyDelete70% is still fine.
In Sin, it is nothing unusual.
All are inculcated by the
System to be so.
Sinkies enjoy swimming
in boiling water.
Very tge Shiok lah.
He doesn't know how much are the rich are earning and how poor he is. Ignorance is bliss.
ReplyDeleteI admit i am very poor but if khongcum believe there are many ah muay out there earning 300 to 400k per annum,our half bake you know who also want to compare their salary and ask to be paid similar to prevent corruption or have dignity ,I will become more poorer.Maybe this ah muay is helping to justify their salary.
DeleteWho knows.
All organizations in this world, east or west, are seeking cheaper, better, younger staff irregardless of whether they are local or not. Nationalities do not matter anymore. Having that amount per annum can easily retire in another country and lead an easy and healthy life. Take a step back and it may be a blessing in disguise.
ReplyDeleteKongcums still think that highly paid people will not be fired or retrenched. Even the most highly talented George Yeo (formerly $2.5M a year) and Lim Hwee Hua (formerly $2M a year) lost their jobs after GE2011. Today both of them can't even get jobs paying them more than $20K a month. They had to sell away some of their Bt Timah bungalows becoz they couldn't afford the mortgages any longer. Luckily for them, they sold their properties in 2012, when the property market was still good.
ReplyDeleteThe 300k is a fluke in the first place. She is nothing but an over glorified salesperson selling some paper products to unsuspecting clients. This is like a snake oil salesman complaining that he has lost his business as more and more people get educated and no longer believe in his hocus pocus.
ReplyDeleteObviously, her spectacular education didn't do her any good. She's also not financially savvy after so many years in this line and obviously doesn't know much about savings and investing. Else, with her kind of pay, she would have been financially free and enjoying life right now and not worrying about income.
I am totally against foreign PMETs, but I've no pity for bankers. They are nothing but overpaid paper pushers with extremely high sense of self worth/ego.
/// I am totally against foreign PMETs, but I've no pity for bankers. They are nothing but overpaid paper pushers with extremely high sense of self worth/ego. ///
ReplyDeleteFebruary 22, 2016 5:28 pm
but if she is willing to vote Opposition.
If she is willing to join Opposition party.
Then I say she is worth fighting for.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Germans Cheer As Refugee Center Burns, Crowds Stop Firefighters From Extinguishing Blaze
ReplyDelete================================================================================
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-21/germans-cheer-refugee-center-burns-crowds-stop-firefighters-extinguishing-blaze
Luckily Germans are not so stupid like Singaporeans.
Even India's Indians want quotas to protect opportunities for themselves
ReplyDelete=============================================================================
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-21/10-dead-troops-deployed-water-rationed-indians-riot-we-are-here-die
........................................................
Violent protests by the rural caste have left 10 dead and 150 injured in Haryana, India where the government has sent 4,000 troops and 5,000 paramilitaries with shoot-on-sight orders.
The week-long riots reflect frustration with a lack of employment and university opportunities.
“The Jats are demanding quotas for government jobs and university places for their caste, saying they are struggling to find opportunities despite India's strong economic growth,” AFP writes.
“India reserves places for lower castes in measures intended to bring victims of the country's worst discrimination into the mainstream but the policy causes resentment among other communities, who say it freezes them out.”
Redbean
ReplyDeletePlease warn your friends & family
There is a huge wave of defaulting energy loans to oil companies
- beware of banks selling these as structured investment products to unsuspecting Singaporeans
the last time this happened with the defaulting mortgage loans in USA
- Singaporeans ended up buying structured investment products like the Minibond, Jubilee Notes and I don't know what else
Please open eyes big, big.
Learn from history.
---------------------------------------------------
Panic Below The Surface: "Banks Are Selling Energy Loans At Cents On The Dollar To Ensure Their Own Survival"
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-21/panic-below-surface-banks-are-selling-energy-loans-cents-dollar-ensure-their-own-sur
.............................................................
It Was True After All: The Government Is "Breathing Down The Neck Of Banks To Limit Their Energy Exposure"
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-21/us-government-breathing-down-neck-large-banks-limit-their-energy-exposure
....................................................
The Next Shoe Just Dropped: Equity NAVs Of 348 CLOs Slide Below Zero; "Market Changed Dramatically In 6 Weeks"
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-21/next-shoe-just-dropped-equity-navs-348-clos-slide-below-zero-market-changed-dramatic
.................................
I think there might be some confusion here.
ReplyDeleteIs this basic pay or with commission?
For that kind of pay to be employed by civil service, i might be wrong but you need to be a scholar groomed or entry to certain grade.
More background information needed. Normally for this pay scale grade (basic pay), you must be joking to go for interview. Normally this kind of job is recommended one or approached and some serious references required especially from your past employer.
The key, why so many foreigners employed and daft sinkies unable to find jobs? Those sinkies feeling no concern for this sinkie woman, hope you don't end up in her position, unable to find a job because the job went to a foreigner.
ReplyDeleteBottomline, she is likely a Pappies
ReplyDeleteSupporter, this is to say she could
have voted for the Policies in the
Last GE.
If she did, then no reason to sympathize her. In fact if she did, then she deserves
the repercussion. Liked what Agongkia posted, she was likely to feel that the Cabinet Members deserve their tens of millions Sib Dollars.
Case close.
Anon 10.22
DeleteHonestly I am not against high salary for competent civil servant.
But Chia Leow Bee who dun deserve high salary should be sack.
Let me off track a bit and share a case that I just know...
My financially strained lakopi kaki sold his flat recently to move into a BTO flat.Even after paying 10% they cannot give him the key of the new house for him to do touch up.Even after signing on 1st appt.and document to rent his new house,it took 2 weeks and no reply which they promise.After calling them they have no knowledge that he is waiting for their reply for rental of his new flat.A promise to return call today also fail...This delay in reply of renting his own flat had cause him having to quarrel with his wife and likely ended up him having to divorce before he can even move in.This is because they have to hand over the present house key to HDB on his 2nd appt which is about 3 week away.3 week is not enough time for touch up and he may be left homeless.This lakopi kaki got to spent his chap goh meh pleading for help to MP at MPS to draft a letter,for such a simple case becos his own email letter was ignored. .
Why make thing difficult for a poor citizen who is willing to accommodate renting his own house which I think he dun even have to.
Incompetent staff should be terminated so as not to tarnish the Organisation reputation.
Dun understand why HDB and RC keep asking him to support the coming HIP project which he did but come to such convenience,they just cannot accommodate.
HDB sleeping or staff still celebrating CNY?
Sack the chia leow bees.
Hi Anthony Tan, welcome to the blog.
ReplyDeleteSingaporeans must first think of protecting the interests of Singaporeans first and foreigners last. That is basic in nationhood. Anyone not protecting Singaporeans and protecting foreigners is a traitor, selling out the country.
@ RB, spot on:
ReplyDelete>> Singaporeans must first think of protecting the interests of Singaporeans first and foreigners last. <<
Yes, actually they already do...THINK about it. But other than write screeds on the internet, that's all they do THINK...and think more and more...and keep thinking, and whinging...
But when it comes to actually DOING SOMETHING about it---you know, specific, targeted, objective-focused, meticulously planned ACTION---all you hear is the sound of crickets on a late night.
The most noticeable ACTION taken is that 70% of the voters return the PAP to power, with a more than CLEAR MANDATE to govern. 😂
Can you cry and laugh at the same time?
Redbean,
ReplyDeleteBeen a long time reader and Thank you for the warm welcome.
I agree with your statement. "Singaporeans must first think of protecting the interests of Singaporeans first and foreigners last. That is basic in nationhood. Anyone not protecting Singaporeans and protecting foreigners is a traitor, selling out the country."
The comments I made earlier doesn't mean I am against protecting jobs for Singaporeans, in fact I am a great supporter. But, first of all, she just said she lost her job, she didn't said she lost it to a foreigner. For all we know, she might be a lousy investment banker and made a bad call which made the bank lose millions, thereby costing her her job.
Secondly, some jobs are worth protecting more then other jobs. Some jobs, are illegal (bookie, ah long, pimps, drug pushers, con men etc) Are such jobs worth protecting or should they be stamped out?
Some jobs are legal but I see them as parasitic in nature(investment banking, time share, some MLM, superstar religious leaders who lead the high life, high wage executives of charities, get rich quick programs, crony CEOs and board of directors, even some insurance and property agents) Some people might not agree with the whole list, but hope you get the gist. People who extract an unfair chunk of the profits from a productive economy or the general public but offer little value add/services contributing to the production to sales process.
I have nothing against businessmen who make profits (they took the risks), celebrities/actors, celebrity chefs, hair stylist etc. They can make whatever amount they like, it's a willing buyer/ willing seller market.
Jobs that are not worth keeping, it is pointless to discuss whether it is done by a local or a foreigner. It should be stamped out, full stop.
People are talking about the talents in the banking industry in the 70s and 80s. Singapore do have such talents, the problem is, they are the talents in traditional banking, not modern banking or investment banking. Traditional banking is about gathering capital from depositors, making loans to business and projects, making money from the loans, and giving part of it back to depositors. The loan officer need to make a call whether the purpose of the loan is legitimate and viable, if not and the borrower goes bankrupt, the bank loses it money. Traditional banking serve a purpose in society, else it would be difficult or impossible to get big projects going.
ReplyDeleteModern banking is an abomination due to all these smooth talking over educated con men who have highjacked the whole company/industry. Who are the greatest smooth talkers in the world, we both know. These CEOs and executives are not answerable to the owners (shareholders), the government, the public nor to anyone. They demand high pay, and in order to justify their high pay, they need to make outsized profits. This drives them to come out with exotic paper products, making bets against their clients, taking risks and making oversized bets in various markets etc. Make the right bet and they have a lot to gain personally, make the wrong bet and the shareholders pay. Make a big enough wrong bet, all depositors and even all taxpayers have to pay. The stuff that they have come out with to screw with a country and ordinary people can't be addressed in full in this short reply. You have wrote about the evil of HFT, this is but one of tentacles of the vampire squid.
Banking/finance screws up the mind of many who enter this industry, They deal with so many zeros till they get immune to it and don't have a grasp of the value of money anymore. They deal with so many high fliers till to them, having a multi-million property, driving a 300K car, 80K to dress from top to toe including the 20K bag or the 50K watch, is a norm. To them, a 600K income is peanuts, they are so super smart and they work so super hard and they deserved so much more. They have never stopped to think that they are just an employee and don't have a stake in the company, and that there are many more smarter people who are working much harder but earning a fraction of what they are earning.
Some banks are in trouble now. But when the times were good, some of these employees went for multiple all paid for trips a year (costing 30K per pax/year) for team bonding. They make thousands in claims every month for everyday lunch meetings and after work drinks. Did these executives know that they are running the company into the ground? With their intelligence, I'm sure they do, but nobody cares. Everyone just want to milk the system as much as possible while it lasts. Watch Wolf of Wall Street and you'll see how disgusting and twisted these people can be, the truth is not that far off.
Thus when these people finally run the company into the ground and losses their jobs, I'll clap my hands and tell myself "good riddance to these parasites"
If the banks go kaput with their conniving employees lagi better.
ReplyDeleteBanks are worse than ah longs nowadays.
What banking and finance talents?
Con Talents You mean ?
So innocent.
Today the banks are hijacked by their management to do many illegal stuff. Many western banks were built up over centuries by careful and hardworking management but are now running to the grounds by the new management, claiming big big profits waiting to be discovered that they were all fraudulent.
ReplyDeleteYup Anon 10:11.
ReplyDelete1) Greed by shareholders and 2) No true owner, unlike UOB.
If there's a real owner behind the bank, they won't allow such shit to happen. The staff won't get to party like there's no tomorrow at the expense of the owner.
That's why you see the most conmen smooth talkers in citi, standchart and DBS, not so much in UOB.