Singapore is a nice place to live, but one will not survive with the bit of ching and dollar notes in your pocket. I know many of you are looking for good paid jobs, better paid jobs, so here we go. I collected the best infos and tips to get your dream job in Singapore.
Jobportals or Headhunters?
Well, as Singapore happens to be one of the most desirable places, where you go looking for a job, you would be surprised to know that there are plenty of websites on the Internet giving you plenty of misdirected information about job hunting in Singapore. Yes, you read correctly, “misdirected”.
Some websites want you to write a two-page resume because that is going to impress your future employees. D-Uh, if the résumé start-up is something like “I have been in charge of cross functional coordination and facilitation between my organisation’s multitasking teams,” it only serves to leave the poor employer goggle eyed and going back to “what was that supposed to mean? Was he a coordinator? Was he an errand or paper boy?”
Especially in Singapore the business with “paid” job portals is blooming, I would always recommend you to contact a couple of actual headhunters first, and as a last resort rely on the online job market.
First Impression Counts – Get Your Resume right
Remember that your résumé is going to be a first impression, so do not make it sound like an episode in the life and times of your truly. Be brief, be salient, and to the point, and above all cheek teh typu erors. That can make all the difference between carelessness, and methodical rechecking, success and failure. By the way, remember to take a copy of your resume, along with you during the interview, even though all the papers will be on the table of the interviewer. Give the necessary papers to the interviewer with both hands.
Keep it low – Quality before Quantity
Do not post your resume on every single jobhunting Portal available in Singapore, because that is going to show your resume to be overexposed. It would be sensible to send a resume by snail mail to the company, because some companies have a tendency of asking you to send your resume through their company website and there you are, lingering on, hoping against hope that there are going to call you for an interview.
Dress code for interview in Singapore – gents need to wear formals, longsleeved shirts please, no wingtips. Ladies, office blouses with collars. Neck, arms, back modestly covered. Stockings and formal black shoes are an added asset, because they make you look like a corporate tigress. Please get rid of that perm and go back to the hair in a bun. Victorian, but will give you brownie points. (Read: What you must know about Business Etiquette in Singapore)
The 10 Best Jobportals in Singapore
Remember that there are 10 really good jobhunting portals in Singapore, (Read: The Top 10 Job Portals in Singapore), but for those who are too lazy to click the button,Jobstreet and Jobsdb have miles and miles of jobs open, especially if you are an IT professional. If you are just planning to shift to Singapore after you have got a job, apply beforehand.
Expat Marketing professionals and advertising professionals are going to have it a bit tough, because these jobs are snapped up by native Singaporeans who know their market well. For all those people who would rather attack the newspaper with a ball pen making red round circles round targeted jobs, the best option is to look at The Straits Times classified section.
Other “Offline” Options
You can get a large number of prospective jobs in the Sunday edition, -you can get the classified sections everyday — for around 2 S$. Yes, one more tip about future job hunters in Singapore, you would want to register as a job hunter in Singapore, and get your employment eligibility certificate. Get more information in the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM has the answers to whether her sonny boy is going to get a job or not). A large number of people hunting for jobs in Singapore, optimistically came here flying by the trousers of their seat, and went in for an extension at the ICA. You could try out that option too. Request a 60 day extension!
Getting the Edge over the Competition – Last Insider Tips
Look for jobs as a stopgap, in restaurants, hotels, secretarial jobs, administrative jobs, writing jobs, advertising jobs, teaching jobs, telemarketing, retail and even bartending. Use placement agencies only as a last resort, because placement jobs are far and few. Be ready for the questions which are going to be asked to you, most common of which will be, “why do you want to work in Singapore? What do you know about the employment procedure in Singapore?” (Answer – ummmm aahhh, huhhh,wellll, you know look at the ceiling for inspiration…).
Competition for jobs in Singapore is pretty fierce, but you have an added advantage because you are an experienced angmo, with Degrees in hand. You are going to get an added advantage if you have an EPEC in hand, or are a permanent resident.
by an Asia experienced 26 year young expat living and surviving in Singapore since years!
Discovering new interesting and strange things everyday, he provides guides, news and tips for how to survive Singapore and how to best prepare for it.
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