Singapore Expats

Hi Everyone,

My wife moved from the United States in April and was immediately put on a dependent pass. As an interior designer, she has been trying as hard as she could to get an opportunity to work for an interior design firm. However because she's not a PR or a Singaporean, she's consistently failing to either get job opportunities or interviews.

She made a spreadsheet of about 100 companies (I think there are no more than about 100 interior design companies) and after repeatedly contacting all these companies at least once, either positions aren't available, she's getting the "you're a DP", or they have no interest.

I know my wife's credentials: she has everything a full fledged interior designer has to get everything done for a company. Yet no bites.

Here's what she's done:
1. She redid her resume umteen times hoping to cater to the Singapore market.
2. She made her spreadsheet and cold called all (about 100 people) numerous times.
3. She's applied for anything she could get online.
4. She's had 3-4 coffee meetups with prospects, but all tell her the same depending pass scenario.

She's frustrated!, and I feel her pain, and I want to help her get the resources/interviews that she needs.

I was suggesting that maybe she freelanes, but it feels like a copout that she's not competent in this market.

My questions:
1. For dependent pass holders, what can she do to expedite the situation?
2. Do you know any interior design firms that is on the lookout for smart, talented, expats?
3. Should she try the freelancing route? If so, where can she go to get free lancing opportunities in interior design?

Any help is appreciated.

You need to read the threads about freelancing and the LOC in the Careers forum. Wife cannot work freelance without forming a legal entity and being approved to work.

She can only try to education potential employers that, as a DP, she is easy to hire with a LOC. Employers are also wary of LOC because it is tied to spouses EP and their employee could disappear at any time.

Sounds like the potential employers are too stupid to know that they would have to get her an EP... no one can work on DP.

Hello, I have just moved to Singapore on a dependency pass and have just read your post. It concerns me as I am also an Interior Designer. I have just began my search so have not experienced this yet but I am concerned that I will now struggle. Have you had any positive outcome since your post? I understand it may concern employers but you can work on a DP as long as the EP gives written permission for the DP to work?

hmacmillan123 wrote:Hello, I have just moved to Singapore on a dependency pass and have just read your post. It concerns me as I am also an Interior Designer. I have just began my search so have not experienced this yet but I am concerned that I will now struggle. Have you had any positive outcome since your post? I understand it may concern employers but you can work on a DP as long as the EP gives written permission for the DP to work?

You need a letter of consent (LOC) from MoM to work on a dependents pass. Read the LOC and dependents pass threads in this section.

You need to be legally gay here to work as interior designer. Also colour blind.

PNGMK wrote:You need to be legally gay here to work as interior designer. Also colour blind.

But not Christian, right?

Strong Eagle wrote:

PNGMK wrote:You need to be legally gay here to work as interior designer. Also colour blind.

But not Christian, right?

Not unless you want a mural of "Follow the Rainbow" imposed on old pinky's face on your wall.

If an Asian can do your job then you will struggle.

PNGMK wrote:

Strong Eagle wrote:

PNGMK wrote:You need to be legally gay here to work as interior designer. Also colour blind.

But not Christian, right?

Not unless you want a mural of "Follow the Rainbow" imposed on old pinky's face on your wall.

Touche!

martincymru wrote:If an Asian can do your job then you will struggle.

This rings so true. Especially if you're trying to transfer into EP on your own merit, instead of relying in LOC as DP holder.

piyushdabomb wrote:Hi Everyone,

I was suggesting that maybe she freelanes, but it feels like a copout that she's not competent in this market.

My questions:
1. For dependent pass holders, what can she do to expedite the situation?
2. Do you know any interior design firms that is on the lookout for smart, talented, expats?
3. Should she try the freelancing route? If so, where can she go to get free lancing opportunities in interior design?

Any help is appreciated.

Most interior decorator companies are after the lucrative HDB business, where you need to be chinese or know chinese ..

She should weed out those small companies and go after the larger ones, like DP, SDA and the likes.

Is your wife an American ? That may set the wrong expectations, a-la higher pay expected etc, and in such cases, I am sure, as you are a recruiter - you will know the clients won't bother to discuss pay !

So it may be good to set the expectations correct before applying. As a recruiter, I thought you knew all that ..

martincymru wrote:If an Asian can do your job then you will struggle.

Do you mean East Asian?

Someone from middle east got chance or not?