Singapore Expats

Hello everyone. I am wondering where the best place is to start looking for a job in Singapore from abroad. I am Canadian citizen with a honours undergrad business admin degree [2002]. I have posted my resume on many sites, both job sites and sent it directly to companies as well with no responses. Anyone have any tips? I would also like to get a feel for the white collar 'normal' working conditions if possible. Anything and everything is greatly appreciated. I currently work as a consultant for a financial software company, and have 4 years work experience.

Many many thanks for your precious time...

Guess the first question that would arise is what revelancy has your 4 years of work experience to your degree if any? If not actually directly relevant, then your odds of getting a job here are slim at best. What degree do you actually posess? B.BA or A.BA? A Batchlors with not much track record will be difficult to place as they are a dime a dozen here and will work for around 2.3K/mo SGD without perks. Now if you have a MBA you will have a better chance if it is from a good business school.

Good luck with your search.

hey ben you might want to try e-mailing your resume to my friend,who is a Recruitment Consultant.

The e-mail is [email protected] you might want to tell her that Pam referred you ... cheers.. good luck..

chixchix wrote:hey ben you might want to try e-mailing your resume to my friend,who is a Recruitment Consultant.

The e-mail is [email protected] you might want to tell her that Pam referred you ... cheers.. good luck..

Chixchix,

I've noticed that you keep referring people to a certain company/recruitment consultant and asking that they tell her that you referred them. Are you getting a commission for referrals? If so you should advertise, if not why should they tell them you sent them? If it's just someone you have never met nor even seen their resume what does it matter? Just curious.

Hi there,SMS, nope I am not getting any referral.One of my friends has just got tht job and she asked me to help her source for people looking for jobs.So thats what I am doing , just assisting people.
Reason why I tell them to state my name is so that she knows where they got her e-mail from...and also,she will know that indeed a friend is assisting her.

I just believe in helping others, money doesnt matter to me. hope that clears the doubt.

Hey Ben,

I woud suggest doing some research on the companies you want to try and get employed with here in Singapore and subsequently getting on a plane to come over here and introduce yourself in person. Companies over here get tons of CV's everyday so if your able to come out on an interview tour that is what I would suggest. People will always make time for you if your coming from as far abroad a Canada. That's what I did and it worked for me. All the best with it.

Thanks very much for the responses.

SMS, all of my work experience is related to my degree, which is a BBA or as we call it here HBBA [honours bachelor of business administration]. I focused primarily in finance in my 4 year stint @ university and my jobs thereafter have been as a Trader, Fund Accountant, and now Consultant for reconciliation software [used by hedge funds, insurance companies and other large financial instituions]. I dont even know if my resume [CV] is even in the right format for your country. I heard it is customary to have a photo of yourself on it? Again, any points in the right direction are appreciated.

CHIXCHIX - thank you for the contact info, i will definetly send your frined my resume. Cheers!

MNL - Thank you for sharing your experience. I am interested to hear more about it. I always knew that going in person would be the best. Did you line up the interviews before going there or did you just pound the pavement and take your chances? How do you find the work environment there comparitivley? I am thinking about going to Singapore in September/October, but i will only have 2 weeks. Thanks again for the post.

Benjaminzinger,

Yes, a photograph, while not required, it almost always expected and usually requested prior to an interview. Additionally, anything that is against the law in the US or Canada information wise is required here. Visual looks, Race, Age, Gender, Religious preferences, number of fingers on each hand, the colour of your socks on Tuesdays (little tongue-in-cheek there), marital status, and the number of kids (okay - the last two make sense if the company has to foot the bill for education, etc.)

Of couse there is NO discrimination here either. Other than that it's okay and as long as you like adventure, and definitely have a open mind and thick skin you do okay. (I'm a Yank and have been here 24 years). Good luck in your search (I cannot help much as it's not my field).

sms

like Ben I am thinking of coming to Sing by mid Aug till end Sept and looking for work - I have done my undergrad (BBA) in the US in marketing, management, and also information systems. i have done my MBA in Australia in finance and entrepreneurship. looking for work in the consulting area - i have lived in sri lanka, papua new guinea, philippines, usa, and now australia so i have a very diverse background in experience and education (cook pretty good too!).

CHIXCHIX is it possible for me to send an email to your recruitment contact also?

I think you will have some good luck in Sing Ben!

on the contrary i'm a singaporean who'd like to go Canada to work? how difficult is it to do that?

i did study in Canada before at SFU, British Columbia, but after coming back to serve the army, i had little opportunities regardless of how many applications i send, any help?

sorry if this is a bit too off topic