Stay or Leave ?

last SG · 2008-12-17T15:12:32+00:00

Is hard to mingle along with the whites..as in to get them to accept u into their social circle.. i've friends who ever worked in Aust. before & opt to c...

retracement SG

Hi guys,

I write here because i can think of no other place that i can seek advice, and would gladly appreciate any.

I am 27 years old, male, and graduated last year from an Australian university after spending 2 years plus there. Have been working in a bank as a relationship manager (aka salesman) ever since.

After I graduated, i found that jobs were limited (i graduated in finance) and people didn't take my degree seriously. I was offered jobs pertaining to insurance and sales, which is why i am at my current job (I think i sent out over 100 resumes). Don't get me wrong. I like my job, i consider myself more of a right brained person that possesses (hopefully) good EQ.

The thing is, I'm not happy with my life. I think i deserve better. I'm working 12-13 hours a day, not earning enough, and the future looks bleak. Living in a HDB flat while slogging away for the next 30 years trying to pay off the housing loan, while servicing car instalments and yet desperately saving for my children's education doesn't really appeal to me. Just like any other man, I look forward to providing my future wife with a comfortable lifestyle, and to be able to send my kids overseas to study.

I am thinking of moving back to Australia, to Sydney, maybe back to Brisbane (where i studied). I think Australia might be able to offer me what I want. My only concern is not being able to find a job when i get there. i dont mind working in Coles/Woolworths till i get a job.

What do you guys think? I think i am gutless for not being brave enough to seek a better future for myself, and at the same time, i can't bear to leave everything behind. my family, friends ... etc etc ... (FOOD..).. etc.

I would be glad to hear any thoughts ... thanks.

cathykitty SG

Hi guys,

I write here because i can think of no other place that i can seek advice, and would gladly appreciate any.

I am 27 years old, male, and graduated last year from an Australian university after spending 2 years plus there. Have been working in a bank as a relationship manager (aka salesman) ever since.

I would be glad to hear any thoughts ... thanks.

I don't think you're gutless at all! But what exactly do you want to find in Australia? "A better future" and "a comfortable lifestyle" are all really vague phrases. Everyone wants that right? But how to achieve that is the more impt question...

Maybe it would help if you can list out in specific terms your aims in gg back to Oz. E.g. what is the eventual job you want to find there... and where you intend to live.

It's great that you're planning for your future family. Do you have a girlfriend now? Maybe ask her what she thinks first. :)

caleb_chiang SG

Wait... you wanna go to a foreign country and become a begger on the streets? Do sounds that way to me since that you have no job offers and still thinking of going there, think you would wind up begging on the streets.

Don't just think, do it... Search for jobs before you jump into your plan...

noahnoah SG

here got somone going to oz soon also

maybe u can ask him for advise ya

Xcert SG

Hi guys,

I write here because i can think of no other place that i can seek advice, and would gladly appreciate any.

I am 27 years old, male, and graduated last year from an Australian university after spending 2 years plus there. Have been working in a bank as a relationship manager (aka salesman) ever since.

I would be glad to hear any thoughts ... thanks.

What makes U think Australia will have better chances for U...with the current economic situation...what's more ur degree is in finance...

its not about guts....

Master -_- SG

Degree in Finance, unfortunately at this point, is quite redundant leh..just a problem of wrong timing for Finance students who happens to be finding a job..My friend who has a degree in Economics and Finance, keeps getting calls from Financial Inst. who want him to work selling financial instruments..

retracement SG

Maybe it would help if you can list out in specific terms your aims in gg back to Oz. E.g. what is the eventual job you want to find there... and where you intend to live.

It's great that you're planning for your future family. Do you have a girlfriend now? Maybe ask her what she thinks first. :)

thanks for the support :)

i am hoping to relocate to one of the major australian cities, preferbly sydney or brisbane..

my girlfriend is very supportive of my idea, and she relishes the idea of going overseas to work. the thing is, i'm concerned that she might not be able to adapt to life there, shops not open after 5, culture, the prospect with working with foreigners .. etc etc.

i've thought about what i want. australia offers a good work life balance (or so im led to believe so since i've a couple of friends in oz working), freehold housing (albeit at super high interest rates), and cheaper cars. also, if i do eventually get PR, at least in future my childrens' education is secure.

hopefully i might be able to find a job there as an analyst in future, or something .. this part i haven't really figured out... we won't know what life would eventually throw at you.

retracement SG

Don't just think, do it... Search for jobs before you jump into your plan...

actually i have. im looking at job sites quite frequently and have applied for a few (today actually). the thing is most of them require a working visa before i can apply (and that visa costs money) and that's the reason for this post.

im not extremely concerned about job offers right now. what's more important to me are opportunities, and that's what i feel im not getting in sg. i'm not getting opportunities because

1) i graduated from an oz uni and there's a stigma associated with aust unis.

2) my grades weren't good enough. (i only have a credit average from my course)

3) i don't know anyone out there. (connections)

Singapore imo, is full of young, aspiring graduates (local/foreign) who are willing to work damn hard for very little money. im fine with that, but what i'm not fine with is the prospect of my future family suffering together with me because i don't bring home enough money at the end of the month...

retracement SG

What makes U think Australia will have better chances for U...with the current economic situation...what's more ur degree is in finance...

its not about guts....

i think aust might have better options because that's where i graduated from, and they might give more credit to my qualification over there, as opposed to here..

i do admit though, it will probably be tough finding a finance-job over there, just like over here.. which is why im trying to weigh the pros and cons before taking the plunge.

calculated wrong, and this plunge could cost me a lot of money and a wasted few years ... which is what im trying to avoid ..

it is about guts. how many sgpreans would dare to uproot themselves to find a better future? leave everything that's important to them behind... in short, be a quitter.

retracement SG

ya. the job market for bank jobs just dried up... :) and alot of them only offer contract/temp positions..

parn SG

Hi guys,

I write here because i can think of no other place that i can seek advice, and would gladly appreciate any.

I am 27 years old, male, and graduated last year from an Australian university after spending 2 years plus there. Have been working in a bank as a relationship manager (aka salesman) ever since.

I would be glad to hear any thoughts ... thanks.

IF you have nothing to lose, then you should be feeling excited at the uncertaincies that life is going to throw at you. Whatever happens in the future will ensure that your life will never going to be the same as your peers in Singapore. Your life will be changed ultimately based on what you have decided to steer it.

But if you got something important here that you are not willing to lose it, then you might need to reconsider your decision. And if you really don't wish to go to Australia, you wouldn't even bothered to post this topic. I'm sure you wanted to go to Australia, but you probably want support from the people in here.

Take a chance with your lives if you can afford to do so, else soon you might be too old to take any chance with your lives...if there's still any chances left for you to take them.

At the most, you are always welcome to return home to Singapore and work in Carrefour/Giant/NTUCFairPrice/ShengSiong.

And you no need to go back and do your NS every year. Greatest happiness for all Singaporean guys I believe.

starry99 SG

Well if you want to move, you had better do it soon. Cos when you hit 30, you lose another 5 points. While you are deciding, check your eligibility for PR. If you are looking for something different in life and Singapore is not offering it, go for it. You’re still young and can go anywhere you want. If you decide you don’t like it a few years down the road, you can always come back. But when you are old and want to move somewhere else, it is not easy anymore.

alfagal SG

maybe u are not at fault?

sg living standard so high...not all pple are well to do to go and work and live overseas..of cos they have to strive for higher education to be competitive...tatz y so many grads...

i know many RM who do v well and earn 5 digit figure...ever wondered if u are cut out for sales?

and...now e market sediments is so bad...sales have slow down alot...of cos there is no commision...hence..u are only living on ur basic...still have to set aside CPF funds...usually dun really left alot...although e rayroll amt seems not too bad...

sinicker SG

1) i graduated from an oz uni and there's a stigma associated with aust unis.

i think you already know this even before you went there to study.

retracement SG

Thank you all for your posts and concern.

parn > your post made me consider whether i posted this to get affirmation from fellow forumers, and yes, although when i click on this post i hope to see positive comments, no i don't think im looking for people just posting to encourage me to migrate. i hope to be able to see views that i've never thought of before, angles i never appreciated, and how that might affect me.

starry99 > i appreciate it. its great advice. i've checked, i qualify for a working visa, (marginally!)

alfagal > yes i agree its very competitive out there. everyone wants to make it big, but only a select few can. as much as i would like to blame market sentiment for my current predicament, i wont. i believe (maybe naively) that my future is in my own hands and i have the power to control my destiny. thing is, where does it lie? in oz or here ... haha .. nobody would know that ..

sinicker > actually, no, i didnt know that. at least, i didn't know it would be THIS bad. I'm very proud of the university i graduated from and i can't say for sure that every university graduate could say that.

soleachip SG

when faced with 2 life altering decisions, always choose the harder one.

even more so when you're still so young. good luck.

Gedanken SG

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense jumping ship when you don't have another ship to get to. If you feel that your prospects are better elsewhere, well and good, but just getting up and going when you don't have any firm prospects is effectively placing a stake on cards that you don't hold in your hand.

In your position, I'd first apply for skilled migration, and applying for jobs after getting approval. That way, when you do move you know what you're moving towards. Coming here and being a shelf stacker while you wait for your ship to come in is a particularly risky proposition, especially in the current economic climate.

By the way, how long ago did you graduate? Your degree's good for an extra 5 points for six months after graduation, but after that you'll need to back up your qualifications with work experience for those extra points.

caleb_chiang SG

im not extremely concerned about job offers right now. what's more important to me are opportunities, and that's what i feel im not getting in sg. i'm not getting opportunities because

1) i graduated from an oz uni and there's a stigma associated with aust unis.

2) my grades weren't good enough. (i only have a credit average from my course)

3) i don't know anyone out there. (connections)

That is why FT with degree came to singapore to sweep floors...

retracement SG

soleachip >> thanks for the motivation. i thought that was very inspiring.

Gendaken >> i graduated 2 years ago. i've thought what you said, but if u look at it from an employer's perspective there is no incentive for them to hire someone overseas (it's not like i have any special skills or talents) as opposed to them hiring someone within Australia. i'm quite sure im not the only one who has this mentality. But ya, you brought up good points and it would probably be something i would attempt before giving up everything and .. ''uprooting'' myself. thanks though.

caleb_chiang >> exactly the reason why i don't mind going over to work in a supermarket.

3dogs SG

My friend works in Perth- in a bank. He told me thay like to employ asian because they are hardworking. But u will never get promoted because thay keep it for the whites.

Hey, i thought plumber, electrician, etc are in big demand there. Sure get PR there. Why don't take a course in those? Go there be your own boss !