Every fresh grad's dream is to clinch a job offer that puts them on
the fast-track to the high life.
As you send out your resume, you fantasise about receiving a
starting pay higher than your own parents' salary after 30 years in
the workforce.
With starry eyes, you read newspaper articles about young
whippersnappers just like yourself making their first million, like
this 26-year-old property agent. Imagine the shock, then, when
after three or four years of university you emerge into the real
world, only to realise that fresh grads in your industry are
struggling, shattering your dreams of a smooth-sailing start to
your career.
Here are 3 traditionally high-paying industries you might want to
shy away from if you're allergic to hardship:
Law
Once upon a time, law graduates in Singapore were pretty much
guaranteed a job paying at least $4,500, with many receiving much
more, upon getting called to the bar.
Firms were so desperate for trainee lawyers that most law students
received multiple training contract offers before graduating
university.
But recently, things took a drastic about-turn, and don't look like
they'll be getting better anytime soon.
There is now an over-supply of lawyers, which has led firms to cut
their starting pay by a significant $1,000 to $2,000.
These days, even law graduates with above-average grades are
finding it hard to get a spot at one of the big-four firms, or
indeed any firm at all.
The upshot is that while the legal services industry is growing,
getting a job at a "prestigious" firm, or any job at all as a fresh
grad, is way harder than before.
And even if you do get a job fresh out of uni, when you're pulling
16 hour work days for the same wages as your friends in less
stressful industries, don't say we didn't warn you.
Real estate
Every Singaporean has that one real estate agent friend who never
seems to work, but is always opening bottles at clubs and generally
living the high life.
It doesn't help that the local newspapers seem to love publishing
stories about real estate agents either making it big, or running
amok with their money.
Becoming a property agent is also a favourite mid-career choice for
disillusioned former PMETs, perceived as one of the only jobs that
allows a capable newbie a shot at attaining a 6 figure annual
income.
Unfortunately, the Singapore property market has been in a slump
since the first round of cooling measures, and many property agents
in Singapore are throwing in the towel and moving on to other
trades.
Sure, it's still possible to succeed, but at this point in time
it's way, way easier to fail, especially if you're a rookie with
few contacts.
Engineering
Save for those who study business and finance, most Singaporeans
tend to prefer professional degrees because they offer a more
clearly-defined career path, preferably one that leads to a
high-paying job.
While medicine, dentistry and law are the most obvious choices,
engineering is a hot favourite amongst those students who like
math. Just graduate, become an engineer, work at it for a few
decades and finally retire in senior management.
Right? Well, these days engineers are feeling the heat from
overseas, as the engineering industry is one of the readiest to
take in overseas graduates who can do the same job, sometimes for
less, especially in fields like civil engineering.
In addition, a lot of would-be engineers have little idea what the
job really entails.
I've met engineers who quit their jobs because they didn't realise
that they'd have to wear jumpsuits and be in a hot, stuffy,
unglamorous environment for long periods of time, or stand under
the hot sun on a construction site. The hours can often be
gruelling and a 5.5 or 6 day work week is not uncommon.
A friend of mine became a civil engineer for a while, working 6
days a week with only 7 days of annual leave, until he finally quit
in frustration.
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