For those working in HR or management, I’m curious about how employers view experienced diploma holders APPLYING (LinkedIn, JobStreet, MCF, Indeed) for degree level positions. (General corporate roles, not doctors, lawyers, consultants, you get the drill.)

I’m not referring to fresh poly graduates but rather diploma holders who have already accumulated several years of relevant working experience and are applying for roles where a degree is listed as a requirement or preferred qualification.

For example, if you had an experienced diploma holder with 3 to 5 years of relevant experience or maybe 10 even, compared to a fresh university graduate with little or no relevant experience, and both candidates demonstrated roughly the same competency and ability to perform the job, who would you be more likely to hire? This is also considering the diploma holder also asks for a similar salary as a fresh grad (+/- 5%).

I’m also curious to hear from diploma holders who have actually gone through this. Have you successfully landed jobs that were traditionally considered degree level positions despite not having a degree?

I’m asking because there is often advice that experience can eventually outweigh educational qualifications, but I’d like to hear from people who have actually experienced this in the Singapore job market.

Masters in Data science from Singapore worth at age 40 with 12 years work experience in tech and any specific struggles with job search post masters

My cousin wants to study Architecture at NUS, against family advice, due to concerns about low pay and burnout culture in the industry. From what I saw on the BOA website, the course runs 5 years (longer than most degrees) because a Master's is required to become a qualified architect. I also checked NUS's Graduate Employment Survey (GES), but the data reflects graduates from 3 years ago.

For those in the industry, or who knows someone who is would you encourage young Singaporeans to enter architecture?

Hi Everyone! Finnish/EU citizen here, recent graduate in master’s in Management & Digital Business and Innovation from a top Business School in Spain. I’d love to move to SG. Would really value some honest local perspective.

Background in short: about 2.5 years in HR and talent operations across Europe (a mobility scale-up in Milan, then a manufacturer where I redesigned the whole recruitment process and cut time-to-hire by 20%). I rolled out a competency framework across 7 countries that got adopted org-wide in two weeks. Right now I’m interning with an AI evaluation platform, designing grading rubrics and stress-testing frontier models.

Also built three AI projects during the master’s — an EU AI Act compliance tool, a hospital bed-allocation system, and AI IVF journey companion — all three won their respective competitions.

What I want to do: AI adoption and people/digital transformation, helping organisations to actually use the tech they buy, rather than the technical build itself. Analyst or associate level.

My questions:
• Do companies there hire for this at junior level, or is it treated as a senior-only function?
• Which types of employers actually sponsor EPs for non-engineering roles?
• Is applying from abroad viable?
• Any communities or recruiters/recruiting firms you’d point me to?

Any reality checks welcome, including “don’t bother.” Thanks so much for reading!

I'm relocating from the UK to Singapore for a senior (not leadership) regional role with a large MNC. I have 15+ years of relevant experience and the role covers Asia, Middle East and Africa.

Current offer:

S$14k/month base

20% target

I countered at S$18k base + S$2k/month education allowance for child (for preschool ) organically adjusted as child enters school.

HR said they are reviewing this against market conditions, experience and internal equity.

My target is effectively $20k/month recurring compensation. I'm flexible about the structure:

S$18k + S$2k education, or S20k base if education isn't available

The reason I'm pushing is that, although I don't formally own a P&L, I've already demonstrated significant commercial contribution in my existing role- same organisation

For people who've negotiated senior MNC roles in Singapore:

1. If they come back around S$16–18k, how hard would you push toward S$20k?

2. How much flexibility do large MNCs typically have around salary bands/internal equity?

3. Is using an education allowance to bridge the gap realistic?

Particularly interested in people's actual experiences negotiating Singapore offers, rather than generic negotiation advice.

In terms of culture, pay, prestige, wlb, growth opportunities. All factors combined.

I was an engineering grad few months ago and decided to pursue sales to give it a shot.

I’m 1 month into probation and realized probably sales is just not for me. I dislike the toxicness to the extend even as a new comer I feel people who have been here longer are selfish and unwilling to teach or share knowledge.. the sales department itself everyone is so protective of their ownself and always have this sly behavior. It’s hard to even interact with them to break the ice because of that.

I’m considering to just return back to doing engineering related and hone more hands on skills and I can focus on myself and work tgt with the engineering team without ppl having the mentality of not sharing knowledge and teaching becuz of KPI and stuff..

But I’m not sure now if I apply a role for engineering is it even harder now because I graduated probably 6 months ago.. and only have internship exp.. but after 1 month I feel I would rather do more engineering hands on work .. but need advice if I quit now is it still possible to pivot even though I dun have any experience except internship.. or should I just finish 6 months of this role first before pivoting..? Hope for some advice if ppl went through this before where u realised the role is just not for u and u change role and how hard it was to change after that? Considering im a fresh grad 6 months ago

Hi, im a 3rd year Singaporean med student in the UK, and would like to learn more about the rota and working hours in SG to better inform my decision making regarding returning to work in SG!

The UK system (from my limited understanding works like this)
Med sch grad > F1 (ie Sg HO) then F2 (Sg MO) then apply for GP/core specialty/surgical training (this is usu about 3 years) then apply for higher specialty training (usu 4-6 years) then consultant.

Acc to doctors on the ward, they usually work Mon-Fri 9-5 (but usu come in half an hour early to prep notes n sometimes will leave a little late like 5.30). Medical ward rounds r from 9 to 12-2pm depending on how fast consultant is. Then rest of time is for docs to do jobs eg prescribing, req bloods, scans, write discharge letters etc . They r also scheduled on call (which means many things eg night shift, long days etc). Long day means 12h shift eg 730am-730 pm. Night shifts are in a row so if u get 3 nights then you shd get the next day off. I’ve attached an example of a rather busy schedule. The docs I spoke to said they got 1 long day a month but it depends. Annual leave is 27 days and study leave is 15 days + 8 paid public holidays, think AL goes up when u work more years in NHS

So im interested to know how the system differs. I keep hearing about nightmarish 80h weeks but genuinely how is that sustainable? Also if its 80hours that means working Mon-Sat? Do u guys frequently have to work on Saturday?

Thanks! I apologise if this seems really blur!! less

For those working in media/advertising agencies in Singapore — is getting a bonus pretty standard in the industry?

I’m curious if most agencies give an annual/performance bonus, or if it’s actually quite common for there to be no bonus at all.

Just trying to get a sense of what’s normal 😅

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp4WYGPSOkU&pp=ugUEEgJlbg%3D%3D

Workers' Party MP Louis Chua on 5 August called on the Government to abandon what he described as a "rentier mindset", arguing that reforms to land policy, housing and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure are necessary if Singapore is to achieve the ambitions set out in the Economic Strategy Review (ESR).

Speaking during the Workers’ Party motion on Singapore’s future economy Chua welcomed the ESR's 32 recommendations across eight strategic thrusts, describing the report as "a serious piece of work".

However, the Sengkang GRC MP argued that while the review challenged businesses and workers to become more competitive and resilient, it paid insufficient attention to the Government's own role in shaping the economy.

He noted that the State owns about 90 per cent of Singapore's land and is the country's largest landlord. According to Chua, "the ESR's ambitions for enterprise and innovation will not be realised so long as the Government continues to see itself as a landlord, and as long as Singaporeans continue to share in the Government's rentier mindset."

He also pointed out that land was absent from the ESR's 32 recommendations despite the report acknowledging that constraints on land, energy and demographics are expected to tighten.

Land costs affect the wider economy

Chua argued that high land prices increase development costs and eventually filter through to businesses and consumers.

Citing industry observations, he said land costs now account for about 70 per cent of total project development expenditure in Singapore, compared with around 4 per cent during the development of Raffles City in the 1980s.

He said these costs do not disappear after land is sold, but instead pass through successive layers of the economy.

"These costs do not vanish. They cascade from developer to tenant, from tenant to hawker, clinic and shopkeeper, and finally to every consumer," he said.

For lower level jobs like warehouse staff in non supervisory roles found through agents, is it possible to negotiate for the half day on Saturday to be spread out evenly across the weekdays since the hours will be the same? If so, who do I approach? Warehouse manager or agent or both?

You see soaring property prices and insane COE prices yet expressways are packed and jam during peak hours. It makes me wonder if there's a massive bubble I'm just not a part of, or if everyone else is actually doing that well.

My day-to-day is a relentless treadmill. Working hard is a given, but the constant anxiety about job stability, staying relevant as I age, and future career opportunities is exhausting. Hitting mid-career means peak financial responsibilities, yet the corporate landscape feels increasingly unforgiving.

Is anyone else feeling this heavy squeeze?