Why are there so many foreigner job applicants?

zeddy · May 2, 2012

Scrooball (clone) said:
Recently a position came up for an entry level job (at least more than $2k/mth). So many applicants are not locals. In the end, only two got shortlisted for first round interview.

First one (Malaysian PR) asked for $2,000. Second one (local) asked for $2,800.

First one had partial relevant experience and displayed positive can-do attitude with a willingness to learn. The second one did not have relevant experience and does not like a desk-bound job (unfortunately the job is a desk-bound job).

Who will you hire?

Bro if you want to hire the Sinkie then try to negotiate with him again about his pay.. Ask him whether he be willing to lower his salary demand to lets say 2.4 K per month.. Tell him nicely not to be too demanding and choosy and that you're willing to hire him to help out a fellow Sporean..

Thats what i did with this Sinkie chap who came to my HR office for interview last year.. 3 chaps came for the job interview.. 1 Pinoy, 1 India Ah Neh and a local Sinkie.. Both these FTs willing to accept my company's salary offer of 2.4K per month.. But Sinkie chap wanted a pay of 2.8K.. All 3 of them have the same qualifications but I told my company's HR manager that I have doubts about the Ah Neh who seemed like a sly bastard during the interview.. After all 3 left, after attending the interview, me later called the Sinkie chap and told him nicely if he would like to accept the job with an offer thats bit less than his expectations.. He was hesistant at first, telling me all sort of reasons why he wanted to a higher pay.. I then told him that I'm helping him out as a fellow Sinkie and told him that he would get much less if he went to other companies and apply for the same job post.. In then end, he agreed to a 2.4K pay per month and is now still workin in my company..

glockman · May 2, 2012

Since PM Lee put his website in FB, so many Singaporeans wrote to him and complained. Some even scolding him.Singaporean student in UK and PAP supporter urges PM Lee to tackle ‘FT’ problem seriously

Posted by temasektimes on May 1, 2012

The relentless influx of foreigners over the last few years has not only cause great unhappiness and dissatisfaction among Singaporeans living in Singapore, but even real Singaporean talents based overseas are having second thoughts returning to work in Singapore.

One Singaporean student Tan Yiwen posted a comment on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s Facebook page expressing her concerns about the future after seeing her friends struggling to compete with the foreigners. .

Admitting that she is a PAP supporter, she wrote frankly that she is very disheartened to see what Singapore has become. More importantly soon we will be become another Malaysia. However Malaysia can survive any situation because of their own resources but we have nothing grown naturally.
“I have friends who graduated from university, struggling to get a decent job that pay them $2,000 and above, but many companies tell them that they do not have the relevant experience, in which I believe is just an excuse to not hire them or to press for lower wage.”

Scrooball (clone) · May 2, 2012

zeddy said:
Bro if you want to hire the Sinkie then try to negotiate with him again about his pay.. Ask him whether he be willing to lower his salary demand to lets say 2.4 K per month.. Tell him nicely not to be too demanding and choosy and that you're willing to hire him to help out a fellow Sporean..

Thats what i did with this Sinkie chap who came to my HR office for interview last year.. 3 chaps came for the job interview.. 1 Pinoy, 1 India Ah Neh and a local Sinkie.. Both these FTs willing to accept my company's salary offer of 2.4K per month.. But Sinkie chap wanted a pay of 2.8K.. All 3 of them have the same qualifications but I told my company's HR manager that I have doubts about the Ah Neh who seemed like a sly bastard during the interview.. After all 3 left, after attending the interview, me later called the Sinkie chap and told him nicely if he would like to accept the job with an offer thats bit less than his expectations.. He was hesistant at first, telling me all sort of reasons why he wanted to a higher pay.. I then told him that I'm helping him out as a fellow Sinkie and told him that he would get much less if he went to other companies and apply for the same job post.. In then end, he agreed to a 2.4K pay per month and is now still workin in my company..

Your case is slightly different.

Although both candidates have the same education qualification, it so happens that the Malaysian PR has a more positive can-do attitude than the local Singaporean. Furthermore, the difference between what the local candidate wants is too high - $800 difference, not $400 difference in your case.

If you offer $800 less than what the candidate expected, that fellow won't be around for long.

ZorrorroZ · May 2, 2012

Scrooball (clone) said:
Your case is slightly different.

Although both candidates have the same education qualification, it so happens that the Malaysian PR has a more positive can-do attitude than the local Singaporean. Furthermore, the difference between what the local candidate wants is too high - $800 difference, not $400 difference in your case.

If you offer $800 less than what the candidate expected, that fellow won't be around for long.

so are you willing to compromise and offer $2400 for the singaporean? Then it's the same $400 difference as in zeddy's case.

Scrooball (clone) · May 2, 2012

ZorrorroZ said:
so are you willing to compromise and offer $2400 for the singaporean? Then it's the same $400 difference as in zeddy's case.

Like i said, the Malaysian PR has a more positive can-do attitude. It's not just about the pay, it is also the validity for paying a person more. Of course, everyone will say I am giving excuses. But if you yourself are doing the hiring, you will also consider those factors too.

ZorrorroZ · May 2, 2012

Scrooball (clone) said:
Like i said, the Malaysian PR has a more positive can-do attitude. It's not just about the pay, it is also the validity for paying a person more. Of course, everyone will say I am giving excuses. But if you yourself are doing the hiring, you will also consider those factors too.

exactly what I mean... you have a choice. You choose the cheapest. The decision has been made. All other debate is moot.

Cestbon · May 2, 2012

Forvendet said:
It's silly to hire Singapore men. E.g. expected salary $3,000 and standby 20 days extra leave for reservist and mobs. I don't hire Singapore men. Sorry, please don't blame me. Such are facts and realities of life and business. I don't hire foreigners too. My wife is incharge of HR. She hires Singapore women only. Anyway, my business doesn't have heavy manual chores, just clerrical and administrative.

I prefer SG male than SG women.
SG women when pregnant get 3 month leave. That will be hell for SMC if have only one clerk.

Char_Azn · May 2, 2012

Scrooball (clone) said:
Your case is slightly different.

Although both candidates have the same education qualification, it so happens that the Malaysian PR has a more positive can-do attitude than the local Singaporean. Furthermore, the difference between what the local candidate wants is too high - $800 difference, not $400 difference in your case.

If you offer $800 less than what the candidate expected, that fellow won't be around for long.

Even if you offered the guy the wages he demanded, no guarantee he well stay for long, its the single biggest problem that all my ex bosses are complaining about, not higher wages. Once you get beyond entry level jobs, ft wages are similar if not higher then locals.

Tight manpower supply in SG also doesn't help. Most of my peers change job so often it makes one wonder if there is any job that we don't have a shortage of manpower.

Just recently I was trying to hire someone, 2 applicants found jobs before we even call up for interview and 1 of them got a better offer when we offered him the job, all locals. Which is why I sometimes find out hard to believe the ft stealing or jobs part

myfoot123 · May 2, 2012

Scrooball (clone) said:
If you want me to pay a premium (in this case extra $800), then you need to justify. If the reason is good, why not?

But in this case, both applicants have same level of education. How to justify?

Why not, the PR could lie just to get a job as stepping stone. Within a year, he will run road for next higher pay and hold his employer ransom for even greater bargaining power. The local is honest. He stated his worth so that he is motivated to stay on for as long as he is needed knowing that he is safe to manage the high cost of livings with his asking price. Besides, locals tend to understand local laws than many clueless foreigners. If you want your company to work well in Singapore and adhere to strict rules, than you should get a locals to do the job. From workers perspective, if the company can't even afford $800 per month, such companies capability of survival is questionable.

Silent88scope · May 2, 2012

Scrooball (clone) said:
Recently a position came up for an entry level job (at least more than $2k/mth). So many applicants are not locals. In the end, only two got shortlisted for first round interview.

First one (Malaysian PR) asked for $2,000. Second one (local) asked for $2,800.

First one had partial relevant experience and displayed positive can-do attitude with a willingness to learn. The second one did not have relevant experience and does not like a desk-bound job (unfortunately the job is a desk-bound job).

Who will you hire?

IMHO, don't just simply make comparison based on the $800 diff.
You also need to understand the kind of heavy commitments that local S'poreans are having.

Those locals who are married may need to service the loan for their house and those who got kids need more $$$ for their education etc.
All those FTs beside paying rental, food, transport etc doesn't have much heavy commitments in S'pore.
All their house, car etc are all packed back at their foreign home. Hence if you are having the same kind of commitment as the locals, you will
too need that extra few hundreds to survive. Therefore, if possible please help out the local S'poreans first.

Cestbon · May 2, 2012

Silent88scope said:
IMHO, don't just simply make comparison based on the $800 diff.
You also need to understand the kind of heavy commitments that local S'poreans are having.

Those locals who are married may need to service the loan for their house and those who got kids need more $$$ for their education etc.
All those FTs beside paying rental, food, transport etc doesn't have much heavy commitments in S'pore.
All their house, car etc are all packed back at their foreign home. Hence if you are having the same kind of commitment as the locals, you will
too need that extra few hundreds to survive. Therefore, if possible please help out the local S'poreans first.

If you are the CEO of big company like Singtel/F&N/SPA/CISCO.....................then no Singaporean pay will be below $1500/month .

Silent88scope · May 2, 2012

Cestbon said:
If you are the CEO of big company like Singtel/F&N/SPA/CISCO.....................then no Singaporean pay will be below $1500/month .

You tell me honestly lar. If you are married with a house and kids, can you make ends meet with $1500 without much increment for the next few years?

You may not believe it, there are even real live examples of foreign SME that pays FT even much more than the locals without much rational reasons for
justification.

The_Hypocrite · May 2, 2012

Forvendet said:
It's silly to hire Singapore men. E.g. expected salary $3,000 and standby 20 days extra leave for reservist and mobs. I don't hire Singapore men. Sorry, please don't blame me. Such are facts and realities of life and business. I don't hire foreigners too. My wife is incharge of HR. She hires Singapore women only. Anyway, my business doesn't have heavy manual chores, just clerrical and administrative.

I dont hire local young/middle age married women, local women with kids, sub continent people, and very selective about those from 3rd world countries. Local women with kids etc give me too many problems, half the time they are not at work, the other half of the time they have to leave early because of the kids,,,I got a business to run,,,cant afford all these disruptions. For people who say male NS disruptions are bad,,wait till you try women with kids,,fucking worse,,at least for NS disruptions I can plan in advanced.

Cestbon · May 2, 2012

Silent88scope said:
You tell me honestly lar. If you are married with a house and kids, can you make ends meet with $1500 without much increment for the next few years?

You may not believe it, there are even real live examples of foreign SME that pays FT even much more than the locals without much rational reasons for
justification.

Too bad local company also hire too many FT. Whose fault?
Many Sinkie I estimate about 10% take home pay below $1k.

Char_Azn · May 2, 2012

Silent88scope said:
You tell me honestly lar. If you are married with a house and kids, can you make ends meet with $1500 without much increment for the next few years?

You may not believe it, there are even real live examples of foreign SME that pays FT even much more than the locals without much rational reasons for
justification.

For Financial Advise check with SDP leader CSJ. No job, 2 kids, live in HDB flat, got car some more from time to time Family go Taiwan jiak hong, and of coz we all know, No foreign funding

Char_Azn · May 2, 2012

migrant said:
Cb lah I find I hard to believe you are not a pap dog.:oIo:

You IT engineer hire what fuck? Chow ah neh is your favorite fb. :oIo:

Who said I was hiring an IT Engineer :rolleyes:

Char_Azn · May 2, 2012

migrant said:
Of course you cannot be hiring one as you are in the same position yourself. You are just a low level IT guy lah. Lol

Yes obviously. I am hiring a cleaning Ah Soh

The_Hypocrite · May 2, 2012

zeddy said:
Bro if you want to hire the Sinkie then try to negotiate with him again about his pay.. Ask him whether he be willing to lower his salary demand to lets say 2.4 K per month.. Tell him nicely not to be too demanding and choosy and that you're willing to hire him to help out a fellow Sporean..

Thats what i did with this Sinkie chap who came to my HR office for interview last year.. 3 chaps came for the job interview.. 1 Pinoy, 1 India Ah Neh and a local Sinkie.. Both these FTs willing to accept my company's salary offer of 2.4K per month.. But Sinkie chap wanted a pay of 2.8K.. All 3 of them have the same qualifications but I told my company's HR manager that I have doubts about the Ah Neh who seemed like a sly bastard during the interview.. After all 3 left, after attending the interview, me later called the Sinkie chap and told him nicely if he would like to accept the job with an offer thats bit less than his expectations.. He was hesistant at first, telling me all sort of reasons why he wanted to a higher pay.. I then told him that I'm helping him out as a fellow Sinkie and told him that he would get much less if he went to other companies and apply for the same job post.. In then end, he agreed to a 2.4K pay per month and is now still workin in my company..

Good on you bro,,I hope the local is worth every cent. What I do is I hire someone on lower pay. After 3 months if he/she is deemed competent and good enough to say upon confirmation, I will increase the pay. That way they are more appreciative. So for the local, if he works out you can increase the pay later and if he dont work out,,can get rid of. Save some money along the way and easier to justify to the boss...sad most employers dont do that. Hire on low pay and keep on low pay,,no wonder people move

The Philistine · May 3, 2012

Char_Azn said:
For Financial Advise check with SDP leader CSJ. No job, 2 kids, live in HDB flat, got car some more from time to time Family go Taiwan jiak hong, and of coz we all know, No foreign funding

Advise is a verb. Advice is a noun.

mojito · May 3, 2012

The Philistine said:
Char_Azn said:

For Financial Advise check with SDP leader CSJ. No job, 2 kids, live in HDB flat, got car some more from time to time Family go Taiwan jiak hong, and of coz we all know, No foreign funding

Click to expand...

Advise is a verb. Advice is a noun.

"Financial Advise" should not be capitalised. You should have said "For financial advice, check with..."

Please forgive me for not responding earlier. You are still on my ignore list.

Why are there so many foreigner job applicants?

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