Got offer from ministry.

3 years working experience in private sector.
Ministry offering - 4.4k

Do you think it's ok? I am 29 this year.

Diploma holder, 26yrs 5.55k no bonus, fixed bonus bring monthly gross to 6.9.. good?

The pay is only part of the story. The other important factors are whether the job scope is meaningful/fulfilling or not, prospect for career progression, work life balance and working environment.

Often people jumped into a higher paying job only to resign a year or less later.

Sometimes if you think longer term, a person would be better off working in a stable job (eg Civil Service) but with lower pay than in a higher paying one, but with lots of stress and uncertainty.

At the end of one's working life, the civil servant would probably earn and accumulate more than the guy working in the private sector (especially when the guy in the private sector has to jump ship now and then). That's what I observed from my cohort of close friends graduating from the Uni in early 80. Those of us who joined the Civil Service upon graduation are still with the Service although not in original departments or agency - that's a good 30+ years with the same employer! Now that the retirement age has been raised to 62, that's another 6-7 years for us to work at our job. Not sure how many in the private sector can have this confidence.

Very few who worked in the private sector are still with the same company. Yes, 2 or 3 did very well to join the top management of the Companies they worked in. Others by now are into their "retirement" careers like financial advisors, property agents and stock brokers.

My point is, consider other factors, not just pay in your career choice. That high starting pay may not be sustainable. Imagine having to start over at a new company at 40 (if you are lucky to get another job), while your friends in the Civil Service are moving up in their careers.

I think what you said makes alot of sense and it is the reality that's happening on the ground in Singapore nowadays. That's why you see a surge of mid-careers attempting to join the public sector, and most of them are willing to take a pay-cut of 20% even. That's how work-life balance and job stability matters when you're in your 40s.

If you're those ambitious few who aspire to be multi-millionaires, of course public sector is a no-no for you. At the end of the day, what do you see yourself doing when you're in your 50s? Of course there are those who retire at 40s, having earned millions by slogging it out in the private sector. Are you those few?

Rather than focus on the salary, focus on the scheme. I assume you'll be under the MX scheme, so which scale are they offering you?

Overall, 4.4k for 3 years work experience in private sector is reasonable as entry level for fresh grad is around 3.6k. Though try for 4.5k, as I think most agencies always put a buffer of 100 more for such cases.

I think for a couple (say both grads) becoming (multi) millionaires in their lifetime working in the public sector is a reality nowadays. The government has removed most of pension schemes and in its place pay more competitive salaries. What more if they moved up the ranks to hit superscale grades. Even without hitting the superscale grades, a grad couple in the Civil Service can easily bring home combined income of >$200k pa at 40 - 45? By 55, they could be seeing $300k - $350k pa? I know of teacher couples earning > $300k pa (combined) by 50. Those with professional degrees like law (in legal department) and engineers could be earning more! Most are staying in private properties.

are you sure fresh grad commands around 3.6k? that's prob 1st class males with NS

I think local degree (NUS/NTU/SMU) for male second upper will be 3.6k

Huh? Are u sure that ministry give you 4.4k??? usually we in the ministry will need to work for 5 years to get that amount.

Why not? Nowadays, unless you're considered a high-Po or a scholar, it doesn't make sense to stick to one agency for more than 5 years anymore. People are "hopping" around agencies with salary increment of at least 15% or more each time. That's the only way to ensure that salary increases at a rate that is comparable to private sector.