Basic info:
Citizenship: SG. Born in KK hospital.
Formal Education:
PSLE top 10%
O levels (Special school) top 10%
A levels failed (rebelling at this time...18yo...too busy chasing skirts, didn't apply myself at school at all)
Polytechnic failed (ditto, see above)
BA in Business (Scotland, low ranking university) via distance (first class honours) (paid for it myself, very motivated to get my degree at this age)
Post-graduate diploma in business top 10%
Life's journey so far:
Basically, I failed my As and my poly diploma (I didn't bother to apply myself at all that time. Age of rebelling.). I wasted 5 years of my life there. And in
NS, I also didn't apply myself at all, record in
NS was very bad, but I got 'average' in my certificate I think.
I came from a special school so all my ex classmates are mostly doctors, lawyers, engineers, working in banks (analysts), managers in MNC, etc.
So I went into
NS at 22 yo. Came out at 24 yo. Took a year to travel in Australia/NZ. 25-26 yo. I set up my own ebay/home business selling purifying products and did this for 2 years. Then I went to East Asia, I found a job teaching English in a university (lecturer) in Japan for 2 years. Then, after 2 years, I moved to China to work as a lecturer in a university (teach Business and English). Currently, 30 yo. I don't think my resume looks good, especially for Singapore, where people nitpick on everything (Oh, worked for small company, no want hire lah, oh no A levels, no hire lah!)
I know I wasted a lot of my time. By now, having traveled to most continents except Africa/N+S America, I have learnt a lot.
I have found my passion in life. I find qualitative stuff (English, Management, Speaking/Writing, Geography, History, etc) to be very easy for me. I was always one of the top students for English from P1 to A levels (even when I 'switched off'). Geography, History, etc, I found them to be quite easy.
On the other hand, I always struggled a little with advanced mathematics and complex formulas in physics/etc. I do not have a natural affinity for quantitative stuff. Although, I can do normal mathematics well enough.
So I better stay away from such jobs.
Basically, I wish to be a manager (middle-top level) in a big company or a lawyer or a teacher.
Being a lawyer probably impossible (250 places per year for law at
NUS, SJD at
SMU costs 80k, thanks for affordable tuition fees
SMU).
As for being a manager, I previously applied for a few jobs in Singapore but got zero replies.
I am not sure how this will turn out.
As for being a teacher, I currently have been teaching for 3 years already. I earn around 3k SGD here. It is not a lot in Singapore but it is quite a decent income here. I spend only 200 SGD here if I am on a 'budget month'. Normally, I spend 700 SGD or so per month, so I save 2.3k SGD or so each month. I am provided with a studio apartment for free. Electricity and water are all free. I only need to spend (very limited) money on food and shopping.
The problem is, I think teaching in Singapore is not really a good career? It pays OK at the beginning but there is really limited room to 'go up'?
I want to go back to SG to work. I mean, I love SG. As I grow older, and see more places, I love SG more and understand how great SG is. I want to buy a
HDB flat and settle down in this decade. And get into middle-top level management.
What are my chances of getting a foot into a managerial career in Singapore like? Ironically, last year, when my work contract ended, I applied for jobs in SG but got zero replies. But I got quite a few replies from employers in Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and even 1 or 2 from Europe.
In Japan, my employer wanted to increase my salary when I told them I was leaving at the end of my fixed-term work contract. And I got 3 job offers in one month.
Zero replies from SG.
