MAS for Mid Career Professionals

Now the economy is very bad. Some of the banks have started to rescind their job offers, suggest you take up MAS offer and worry less down the road.

As with government service, the prospects of everyone differs and is generally as such:

1) Top Tier - MAS / Presidents' Scholar (who transfer from other ministries)
2) Second Tier - First Class Honors Fresh Grad who join MAS direct from School
3) Third Tier - Other Second Class Honors Fresh Grad who join MAS direct from School
4) Bottom Tier - Mid Careers

The tiers shown above generally shows a person's "potential" which have a direct relationship to your promotion, opportunities, bonus and pay. The difference between the bonus between the top tier and the bottom tier can be significant - i.e. at least 2.5 months difference.

While they purport to be competitive in terms of pay and benefits and perform yearly benchmark exercises, do note that they generally benchmark against support functions such as Operations and HR salaries in banks. The benchmark exercises do not include the money makers such as front office (which make sense since not all MAS officers are money makers), and not even risk management functions such as internal audit or compliance (this does not make sense however).

Perks wise - The flexibility to take no pay leave is unrivaled. Best for mothers who wish to have such flexibility.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

As with government service, the prospects of everyone differs and is generally as such:

1) Top Tier - MAS / Presidents' Scholar (who transfer from other ministries)
2) Second Tier - First Class Honors Fresh Grad who join MAS direct from School
3) Third Tier - Other Second Class Honors Fresh Grad who join MAS direct from School
4) Bottom Tier - Mid Careers

The tiers shown above generally shows a person's "potential" which have a direct relationship to your promotion, opportunities, bonus and pay. The difference between the bonus between the top tier and the bottom tier can be significant - i.e. at least 2.5 months difference.

While they purport to be competitive in terms of pay and benefits and perform yearly benchmark exercises, do note that they generally benchmark against support functions such as Operations and HR salaries in banks. The benchmark exercises do not include the money makers such as front office (which make sense since not all MAS officers are money makers), and not even risk management functions such as internal audit or compliance (this does not make sense however).

Perks wise - The flexibility to take no pay leave is unrivaled. Best for mothers who wish to have such flexibility.

How about first class honours who hopped over from trading role/front office in private?

The number of trolls here is such a joke. There are many instances of MAS scholars that promoted slower than the mid careers. Seriously, please read this forum with a huge pinch of salt.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

How about first class honours who hopped over from trading role/front office in private?

You will find that they definitely cannot match your previous pay. But yes, they will want you.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi everyone, I currently have an offer from MAS as well as one of the larger international banks. As a fresh grad, would it be better to start from private sector or public sector? Also, will the training in MAS be useful for me to explore further opportunities later on in my career, given that it is the national regulator? Just hoping to get some perspective on the training and growth between public and private sector so I can weight against the pay difference, and hopefully make an informed decision. Thanks everyone!

Depends on the role you received from MAS and the bank. Also depends what is your career preference.

E.g.

Go for the bank offer if it is MA program, Front Office, Trading, Sales, IT related.
Go for MAS if the bank offer is Operations, Compliance, Credit/Risk Analyst.

Oh just passing by to prop a useful advice to all those “Central Banking” enthusiasts:

Note that MAS Graduate Officers merely play a peripheral role to the central bank. Policy making and quantitative analysis are oftentimes given to officers from MTI’s Economist track that are seconded to MAS.

Don’t get baited.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Depends on the role you received from MAS and the bank. Also depends what is your career preference.

E.g.

Go for the bank offer if it is MA program, Front Office, Trading, Sales, IT related.
Go for MAS if the bank offer is Operations, Compliance, Credit/Risk Analyst.

What about Goldman Ops vs MAS?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Oh just passing by to prop a useful advice to all those “Central Banking” enthusiasts:

Note that MAS Graduate Officers merely play a peripheral role to the central bank. Policy making and quantitative analysis are oftentimes given to officers from MTI’s Economist track that are seconded to MAS.

Don’t get baited.

^This, and the MAS scholars too.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

What about Goldman Ops vs MAS?

Goldman got IMDB scandal. If can, go JPM.

MAS is safe, prestigious. More exit opportunities.

Ops is a dead end career. No progression and easily replaced by automation