How much pay should I expect as a lecturer?
 

Hi there,

Anyone got an idea please help!
I have a UK masters degree in International Business, now looking for a job as full-time/part-time lecturer in Singapore (towards undergraduate students) but wondered how should I answer to the question about my expected salary, sure there would be differences between full time and part time roles (probably the latter got a hourly rate basis?) and different institutes pay differently but may I ask if anyone got an average number in mind? Say MDIS?

Thanks a lot x

you do u have experience? y shud i hire u?

Thank you. Interesting questions! I’ve been working in customer service and marketing for the past 5 years for UK based companies having their operations in Vietnam, my home country including 6 months working for HSBC as customer relationship officer so I would say yes, I have work experience. Although I have no lecturing experience, if that is what you’ve asked, I’ve got many transferable skills that would be a big compensation also a genuine passon for learning new knowledge and skills is my plus. In addition, having experienced UK education environment as a student, I have quite an idea about inovative studying and teaching methods. My question concerning salary was to make sure I will not either overestimate or to underestimate myself as an experienced customer service professional but looking to apply for something fresh through an entry level.
What would you suggest as an answer?

And if this is helpful, although I do not have direct academic experience in lecturing/teaching, I have considerable experience in education. The other company I worked for is a UK based company providing educational consultancy service aiming at high school students who want to study in the UK. I also used to work in more than 1 year as a TV interviewer in an academic TV programme with guest speakers from several overseas education institutes e.g. UK, USA and Singapore and an administrator at an English centre for a half year.
Cheers

cheers. i can feel ur passion.

hr will ask for ur last drawn salary and negotiate from here.

Cheers. Anw, pay is defo very important but not the only thing to be taken into consideration. Well, let's see. Fingers crossed there would be a good match between offer n expectation.
Thank you x

The private institutions pay around $100 per hour of teaching and around 3 hours each time. If you can clock one night a week, you are looking at $1200 a month on top of your day job.

But this offering is not perpectual. When they don't call you, you get nothing. It helps if students' ratings of you are good. Just be entertaining and let your passion in the subject ooze and you should be fine.

But teaching and doing are a totally different thing altogether. I have met people who do things damn well, but can't teach the same things for nuts. And there are also lots of people who teaches damn well and are teaching cuz they can't do those things.

Like yourself, I lectured and tutored (part-time) at SIM University years ago. The pay wasn't that good, partly because they only needed me about once every 2 weeks for each course.

At one point, I tried packing multiple courses (pretty tiring), and had to work about once a week on average, not counting the preparation time (I prepared my own powerpoints and additional notes) and marking time. I only got 19k for that entire year.

I'm giving part-time private tuition now. It's pretty lucrative if you teach at the higher levels.

Nowadays they give you the university notes. You just deliver. This thing is good as a supplement or if you are retired and just want some pocket money.

Thanks all for your words. Well, I’m actually in my infancy looking to build this ladder, sure it’d be very challenging. Thing is I used to work in education sector in Vietnam for a couple of years, not as a lecturer but an educational advisor, wow pretty much enjoyed working with students though and this was actually the very first reason for all this teaching idea. But yes definitely passion is not enough *sigh*.
Btw, if I may ask, job seeking, is it worth having a recruitment agency sort it out for you? Perfectly honest, job market in Singapore is kind of vague to me

Cheers x

I can't tell your nationality but if you are British or speak with a good British accent, I guess your chances will be quite high cos this country goes for most things foreign. Attracting foreign talent is a national agenda.

I suggest you write in directly to MDIS and other institutions.

Just for your reference if you are seeking employment at one of the polys as a lecturer. And for everyone else, a reference to compare with the new salary framework (which should be announced soon)...

Min ($) Bar / Max ($) Job Grade Academic/Management
14,080 18,770 / 21,120 PAX 1 Principal Lecturer/Deputy Principal;Senior Director
10,520 14,500/ 16,490 PAX 2 Principal Lecturer/D; DD
6,620 9,140/ 10,400 PAX 3 Senior Lecturer/DD; AD; Mgr; Dty Mgr
4,580 7,030/ 8,250 PAX 4 Senior Lecturer/Mgr, Dty Mgr; AM
3,470 5,320/ 6,240 PAX 5 Lecturer
2,150 4,160/ 5,160 PAX 6 Lecturer

A lecturer wouldnt bring you much money.... Giving priv tuition earns much more( if you can bring in the sales/student).

I suggest you try teaching part time first, because sometimes I feel like squeezing the lazy poly students' heads off for asking obvious questions.

Note: No student's heads are squeezed off in the making of this comment :)

Wow not bad, it looks better than what I expected. I have applied for an opening as a Senior Academic in RP, is that the same as Senior Lecturer PAX4 that is stated above?

Thanks for any help rendered!

Is the payscale standard across all polys?

Yes. Pay scale is the same across all polytechnics.

I reckon a senior academic at RP should be equivalent to a senior lecturer at the other polys. However, most first-time lecturers are not hired at PAX4.

Is this payscale at polytechnics similar to lecturing in ITEs? thank you!

Yes. Standardized by MOE.

I work in a poly and I must say the numbers you see in the pay scale are indeed what the lecturers get- but there is a catch.. When you join as a lecturer for the first time, you will be put in a PAX6 (if you dont have any previous work exp or lecturing exp) and if you have less than 2-3 years of work exp, you will be put in the higher bracket of PAX6.. So with a masters degree and 1-2 years of work exp, you would earn around $2600-$2700/month with meagre bonus (may be 1.75 month bonus) and the yearly increments come by reallllllllllly slow and it would be at least 10 years before you reach the $5k bracket..

I am employed by one of the polys as a PAX4 lecturer. I had little teaching experience prior to joining the poly but my work experiences made up for it. And a recent job title change placed me as a senior lecturer.

The main thing is the poly recruiting culture is they want your industrial experience. And depending on your field (the demand supply thingy), you may have some negotiating power...

Did you start at PAX4 or got promoted to PAX4 after some years? How much was your annual pay in the first year may I ask?

Thanks for sharing.

I started as a PAX4. I thought it was normal until I found from many others that almost everyone else starts at PAX5 or 6. My annual including bonuses this year just passed 100K, and I'm still in my first contract.

How many years of experience in total do you have, may I ask?

Excluding postgrad studies, 10 years of relevant experience prior to joining poly