Should I switch to a higher paying job?
 

Hi! I am currently working for a MNC which allows me a lot of flexibility. I can work from home and take leave whenever I want to.* My boss is also very kind and understanding.

My pay is only $4000 per month including bonus. I have worked for 6 years and I'm a local university humanities graduate. My colleagues at a similar level are getting this pay too. They asked management many times for increase but the company said this is the standard salary set by the Singapore HR.

Now and then, I feel tempted to leave for a higher paying job. I see that most jobs in my industry pay more for similar roles.*

However, my health is not good. I have asthma and each time I get a flu, it can last several months with explosive coughing fits.*The industry I'm in (media) is notorious for its very long hours. I fear that my new job will either make my health problems worse, or that my new boss will not be so understanding. Currently, my boss lets me work from home whenever I am sick beyond my 1-2 days MC period, and she never complains about my explosive coughing fits.*

I am not really in need of money as I have an online business on the side which generates monthly income to supplement my full time job. So my motivation to get a higher pay is because of the following reasons: My parents keep comparing me to my younger cousins who are earning much more than me. Also, I feel I am badly underpaid for my qualifications and experience. And if I continue getting this low pay for a few more years then my next job is likely to not pay that well too after seeing my current pay.

Should I apply for other jobs, or accept my low*pay?*

It's not a good time to change job at the moment though, with coronavirus and the bad economy leading to many layoffs. Also, I am getting married soon and might start a family soon.

Thanks very much! I really appreciate any thoughts you could share!

Just shut up and continue working, you ungrateful b!atch.

Continue drawing your $4k per month salary instead of b!tching here on ur pay is low where people is getting retrenched or get paycut nowadays.


Ungrateful B!atch.

You siao ah. $4k is so low that if there was a poverty line in Singapore it would fall far below it. I earn 4.xk and I know how much of a struggle it is to survive. I would describe myself as living in severe and abject poverty as even young fresh grads now start from $4.8 to 6k (based on reading this forum).

Be that as it may, I wouldn't recommend TS to change job now because a place that will accommodate her health issues won't be easy to come by. Changing in the current covid environment also compounds the risk - people take big issue with any one that coughs and if TS is new to a company, chances are the people won't take kindly to her coughing. The finances of businesses are also less stable due to the covid recession.

i wouldn't get opinion from an uneducated son of prostitute like dodochicks. from the way he communicate, he sounds like those living under poverty line with no brain.

Wow you're ridiculously underpaid! Fresh grads nowadays earn around 6k per month starting salary, you have 6 years experience, a local uni grad and is only getting paid 4k?! You really need to leave and find a new job that befits your experience and background, who cares about covid? No wonder your parents compare you to your relatives, 4k salary with 6 years experience is such a disgrace - leave this job to someone less qualified than you bruh.

I got much lesser work experience but much higher salary than you. My only advice is it a job suitable for you. Money is not everything in life. If it allows good work life balance and allow you to manage everything you need in life, then i would suggest you not to move to a new job. Generally, with higher pay comes higher responsibility. And every boss is different. You future new boss might not have a good working style with you and you suffer alot more in exchange for higher pay. Good to pull yourself away from family and peer pressure and give it a good thought.

This is good advice. Stay until covid is over or less serious then start looking for new job.

Having said that, media industry as a whole is not high paying thus 4k in 6 years is not unheard of (many in the comments might be comparing you to salaries in the tech, engine or biz sector).

Fact: I am a fresh NUS Honors grad, a scholar, former top psle student, former gifted programme student with more than 1 double degree offers from 2 other universities and my profession offered me a starting pay of less than $3,500 with shift work.

Honestly, what you describe is someone who didn't live up to their potential. More than half of my GEP batchmates went to top US/UK schools. The other half did law/medicine here. You would be a vast underperformer in my batch.

It is unfortunate given your past achievements, but the market pays based on what it perceives to be your value.

In law school I thought I was going to fly high when I graduated, but I ended up with a starting salary of $500 (five hundred) as a trainee.

Life is tough, understand that your qualifications do not entitle you to any level of salary. So do what you can to create something that companies are willing to pay a lot for.

I say the above apart from your health woes, which are really what's keeping you stranded right now.