Please advise on my career path plan
 

Hi all,

I am a diploma holder from nanyang polytechnic in electronics, computer and communication engineering (graduated in 2004). My GPA was quite okay (3.301) but I did not enter NTU as my family income is too low to even apply for a loan. From 2004 till 2010 December I am working as an insurance agent (above average performer) and then a real estate agent (above average performer).

I decided to quit as income is unstable nearing the end of my real estate agent's career, and also I do not wish to do direct sales till I am 60 years old. Really cannot imagine myself being an real estate agent at age 40 onwards. I thought of doing my own small business after purchasing my HDB from the resale market (I am married with no kids) I am left with $0, in fact in debt.

I went around hunting for job, and realize that diploma really get you no where. In the end I am lucky enough to get a job as a project sales executive from a regional logistics company (4th party logistics). The starting pay is $3080 basic (after probation) + commission.

I know that in Singapore working world, my diploma basically gets me no where generally ($1800 starting, $3k+ at age 40?). If I eventually left my current company I am dead. I did some research and plan to get a 1 year part-time degree (honors) from Auston, university of coventry. After that I plan to use the degree to study for MBA from SIM, university of birmingham.

I estimated that by the time I get my MBA (after 3 years), I will most probably be having a managerial title at my company with 2 years managerial experience. I estimated I will be able to get a job outside with pay of about $7000-$8000 if my current company cannot match my wish.

Please advise on the below.

1. I personally think my current job is good enough for me currently, except travelling time of 3 hours a day. Please comment.

2. My choice of study path, please note that I have to study part time due to finance constraint.

3. My perceived scenario after getting my MBA from birmingham.

Thank you very much in advance.

Do you mind sharing how much you earned per year as an above-average insurance agent and property agent?

My advice is to work hard in your current job. You are quite lucky to be able to find a 3k job after being effectively self-employed for so long. Get to know other project sales people both within and outside your company and find out how to advance your career in this field.

There's no harm getting a part-time degree. My wife got a UniSIM degree part-time too, but only because it's good to be able to claim to be "a degree holder". She's earning good money nonetheless cos she did well in her work and managed to find one good job after another in the same field.

Get a degree first. Think about the MBA later. You may change your mind about all these paper qualifications along the way.

Save up wisely. Maybe one day you'll be able to run a small business.

All the best and congrats on getting a good-paying job.

As an insurance agent, i earned about $5k/month after expanses (above average only for a newbie actually).

As an housing agent, i earned about $7k/month.

Yes, i plan to get a degree 1st, mainly only because in case i switch company, any decent job require me to have a degree, i cannot be 100% sure that i will stay employed forever in current company.

MBA is a plan to lead regionally (SEA) for my current company, as i am now considered a pioneer in my company in SEA and i wish to be better equip for better career advancement either in current/future company. But you are right, who knows i the future?

Very gd already
 

Hi, when you say you make 7k per mth previously, you mean that's the average you make over the good and bad mths after expenses? (i.e. some mths you'll make lesser than 7k, and some mths you'll make more than that) Also, do your figures include employer's CPF contribution? Becos you have to discount 15% of your pay (from the 7k) if you don't get any CPF contribution from your ex-company. This will make a more meaningful comparison with your current pay of 3k which hasn't factored (i guess) in the 15% CPF contribution from your boss.

If you really make on average per mth 7k after expenses, employee and employer's CPF contribution, i suggest you should go back to property and continue to do well there and at the same time, you still can pursue your degree since your time is more flexi and you can save up more money in this job. After you complete your degree, you can switch job if you wish to. My opinion is you focus on achieving all this first, before thinking about the MBA. One step at a time.

I would say 3k basic excluding commission is very good pay for a diploma holder. Though i think it's better to stick with the property job since I've personally experienced taking a pay cut and it doesn't feel very good.

Good luck!

Hi, 1st of all sorry as i realize i have a lot of typo error from my posts... i think i am careless, always.

To answer the above question, property income in a good month is about $15k, bad months about $3k. Average is about $7k. Overall pay should be $7k vs ~$3500 if including employer CPF.

But as mentioned, things go bad nearing my property career, last 6 month zero income. With $0 savings after buying a resale unit, i cannot take the risk of having more months of $0 income, my family will not survive. Thus i get a job outside.

Also, i cannot foresee myself forever in direct face to face ground level sales. So i thought that if i must make a switch anyway, better make it sooner than later... i can gain relative experience earlier, as i think property agent experience is not really relevant to most jobs outside.

MBA is a future plan, might or might not execute depending on situation, thanx for reminder pals =)

There are ways to rise up in property, eg move to high-end sales, or start an agency and recruit downlines and conduct training like DW, or create a "system" like the PN guy.

the grass is always greener on the other side... ppl in stable jobs want to go out and do sales like sell property because they think they can maximise their potential... u on the other hand want a stable job and want to give up your sales job... I would say something in between is the best, like your current job which has a basic and the rest of the commission is up to how much you can sell...

I hate to break ur bubble but MBA does not gurantee anything, more so that your MBA is not those of the top tier. Hence its hard to ask for 7-8k when someone with a good MBA may not have that.

The industry you are also in is very important towards what you get. Banking obviously pays more, but the more an industry pays, the more people flock towards it, the more compeition you have, and thus the higher chances of u not getting it.

I would say your job currently now is not bad. I suggest you can get a degree first if you want, but meanwhile since your job pays u a basic, it keeps u from going hungry, and for the sales component, aim for the sky and u may earn additional commissions too.

MBA does not equal 7-8k. I have seen people with Masters just getting $3k+ only (depending on the industry). It gives you a start but the rest in life really depends on you.

Yea, I know that MBA does not guarantee $7k, i read up a lot of masters with $3k+ in this forum too...

But i thought that if i have a 2 years of experience at a managerial level in a regional company, coupled with MBA (albeit not a listed company). I might have a chance to get a managerial position in a SME, which is probably about $7k? Please correct me if i am wrong.

Of course, I am not yet a manager yet in my company, but i am rather confident in doing so, so please advise base on the above scenario.

Of course, I am not yet a manager in my company, but i am rather confident in doing so, so please advise base on the above scenario. Also, i opt for birmingham as it is decent (in FT top 100), and does not require 3 year post degree working experience (which i lack), not too expansive (i am poor).

Eh you can't even spell expensive properly. The whole paragraph is filled with grammatical and spelling errors. Suggest that you brush up on your English first bro... Presentation, good writing skills is also a key to getting a 7-8K pay. In the logistics industry, especially in the 3PL/4PL line, unless you are in sales, to get 7-8K pay is tough.

But if your boss likes you, you might not even need to get an MBA, just get your degree first and see how things go.