Working Culture in IRAS

Originally Posted by Bunpire402

Is this post still active as need some advice?

I will be working as a temp in IRAS this Dec under helpline after being jobless for some time. Firstly, how's the culture over there? Understand that for my role, casual dressing is fine as long as no slippers and shorts.

Secondly, will they be able to offer me a position from temp to perm if I perform well as I applied for a perm position with them via Careers@Gov but till now status still reflected as submitted. I sincerely am interested in working in a Civil Service or Stats Board environment.

Lastly, I heard that CS or SB prefer local grads or those top uni grads to fill in their positions?? My MBA and BBA are Aussie uni which I took part-time thru private education. Was told by their HR that for my temp job they categorise me under diploma holder.

you have a MBA and working temp? a role which allows casual dressing as long as not shorts and slippers...oh man help people take queue number?

Sometimes people do not believe it but IRAS do accept degree holders for frontline roles such as handling phone calls or face to face counters. Whether front/backend, a tax officer do need to know how taxes are computed. Of course, backend officers need to have better knowledge.

E.g1. For income tax: They need to have knowledge of complex computations relating to tax borne by employers, double taxation agreements with other countries and various schemes such as the SRS or Not Ordinarily Resident schemes.

E.g2. For GST: Under the process of GST registration and filing etc. Sounds simple but just look at how thick the GST Act is...

Pay structure wise:

For this year, the salary should be around $3.5k for 2nd upp hon (without NS) regardless of whether you are doing frontline or backend. Might be more because they have just announced a 4% salary adjustment wef July 2015.

So for each class of hon., you can just add or subtract $200.
If you had served NS, add an additional $200.
It shouldnt be too far off. Just don't expect fast progression if you are a non-scholar.

I do know of even 3rd class hons grads joining so those considering need not feel like its only for 1st and 2nd upp class hons. Give it a try if you would like to serve the public.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

you have a MBA and working temp? a role which allows casual dressing as long as not shorts and slippers...oh man help people take queue number?

Why you like that? Why need to show this kind of attitude?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sometimes people do not believe it but IRAS do accept degree holders for frontline roles such as handling phone calls or face to face counters. Whether front/backend, a tax officer do need to know how taxes are computed. Of course, backend officers need to have better knowledge.

E.g1. For income tax: They need to have knowledge of complex computations relating to tax borne by employers, double taxation agreements with other countries and various schemes such as the SRS or Not Ordinarily Resident schemes.

E.g2. For GST: Under the process of GST registration and filing etc. Sounds simple but just look at how thick the GST Act is...

Pay structure wise:

For this year, the salary should be around $3.5k for 2nd upp hon (without NS) regardless of whether you are doing frontline or backend. Might be more because they have just announced a 4% salary adjustment wef July 2015.

So for each class of hon., you can just add or subtract $200.
If you had served NS, add an additional $200.
It shouldnt be too far off. Just don't expect fast progression if you are a non-scholar.

I do know of even 3rd class hons grads joining so those considering need not feel like its only for 1st and 2nd upp class hons. Give it a try if you would like to serve the public.

Cheers.

Wow! Are u working inside? Cause your info is very up to date . I am inside also and I doubt outsiders would know about the 4% increment.

I am a 3rd class hons grad. Like you said, don't expect fast progression hahaha .

And that is why people on the IRAS hotline can't give correct answers, cos they hire grads with 3rd class to man the phones. Together with no accountability as everything is "over the phone", the IRAS hotline is often a lottery to see if you get someone who knows their stuff or another joker trying to smoke their way thru their job.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

And that is why people on the IRAS hotline can't give correct answers, cos they hire grads with 3rd class to man the phones. Together with no accountability as everything is "over the phone", the IRAS hotline is often a lottery to see if you get someone who knows their stuff or another joker trying to smoke their way thru their job.

This is insulting. You don't need to be a grad to answer the phone. The IRAS hotline is manned by call centre staff just like most companies. Please me some companies that hire only 2nd lower and above grads just to man helplines.

More often than not the people manning the helplines are diploma grads since nobody wants to study for a degree just to man helplines. The turnover is high too. No offense to any poly grads.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This is insulting. You don't need to be a grad to answer the phone. The IRAS hotline is manned by call centre staff just like most companies. Please me some companies that hire only 2nd lower and above grads just to man helplines.

More often than not the people manning the helplines are diploma grads since nobody wants to study for a degree just to man helplines. The turnover is high too. No offense to any poly grads.

Anybody in the industry worth their salt will know IRAS hotline is often useless as the person on the other side is often clueless/wrong when it comes to complex queries.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Anybody in the industry worth their salt will know IRAS hotline is often useless as the person on the other side is often clueless/wrong when it comes to complex queries.

Anybody in the industry worth their salt would have contacts with the officers in the department directly who are the ones actually performing the operation/technical work.

The helpline is just a general helpline for generic stuff.

Considering your experience, quite obvious what your status is.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Anybody in the industry worth their salt would have contacts with the officers in the department directly who are the ones actually performing the operation/technical work.

The helpline is just a general helpline for generic stuff.

Considering your experience, quite obvious what your status is.

Of course, forgot you're the top manager who is still calling in to IRAS to get your work done instead of reviewing work done by your subordinates.

So much mud slinging, so many bruised egos.