Management Associate for Kepp. Corp. Ltd.

I did try to negotiate but then the HR straight away tell me its standard pay. I was like okay...

NUS biz admin.

haven't graduate. graduating in may 2013

wah..kep corp got management associate prog I didn't know. Win liao lah. U must be those elites....look forward for bountiful bonus ahead. Good luck :) Lol..I dun think even need to negotiate..anyone with logical mind will just grab..

haben leh.

lol thanks. but really even so, its very difficult to find jobs. I went for interviews with over 10 banks and then didn't get any also. go for big 3 consulting firms also dropped out at 2nd stage. now left with final round for goldman sachs, but then i also not confident liao so i just accepted kepp. corp.

a lot of my friends are still finding jobs also. its really very competitive now esp when alot of banks are not hiring many.

i think its best to go for corporations. alot of corporations are not really publicizing themselves

jobhunter also haben grad ah? I see so many replies until i confused le

I think choosing kep corp is not a bad choice...and 3.5k is an above average starting salary for fresh grads. It will be a great deal of money considering the generous bonus every year. Yea, I agree that it is very competitive nowadays even for those who are eyeing to enter govt sector. It is indeed the employers' world now and we are free meat for them to slaughter.

I'm trying for corporations ...banks are really too competitive and it makes me sick. Elites SMU,NTU,NUS, and other distance learning grads are eyeing the same few positions within banks.

yeah agreed. all the best to you ! hope you find one soon

Yea. Hope you will continue to walk on the bright path and smooth sailing all the way :)

2nd lower :)

Offered before grad, so they weren't informed of my results

that's the problem with fresh grads nowadays... you think that it is "merely" $3.5k but in fact you don't have any experience and from a hiring manager's perspective, Gen Y-ers are more difficult to manage. faced with this, do you blame companies for looking for experienced FTs?

$3.5k is definitely a good starting pay, and as u know the bonuses at Kepple are really good.

thats really not bad for a UOL 2nd lower to find a good job..

mind telling us your offered pay?

yep, i do agree that 3.5k is a gd starting pay and the bonuses are attractive. i'm not complaining.

its just that people like to compare and when you see your peers getting 5k-6k, naturally you will think your pay is low. i think its a matter of relativity.

More comfortable to give a range instead. between 3.5 to 4

I'm not alone. Another UOL batchmate with 2nd lower is also working in another IB getting that range of pay. It is possible.

2nd lower with 3.5-4k is very good indeed. you must have did exceedingly well in your interview.

im a uol accounting and finance student, just finished exams. so like im looking for jobs online and i've gotten reply asking me my expected salary range. so how much do y'all suggest should i write?

troubled girl. :(

2.5k to 2.8k, depending on how high you wish to push it.

Good luck!

Starting Pay for UOL Accounting Graduates
 

I'm your senior from UOL. I have advice for you but do open up to the advice of others as well as I am only providing one of many perspectives.

Do some research on the market pay for that type of job right now and see if you have relevant degree. If you are going for Accounting, your degree is relevant. Starting pay for Accounting graduates will be median of around $2,700 for 3 years course. For SMU, it is $2,800 for 4 years course.

The general practice is that graduates from private schools tend to earn lesser than local graduates. Don't ask me why. That seems to be the practice. Nevertheless, I will advise that you ask lower than local university graduates for practical reasons. Firstly, the syllabus of local universities is localised. For example, UOL will not teach you that GST registered companies will not incur GST for most input materials but will for output goods (goods sold). Hence, for accounting of expenditures, most of them are without GST. Your local lecturers may teach you that but it is not in UOL syllabus. From this perspective, you may have already lose out from knowledge as compared to local uni graduates. Secondly, LSE may be behind our syllabus but legally speaking, we are only UOL graduates, not LSE graduates. From prestige perspective, NUS and NTU will definitely stand out. They have the upper hand. Employers may think graduates from good schools = good employees (though that is not always true!). If you graduate from LSE itself at London, you may be able to command even higher pay. Nevertheless, UOLIP is considered one of the best private university education in Singapore (and perhaps the world for distance learning) already. The pay isn't that bad. There are UOLIP graduates that climbed quite high.

In wage negotiation, if you believe that the tendency of employer is to give lower pay than local university graduates, avoid giving a round number like $2,700 because that will increase your range of negotiation (perhaps $2,300 to $3,000) and you may be forced to the lower end instead of higher end. If you wish to prevent being forced to the lower end, say $2,650. It will minimise the range. This is a form of psychological error (you will learn about this if you took Elements of Social and Applied Psychology). It really does work. If you don't believe, try it on your friends. Give a random number and ask them the range they think of immediately after you say that number. You will notice that the more precise you are, the smaller the range. But please don't give weird numbers like $2,659.99. People will think you are weird!

In summary, please don't ask above local uni graduates unless you got very good honours or work experience to justify it. Cause if you ask too high, you will price yourself out and not be even considered or offered the job. Neither ask too low that employers may think you have something wrong that is why you ask for so low and may push down the wage further. Apply for jobs from various channels to increase your chances. All the best!

Not true with the extra credentials. It doesn't work as well as people think. Boils down to luck too.

I'm a UOL grad, passed my CFA level 1 during my student days, ranked in the top few percentile globally during my first attempt at Bloomberg Assessment test and I'm a Captain in a sports CCA in school, having won medals for school yearly. I've been sending out resume since yr 1 for internship, and have sent out in total 400+ resume since... Response rate... Abt 0.1%? And all are rejections. I asked many people to look through my resume and cover letter and the way i send my application for mistakes, everything seems fine. I even got one UOB HR lady to look through, she thought it was good, and even spend 30 minutes helping me edit my resume to find grammatical errors. but when I send my resume to them, not even an interview for internship in Ops. My friends still find it puzzling, I'm a super odd case.

I do read very widely, during my free time. I research extensively in the industry of my dreams.. hahaha.. I keep up to date with news and daily stats, spending extra money for WSJ, economist and FT sub (Which I read religiously, but ran out of cash for economist sub renewal). But most importantly if no one wants to give you even an interview, all that extra edge you build is nothing but personal interest and empty dreams.

2 Months back, I got selected by school for an interview before they help me send my resume out for an internship. They were very impressed by me during the interview and I was the best candidate they seen for the job yet. (That was the only relevant industry interview granted to me during my 3 years in UOL) They asked me to write up extra stuff so they can help me send in to the firm. I'm very touched that the school was willing to help, alas in the end, the firm did not give me an interview to prove myself. I'm very confident in interview, but if no one gives me the chance for an interview, then what? I've seen some of my friends with what you mention read subject guide only and score jobs I wanted and applied, and I'm not even given interview.

Sometimes i still feel down and regretted not studying to get into SMU BA, I'm only eligible to get into IS when i applied. The difference with employers' attitude between SMU and SIM UOL is extremely stark. I once sneaked into a certain firm's career talk in SMU.. It's like they are begging SMU students to join them and even got the CFO down. Meanwhile, my friend in SIM investment club told me some banks think SIM is a waste of their time for career talk when they called.

Anyway.. It's all about luck. I've just finished my final paper and looking for job FT. I'm expecting to graduate with minimum 2:1 and very very close to 1st... keeping my fingers crossed. Still no luck with my hunt. Anw, I hope all you guys job hunting all the best! For UOL students, yes, I've heard and seen good stuff happened to people from UOL. It's just luck sometimes.. Don't give up!

wow thanks for ur advice senior! i just gt a call to ask im if okay with less than $2.4
i say minimum 2.4 :/

The truth is very simple. Statistically speaking excluding rare outliers, SIM peeps have no chance of getting into IB/PB. Everyone who has minimal work experience in a bank knows that. All these threads exist because peeps are not willing to accept the simple hard cold truth.

You have thread after thread asking the same question again & again. Eventually because of the sheer number of posts, you will eventually get 1 or 2 about some supposed UOL grad who made it big. All the peeps then latch on to what they want to hear and keep their dreams of greatness in FNB alive.

At the end of the day, it's just average people fantasizing about joining the league of the top 1% and willing to sieze on any example, rumour or hearsay to support their world view. The really good SIM grads would have moved on and experimented with alternative ways to outperforming the IB/PBs.

True, a friend of mine once worked in Ministry of Finance and asked about the prospect of UOL degree if he were to return to MoF after graduation. His boss told him that MoF do not recognize UOL as a degree and he will be on the diploma track. Such is reality.

It's actually really just Singapore.. If you don't mind expanding your job hunt overseas, then you may have better chance. I had extended my search to almost anywhere in the world. My sec sch friend pursuing his PhD in Oxford told me UOL is readily recognize in England. I believe it would be so too in countries outside of Singapore.

Hi. All the best to your job hunt. Don't be so sad and I can tell you that SMU students nowadays are also having a hard time finding jobs. It could be the case that SIM grads are having difficulties even being granted a chance for an interview, however, it is not easy for SMU grads either. SMU grads with a mere cum laude are also facing the same problem as you are...just hope for the best. Perhaps you can try public sector as well.

Haha youngsters having some unrealistic dreams is not necessary a bad thing. The important thing is to move on when you realise the reality. I believe majority of pte univeristy grads do move on with life after that.

My finance colleague is from pte u also. Always bitching about how the company sux (we are mid sized local company) and announcing he will resign the moment he get a "good banking job". Its been nearly 3 years since he join and until now still not 1 offer from any bank. But I think he is minority, most pte u grads (inc. me) not like that.

Erm, to all the UOL students or pte university students, unless you have very strong banking experience and performed very well (1st class) in UOL or have relatives holding top positions, forget about achieving high pay in banks. Recruiters for MA programmes from all banks will spit on our resume when they see UOL, and temporary jobs we have done during holidays. we have to face the fact that the people getting these jobs are in a different league. lower your expectations because that is no big deal in having a UOL degree.

Agree on need for connections, but disagree on 1st class honors in UOL. UOL FC honors is ranked lower than even a 2nd upper from local uni, so as far as landing a fat package in bank, it is practically uselss.

How come some first class in uol can go for masters in local uni?

also onoveC
 

from E&F here. No cca and nothing. Was doing part time jobs in year 1 and 2 while studying full time in SIM. Gotten my CFA level 1-2 at the end of my year 2 in SIM. Already secured my FCH in year 2 so year 3 was pretty relaxing for me. Got a ops role in UOB back office in tampines and converted to part time studies in my final year. Things were pretty hectic but i still could manage it. Left my job in feb to take a break and to focus on my exams (to see whether i could get a gold award ) Started my job hunt around in april, went to numerous interviews for mid office positions. Mainly analyst roles (risk mgt / fx settlements etc) with SCB, Morgan stanley, OCBC, DBS. Sent out about 40resumes to many banks and FI , hit rate is about 40% ? Already in my 2nd interview with morgan stanley and SCB, still waiting for the responses frm ocbc and DBS after my 1st interview with them. But at the same time im looking at other sectors such as commodities trading houses ( mainly physical trading but also bit on paper trading, either agri or energy)

My point is - every interview i went (errr.. about 10 or so? ), the interviewers were pretty impressed on how i managed to maintain my grades in such hectic schedules daily. Interviewers dont care whether you're a president of a SIM school club. Quoting from 1 of the interviewer i had , she said SIM-UOL is already a 3rd tier degree, without coursework, sem assessments, semester reviews by prof, etc etc. If one still couldn't get a FCH for it then it says a lot about your capability. Pretty harsh i say, but these are hard truths. Of coz ppl may argue academic ability doesn't determine one's ability.. well you dont tell me.. go tell it to most of the recruiters in banks.... 1 of my fnd was recommending me to go into stat boards and start from a "farmer" role then applying for post-grad sponsorship...
To all jobseekers , dont lose hope but pls open your eyes wide and see what's the reality out there. A FCH in UOL is as good as a average pass degree from local U...no big deal about it

Curious qns... How can you register for CFA level 2 while you are still pursuing your studies? Isn't the requirement for one to minimally completed their degree and failing to do so committed a breach on CFA regulation? Hmm.. so you registered on your first year in UOL for level 1 dec exam... which, when I'm quite sure when i register, we need to state that we are in final year of our university. And then.. you managed to complete your level 2 in June Exams 1 month after your uol exams and still secure a FCH by year 2.. meaning you score A for all your year 1 modules and A for at least 3 of 4 of your year 2 modules and still pass your CFA level 2 one month on which is coined as one of the hardest level. If you are for real... I'm very impressed and I dun know why you are in UOL. Unless you already have a degree prior to attending UOL? I'm pretty sure you will get Gold award given your capabilities. I dunno any firm silly enough not to hire you if you are as good a worker you say you are. Good luck!

Lol.. Sorry. I misread.. You completed CFA level 2 by the time you finish Year 2.. Meaning in May. So you pass level 1 and 2 during your year 1 and still straight As in your year 1. Wow.. just wow.. Why didn't you do internship in ur year 2 then? I sincerely do wanna link up with you, cause I'm also looking at commodities house and I'm pretty damn well sure I appreciate a person to share knowledge if you don't mind.

i actually started cfa lvl 1 when i was in my 2nd yr NS. when i ord-ed in july, i was just in time for classes for uol 1st year. I didn't do internship becoz i was in need of money. Unlike many fortunate ones in SIM, i had to fund my studies from my own pocket... So yeah.. the rest is basically self explanatory. i started prepping CFA lvl 2 when i was year 1 and gotten level 2 in year 2.

I hate to say this but UOL's syllabus is not hard at all. By "hard", i mean the depth of the concepts that we're taught with. Sure, some questions may be took out of the subject guide, but if one were to flip through the essential textbooks a couple of times he/she would find more interesting(or mind boggling ) stuffs. I am not the kind that can sit there n skim thru the entire book. I just pick the relevant chapters to read from the txtbook and thats all. Another thing i realized is that most UOL students study by memorizing. When presented with a question out of the norm, their brain will just enter panic mode and not knowing what to do. Study smartly, and not study blindly.

Last but no least, acing UOL exams are nothing. I had a friend who often mugs with me, also a FCH in NBS, already secured a MA position mid office with SCB (start pay :4k) even before ntu exams started in late apr. And we went for the interview around the same time tho we applied different functions. So how did he managed that ? Simple, he had some solid intern experiences with credit suisse and deutsch bank mid offices. Not just some kechik intern doing ops, but a intern in the mid office supporting the front guys and building models. So how did he get the internship ? He simply chugged his resume into the tray at 1 of the career fairs held in NTU with most of the MNCs / big banks. Whole world of difference at how most MNC/banks treat local U's and SIM. Let alone the graduates that are being churned out every year from these institutions

My main objective is to go after a niche industry. In banking & finance, it's saturated with many ah mao ah gao. With such a huge pool of candidates, banks obviously have the rights to choose the "good" ones out from the lot . I'm not saying UOL students wouldnt get jobs in there but i just dont want to get drag into a batshit insane competition race. Like many before me had said, luck do play a part. Commodities house is just 1 of my options. I recently went for another interview with a major euro conglomerate ( industry withheld) , had a direct 1 on 1 interview with the german HOD. Things were looking pretty good,just hoping i could advance to the 2nd round of interview.
I've got nothing to share with you, i'm just an ordinary singaporean male like most of the peeps here. Unless you wanna hear the stories on how i endured most of my hardships, for which you can actually refer it to mediacorp drama. If you're interested in commodities, for e.g agri-based, you can find many articles online relating to it (i.e market insights..)

I don't know why im typing so much crap out here, those that think im a ********ting here pls kindly ignore my posts. Those that are affected by my posts, pls dont dwell too much on it. Take it with a pinch of salt, these r just my thoughts. No need to compare tis and that.

Hi all. I am a first year student in sim uol business. After reading all the comments, i am very uncertain about my future. I am currently doing a marketing internship in a small company. Anyone has any advice for me?

Come on guy. If you think others will get affected by your post. Why do you still write so much crap to try to justify yourself, then later tell them not to dwell on it or ignore you.

nwallyz eight
 

cut him so slack dude. The purpose of his sharing is not about whether people would get affected or not... it's about providing more insights & awareness into the graduating scene of SIM graduates.

to the unregistered guy on who posted about his interview experience and is on course for FCH, I will be interested to hold some discussion with you over coffee. I'm from SIM UOL as well and I share some of the views that you've expressed in your post.

do contact me at : [email protected] if you are keen as well.

He is sharing his views on how the local job scene is like in SG and here we have it , anonymous user like you bashing him for expressing his views. Just as 1 of the user had posted it , most people in here (SIM to-be grads) refuse to wake up from their sweet dreams. When somebody tries to explain the "SIM stigma" aka the "truth", these delusional people will start accusing him for distorting facts.

Tsk tsk....

Btw I'm not from SIM. Just a regular-guy browsing in this thread.

I am from a local uni, just randomly browsing the thread. And I wonder, how did that guy clear his CFA level 2 as an undergrad?

I got my CFA level 1 in year 2, they do not allow me to go for CFA level 2 at all. The criteria for level 2 is a bachelor's degree (i'm aware they wrote it as a requirement for level 1, but they seemed to relax on the rule. Not for level 2 though)

Can the guy please share with me how?

The Truth
 

Guys..i was from a local uni and worked for few years in banking.

Just to make some contribution here..hope undergrads in pte unis will feel encouraged.

The FACT is that there are TONS of people working in banking who were from private unis.
Go check out Linkedin for yourself..once you start working and gain experience, nobody CARES where you graduated from. Talk to the RMs and Treasury Sales guys who make 20k-30k a mth, they don't talk about who grad from where. There are many successful pte uni grads.

To that guy who keeps talking non-stop about your FCH, you shld go check out the private uni grads who are in front office IBs and stop boasting about your back or middle office experience. (No need to emphasise it's middle cause the truth is nobody cares if it's back or middle)