Queries

[AverageJoe]

Hi bellmiko,

Something for you to ponder:
Why switch line, and into secretarial / PA line of work? It is not a line of work that pays well to begin with. If you are choosing this line not for monetary reason, why are you asking for $$? And if you are, do a little bit more research.

True, you lack experience but you had govt-related experience, which some companies like. Imagine a particular company who deals mainly with govt bodies, they would LOVE to have someone who used to work inside there previously to help them to sort out the paper chase.

Seek out those companies, who may be your ex-vendors/suppliers and apply with them, and quote your experience with paper work with the public sector. You stand a bigger chance in getting a better-paid job.

And of course interviewers would seldom make you feel at ease. That's the purpose eh?

J

Originally Posted by AverageJoe

True, you lack experience but you had govt-related experience, which some companies like. Imagine a particular company who deals mainly with govt bodies, they would LOVE to have someone who used to work inside there previously to help them to sort out the paper chase.

Seek out those companies, who may be your ex-vendors/suppliers and apply with them, and quote your experience with paper work with the public sector. You stand a bigger chance in getting a better-paid job.

Please lar, no offense to TS, but ex-gov entry level administrator making 1.7k trying to sell yourself as someone konwledgable on bureaucratic matters & inside government processes will just make her look foolish and airhead.

It's better for her to cite examples that demonstrate her multi tasking abilities, good filing skills & get some previous stakeholders as references.

[bellmiko]

Originally Posted by AverageJoe

Hi bellmiko,

Something for you to ponder:
Why switch line, and into secretarial / PA line of work? It is not a line of work that pays well to begin with. If you are choosing this line not for monetary reason, why are you asking for $$? And if you are, do a little bit more research.

True, you lack experience but you had govt-related experience, which some companies like. Imagine a particular company who deals mainly with govt bodies, they would LOVE to have someone who used to work inside there previously to help them to sort out the paper chase.

Seek out those companies, who may be your ex-vendors/suppliers and apply with them, and quote your experience with paper work with the public sector. You stand a bigger chance in getting a better-paid job.

And of course interviewers would seldom make you feel at ease. That's the purpose eh?

J

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

Like everybody else, I hope to get a better paid job. Fair right? I do not know of any any regular Administrative personnel can ever earn over 3k per month. But as a PA, it is possible, with plenty of experience serving very high Management which is what I have to work my way towards. 3k is not A LOT, but its not bad for a Admin position. Its far fetched to tink that a Admin girl can earn up to Numerous thousand dollars (in my dreams maybe ). But anything more than my previous pay would be a tiniest bit satisfying given the fact that i got that amount after 3yrs..

For the record, U just Imagine on a 1600 pay, how much do I bring home after CPF and i have to travel for 6days to work + a handful of 7days work week. i tink purely transportation will take up 1/3 of what i actually bring home after CPF.

haha..

Originally Posted by bellmiko

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

Like everybody else, I hope to get a better paid job. Fair right? I do not know of any any regular Administrative personnel can ever earn over 3k per month. But as a PA, it is possible, with plenty of experience serving very high Management which is what I have to work my way towards. 3k is not A LOT, but its not bad for a Admin position. Its far fetched to tink that a Admin girl can earn up to Numerous thousand dollars (in my dreams maybe ). But anything more than my previous pay would be a tiniest bit satisfying given the fact that i got that amount after 3yrs..

For the record, U just Imagine on a 1600 pay, how much do I bring home after CPF and i have to travel for 6days to work + a handful of 7days work week. i tink purely transportation will take up 1/3 of what i actually bring home after CPF.

haha..

hi bellmiko...u intend to pursue the secretarial/pa field? any thoughts of working in the law/legal services, i.e legal secretary? its kinda stressful supporting the lawyers but u will be working directly under them, so they can raise ur pay if they think u are up to standards...perhaps u can consider...

Admin jobs is touch & go, you like you stay, dun like just go off, no need to plan & think so much one lar.

[bellmiko]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

hi bellmiko...u intend to pursue the secretarial/pa field? any thoughts of working in the law/legal services, i.e legal secretary? its kinda stressful supporting the lawyers but u will be working directly under them, so they can raise ur pay if they think u are up to standards...perhaps u can consider...

Hello,

Legal secretary is different from the kinda PA duties i am interested. legal duties require much more of the person to deal with the actual process of for eg. litigation, conveyancing or corporate.. and not so much of being a personal assistant.. so yeah..

Originally Posted by bellmiko

Thanks for the positive reply!

Is it my problem or that this Company is really out to "eat" people giving such remuneration offer and working conditions?

Deffo not your problem, the pay is indeed miserable

Originally Posted by Minicks

First off, no need to feel offended, humiliated, insulted or any of such nonsense emotions. At the end of the day, whatever they choose to call you, you are applying for a basic admin close to brainless job & nobody really cares about your qualification, career aspiration, culture fit etc.

Last time when I hire for this kind of job in a Dutch MNC, our only criteria is “dun sound like an idiot, dun look like a gangster”. Of course we go through motion pretend to read CV, ask “strategic” questions etc, but that’s the truth for you.

I mean no insult, just telling you the truth. As for salary, although you dun have direct experience, my take is you should take up jobs that at least match your current pay. Any company that tell you no direct experience etc. is lying, there is not much specialized expertise that can be gained from having a few years of experience in a basic admin job. Important thing is attitude and resourcefulness, that’s all.

Thumbs up your honest reply

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This company, is a SME company, and my guess is that, it's a local one.

Well, most SME offer low to average pay as they are well, small to medium enterprises. They are unable to pay the rate which MNCs are offering. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the bosses themselves are struggling. Not putting the SMEs down, but it's a matter of fact that many of these SMEs put up their white flag once market conditions change and they are unable to react accordingly.

As for the interview question posed to you, no need to worry much about it because interviewers just ask anything they want to say then. It might seem too much to you but take it from me - I had attended over 30-50 interviews in my whole life and after 10-20 ones, you will know how to react to them. The interviews would be like eating mee goreng.

I had an interview before where the interview asked, "would you prefer a present to be wrapped or without wrappers?" I replied, "with wrappers." The lady said, "This means that you are someone are more concerned about the marketing than the actual content. We cannot employ you."

Just as I was walking out of the room, I overheard another interview from another room where an interviewer asked the same question. (It was a mass interview). The male interviewee replied, "I prefer my present without wrappers." Guess what the interviewer said? She said, "Sorry we cannot take you because your answer reveals that you don't appreciate the finer things of presentation..."

WTH??

So don't concern yourself too much on the questions or exact words, etc then. If they want you, even if you didn't brush your teeth when you open your mouth, they will say you smell nice. If they don't want you, whatever you say would be noise to them.

As for the Sunday no OT pay thingy, it's quite common actually if your post is an executive position. Executives are not paid OT. And if you want to be duly paid for that, my advice is to apply for a MNC or govt position; unless you can find that benefit in another local SME, which I think it's not very common.

Most SME company would take this as 'calculative.'

As for the pay, you need to ask yourself whether you can learn a great deal out of it. If yes, you just pretend you are in internship. If not, you might want to consider again.

You didnt mention on the tons of SME's doing well or very well, and they still pay miserable. Your post is only half truth.

Originally Posted by bellmiko

Hello,

Legal secretary is different from the kinda PA duties i am interested. legal duties require much more of the person to deal with the actual process of for eg. litigation, conveyancing or corporate.. and not so much of being a personal assistant.. so yeah..

Present yourself well and get to know rich and handsome lawyers, hook on one to marry and your are settled for life. Just play the docile wife and make him happy. Many times better than slogging for low pay.

Women's youth is their source of almost everything.