The answer is very simple,

you are just average joe(degree farmer) on the street who want stability/average bonus.....just join government job.......& got work-life balance...average 3 mths bonus or 15mths package.....

by the time you retire, your pay should be 7-10k range.

if you want the sky to the limit $$$, just join private sector.....but prepare to work your @ss off, and prepare for any FT invasion or retrenchment...or fired just because of Reservist

I thought for farmer in CS the normal ceiling is Director? Maybe close to 20k?

if every single farmer, is to be director, getting 20k, then who will be the one doing the "saikang",

most farmer will retire at MX11-MX10(maybe 80%), good one will go MX9/8(15%) or even 7(5%)....

Agree, def 20k is super rare for farmer. in fact most good performer can only reach MX9, sometimes very lucky one (~1%) maybe can hit MX8. In the whole CS now, there are <10 farmers who are MX7.

Deals.com.sg also SME.
Yeos also started as SME.

Most set ups start off as SME. Which is why I believe it depends on the industry and SME. We should not generalize SME as 1 category, there will always be the good and bad.

you are the one start this thread asking generalise question about gov sector, mnc, sme etc.

now you tell others not to generalise then what is the point of this topic

Hi don't mind me asking, but what are you looking for when you start this post?

Because after reading the whole post so far, it seems when people provide research & analysis, you not interested. When some people disagree in discussion, you tell others not to turn your thread into flame war. When people give general answers, you tell others not to generalise. So to me is like say whatever answer also cannot please you........

what do you mean by farmers? who are they?
other terms used?

how much do MX8 and MX7 make?

Regular person. High class admin. People who headhunters don't approach...

At the end of the day, TS seem to still prefer sme ....

They might be big brand local names... but you honestly think they pay well for rank and file? Coy doing well does not equal employees get good/high pay. Sad but its true...

Generally in CS, if you are not a scholar, you are a farmer. Does not matter how high an MX u become/are... farmer = non AO.


Above 10K and below 18K if I remember correctly. MX8 onwards are rarer creatures in the CS lol

I am in the compensation consulting industry and the facts that this guy bring to the table is more accurate with my experiences. 15k monthly base is really just a senior managerial role. If 15k is the pay of any one deserving of a COO title, which we can all pretty much agree that he is probably within the top 5 highest paid in any company, he is severely underpaid, let alone 75th percentile. But I do have to point out that salary information from recruitment firms are usually slightly inflated and the manner of them gathering the data is quite dubious. But I guess it's good for just a rough idea. It would be more accurate to get compensation data from firms who specialize in such market data such as Mercer or Hay Group.

Relevant to the topic at hand though, I think a lot of people here sum up my views in pretty much the same manner. ultimately you gotta know what is your personality and how you can fit into the working culture and what you ultimately want to get from a career.

if you're a farmer, i believe CS is really just a pretty stable job. Got quite a lot of WLB one right I heard? One week working hours maybe less than 50?

if you're a scholar and you're in CS, then I guess you're bound to be earning loads.

if you're in a SME, i think it's really debatable. Some SMEs seriously cannot make it, some still alright. Probably depends on industry, your jobscope, and how you make the best out of it to launch you somewhere else.

if you're in a MNC, the pay ceiling is definitely the highest and opportunities are definitely the most bountiful assuming you have the drive and ambition to succeed.

do you consider a local listed company with interests in regional markets a MNC?

or when people say MNC, its mainly the US, German firms?

So is the following company consider MNC?

ST engineering
Keppel Corp

At last, someone is talking some sense, not like the other guy who totally missed my points in making swiping statements against a respectable sector in totally out of context manner. Government service is definitely not the highest paying sector but it's the most predictable career path (consistency here) i.e. you should be able to feed you and your family comfortably well and spend quality time with them. If you do work *consistently* smart/well and maintain good working relationships with your peers and bosses, I see very high chance (another consistency) of least retiring at MX9 and above. Just that most of the young officers don't last that long (including scholars - yes, many won't stay long either). I've with the service for quite sometime. Many had joined same time with me, but my batch only left with very few (sometime you can't help but can feel quite lonely at just beginning of mid-way).

Increments may be slow at beginning but can get quite rewarding in longer time span i.e. law of compound interests of 4-8% p.a. for average joe with occasional promotions of 8-15% (another consistency).

Having said that, you still won't be as rich as the top private bankers, top managers, top accountants etc unless you are absorbed into AO (very rare but still possible).

On the other hand, private sector is more rewarding and at same time chances of getting nowhere is also real e.g. US MNC is known to hire generously and fire quickly. Personally, I knew quite a few business acquaintances were hired into VP roles at young age in some IT US MNC but were at gone after 1-3 years (heard of being "fired" or "retrenched"). I also noted someone in thread mentioned that being unpredictable is fun. But I also do believe many still prefer stability (another "consistency" in career).

who are considered scholar? is there some special scholarship or any scholarship during bachelor/master/phd?

erm... I think cbee is agreeing with the guy who humtum you upside down leh. How come you saying he agree with you?

I am curious, this is my 8th years in 2nd giant size MNC, after 2 promotion , my annual package have not hit 100k yet, btw i am in engineering ..consumer electronic..

spend 5 years in a 100,000++ MNC, annual pay increment is pathetic.. only after i jump to competitor the pay seem pick up..

btw my KPI not bad, before i left i got a K some more..

What is the proportion of these 100k+ guys compared to the size of the local office? Are they people promoted internally or external hires?

The Singapore Administrative Service

This should help you understand more. Do note that not all who enter the hallowed gates pass the test of time!

true..can someone shed light on the breakdown of countries of MNCs..eg US/China/UK/India/Korea/Japan etc etc..or the industry they are in?

MNC are everything here, its the things you breathe, the things you put in ur car, the things you use to come this forum, the things you eat, the thingds you sleep.

But most of the MNC here are japanese..... and they are... well "not the best".

u mean which countries MNC offers the best pay and benefits is it? Likely US MNCs are better..anyone can share some other info?

Have been in 2 giant US MNC for the past 8 years...really giant, you see their name quite often on newspaper.. I will say..haaaaa

it really depend on what industry you are in, i was in consumer electronic, the profit margin is basically flat, market is very sensitive to consumer purchasing power, what do you think about the compensation?

But i think for sure, the environment is much more friendly, people respect each other well and there is work life balance.. i can't remember i came across anyone banging table or raising their voice..

well this is my 8th years, my compensation as a senior engineer, project lead is only about 75k per annum , base pay.

Just accepted new offer from another MNC providing industrial solution, hope to cross 100k soon, crossing finger..

My point for that is most MNC start off as SME...
But I do also realise that there are different grades of SME, some S, some M.
Hmm maybe my thread title was a little off.

So from the discussion here I can conclude

SME - possibility to make it big or fail trying
MNC - high earning potential but face high retrenchment risk at 40+
CS - slow and steady
SB - slower and steady

I am in the accounts field, so I was wondering if accounts dept will get retrench and how much difficulty will they face when finding for a new job.

I am worried that my career will be cut short at 40+ and will face difficulty finding job to support the family.

yep mnc start off as sme just like you start off as a baby. great insights!!!

Why did your peers leave? And I was under the impression that experience in CS is irrelevant to the private sector, does that mean that your peers started from bottom again in the private sector?

sarcasm????

any person career path is depend on ownself, no point keep asking about what is like in other places. 2 people in the same place will also end up different fate. life is full of unkown dangers & opportunities, you are very young and looking for a quick answer to something unpredictable the next 40 years. you are like a newbie trader in the financial market asking for quick stock tips.

i am probably more of a mutual funds or index guy as compared to a trader.

Yup, nothing wrong with asking.

And also, same person in different environment will have different outcome. A scholar joining an SME and DUN job hop and just go bang wall sua, actually you dun choose where you join also, just go see job sites for requirements...

If same position, doing about same thing lets just say engineering,

gov sector -> PHD/master
Mnc -> PHD/Master/Degree
Big SME -> Master/degree
SME -> degree/diploma
Small SME -> diploma/ite

No need to say, pay who more who less kidda obvious rite.

my experience in US MNC R&D department telling me PhD dun really give you a pay hike..

come on la MNC is not as "scholar oriented" as GLC

Especially in US MNC, SOBC is important, every 6 month we do SOBC course to remind and remind you again to be a ethical worker, sort of wayang but you can see this is how they put work ethic above everything else.

trying to rise your voice on your subordinate? you will get corrective action immediately ..

But Mnc still more "result-orientated" rite, just because they can afford to pay more.

and Sme only have the lesser result guys to hire...

Sarcastic? But very true.

Remember, even if you are the 1st employee of a startup, and you get best employee of the day, everyday, for a year or two, does not mean you get to go up the ladder.

Joining a startup is always sad, they dun really have a lot of spending power, your pay is low, no overtime pay, lots of overtime, sad stuffs and worse still it may fold tomorrow, with maybe your salary unpaid.

If you are in the sales team, even worse, you havent start selling, already spend half a day tell other people wtf your coy is. And no meet target usually = instant out.

Engineering team, lousy/no equipment, no access to component inventory, no project backlogs, no people to guide you, etc etc...

If you want to join a startup, maybe you should save up and become your own boss.

hmm but the reason the MNC hired me is because i learnt alot from my first job at SME..

sometime people looking at your willingness to learn and your commitment to work rite?

When people ask for Phd/master , your degree kenna filtered before anyone looked at it.

When ppl ask for degree/master, your diploma goes into the email junk box + auto delete.

When ppl ask for diploma/ite, means usually they not MNC lolx

Unless you "know" people, then special case.

If I know enough of the right ppl, i bet i can be king!