Was my expected salary too high?

[peMeo]

Hi all,

I have a bachelor degree in Financial and Accounting, which i think it's not so well recognized in Singapore. And then I got a offer from a small VC as Chief Administrative Officer. They offered me 2.1k as starting. I thought it wasn't too bad. However, my experience with this job was like hell. I was hired under this VC but I had to work for 3 different companies. I had to do all the admin, accounts, and operations, and being ordered around by another 2 staffs (not bosses). Quit may sound easy for some of you but not for me.

Anyway, I made my way through, and proved my abilities. So after 2 years up and down in that mess, now my current salary is 3.6k, and handle 6 companies instead of 3. As each of the boss has more than 2 companies. I initialized accounting system, and handled all the corporate secretary matters in the companies.

My concern right now is about my career advancement. As I don't think staying at this company will bring me any higher. I am very interested in Accounting and Auditing. Couple of months ago, the Auditing company that i am working with head hunted me, but I do not want to join them because it's a family business company (all father, sons, and son-in-law working together in the same company) So I've been applying jobs to some other CPA firms instead, but I've never get shortlisted Was it because my expected salary ~3.5k does not go well with my experience?

I am currently pursuing ACCA and ICSA (at the professional levels), expected to complete 1.5~2 yrs years time.

Appreciate if you can share some thoughts with me. Thank you!

Originally Posted by peMeo

Hi all,

I have a bachelor degree in Financial and Accounting, which i think it's not so well recognized in Singapore. And then I got a offer from a small VC as Chief Administrative Officer. They offered me 2.1k as starting. I thought it wasn't too bad. However, my experience with this job was like hell. I was hired under this VC but I had to work for 3 different companies. I had to do all the admin, accounts, and operations, and being ordered around by another 2 staffs (not bosses). Quit may sound easy for some of you but not for me.

Anyway, I made my way through, and proved my abilities. So after 2 years up and down in that mess, now my current salary is 3.6k, and handle 6 companies instead of 3. As each of the boss has more than 2 companies. I initialized accounting system, and handled all the corporate secretary matters in the companies.

My concern right now is about my career advancement. As I don't think staying at this company will bring me any higher. I am very interested in Accounting and Auditing. Couple of months ago, the Auditing company that i am working with head hunted me, but I do not want to join them because it's a family business company (all father, sons, and son-in-law working together in the same company) So I've been applying jobs to some other CPA firms instead, but I've never get shortlisted Was it because my expected salary ~3.5k does not go well with my experience?

I am currently pursuing ACCA and ICSA (at the professional levels), expected to complete 1.5~2 yrs years time.

Appreciate if you can share some thoughts with me. Thank you!

My guess is the 2 years of admin work you done at the vc does not really count for account ing and auditing experience as it consist of only a small part of what you do. Without relevant experience I would say 3.5k is a rather high asking pay. IMO you may not like working for that family owned accounting firm but you should have still joined them. The experience would have helped in your future job hunt on relevant industries. And woah 2.1k for the fresh grad sounds terrible.

Originally Posted by peMeo

Hi all,

I have a bachelor degree in Financial and Accounting, which i think it's not so well recognized in Singapore. And then I got a offer from a small VC as Chief Administrative Officer. They offered me 2.1k as starting. I thought it wasn't too bad. However, my experience with this job was like hell. I was hired under this VC but I had to work for 3 different companies. I had to do all the admin, accounts, and operations, and being ordered around by another 2 staffs (not bosses). Quit may sound easy for some of you but not for me.

Anyway, I made my way through, and proved my abilities. So after 2 years up and down in that mess, now my current salary is 3.6k, and handle 6 companies instead of 3. As each of the boss has more than 2 companies. I initialized accounting system, and handled all the corporate secretary matters in the companies.

My concern right now is about my career advancement. As I don't think staying at this company will bring me any higher. I am very interested in Accounting and Auditing. Couple of months ago, the Auditing company that i am working with head hunted me, but I do not want to join them because it's a family business company (all father, sons, and son-in-law working together in the same company) So I've been applying jobs to some other CPA firms instead, but I've never get shortlisted Was it because my expected salary ~3.5k does not go well with my experience?

I am currently pursuing ACCA and ICSA (at the professional levels), expected to complete 1.5~2 yrs years time.

Appreciate if you can share some thoughts with me. Thank you!

arent u embarrassed to hold the title CAO ?

CAO making 2.1 k lol c'mon

[peMeo]

Thanks for sharing The business family company will be final choice. I'd like to try with other CPA firms first.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

My guess is the 2 years of admin work you done at the vc does not really count for account ing and auditing experience as it consist of only a small part of what you do. Without relevant experience I would say 3.5k is a rather high asking pay. IMO you may not like working for that family owned accounting firm but you should have still joined them. The experience would have helped in your future job hunt on relevant industries. And woah 2.1k for the fresh grad sounds terrible.

[peMeo]

I need to make a living anyway. I am not doing any crimes or harm to anyone.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

arent u embarrassed to hold the title CAO ?

CAO making 2.1 k lol c'mon

Looks like u have been exploited to be cheaper better faster. All the best in your future endeavors.

[aspenx]

TS. I understand how you feel and actually went through something similar (still somewhat at it actually...) though in different industries.

We do what we can to achieve what we feel we deserve.

I always find it difficult to keep a level head and think through the pulls and pushes of leaving one job for another. In this case, your (lack of) prospects at your current company is your push factor. It's reason enough to leave but do think twice when evaluating the pull factors of the potential new employment.

Best of luck.

Thumbs up for yr hard work, it's sad yr efforts r not recognized, both by the company and in the public view. U need to up yr visibility. Go into public sector or bigger mnc to get the exposure. Going into family business is another dead end. Good luck

[aplover]

Keep trying. Moving to the family company might not be too bad an idea. Not all family biz are ****. Some can be quite decent to get reduced workload, diff exposures and stepping stone to something better in the future?

But definitely better than your present ********?

Originally Posted by peMeo

I need to make a living anyway. I am not doing any crimes or harm to anyone.

Good positive thinking. Ignore the trolls.

I used to hold title of "CTO" pay 2.4k
and "Founder" bleeding $$ negative pay

Just take $$ 1st title who the heck cares