DBS Management Associate Program 2015

Originally Posted by Unregistered

There are more than 1 current or past MAs sharing in this thread?

Yes. I am one of them. The people sharing should still be in DBS to know about the changes as a briefing was held a few months ago for those in the MA programme - past and present batches.

Personally I do not think changing the programme will address the problem of high attrition rate. If you know what you want to do in the bank why do you want to be rotated and in just 1 track? What if during 1st rotation you do not like the track that you have chosen? You will be stuck for 1.5 years. After that you can choose to be posted to any group for the next 2 years but as you have not done any rotation in the other 2 groups how do you know that you will like it? You are not a fresh graduate in a GA programme. How many years do you intend to use to explore your career options?

I joined the MA programme as a fresh graduate. I had done rotation in all groups. I didn't like my 2nd rotation and I was glad it was only for 5 months. So I have ruled out a posting to that group. The current MA programme gives me the exposure to the various group. This exposure will no longer be available to the 2019 batch.

It is not the programme that causes the high attrition rate. It's the lack of transparency, the feeling of not being valued, the feeling of being conned ( giving me a good starting pay and then taking it away with the low and unfair compensation), the constant changes during the programme which give rise to uncertainties etc. The HR is not listening to the feedback of the MAs .

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I applied for the program and only completed up till the pymetrics stage. Have not received any update for pli. Not sure if it is the end of my recruitment journey.
-A

When did you take the Pymetrics? I waited many weeks before the PLI. Hang in there.

Yes, I was also thinking whether extending it to people with 2-3 years work experience was because the fresh grads were leaving and they wanted people whom were more sure that this would be the career path they wanted.

Does anyone know how many MAs they will take in this year and if we (in SG) still have to do the video interview? Another poster above from Jakarta stated he did not have video interview.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

When did you take the Pymetrics? I waited many weeks before the PLI. Hang in there.

Yes, I was also thinking whether extending it to people with 2-3 years work experience was because the fresh grads were leaving and they wanted people whom were more sure that this would be the career path they wanted.

Does anyone know how many MAs they will take in this year and if we (in SG) still have to do the video interview? Another poster above from Jakarta stated he did not have video interview.

Fresh grads were leaving not because they were unsure of their career path. It's because they were pissed off and decided to join other financial institutions/banks with better remuneration package and career prospects. Matured grads as well as there were matured grads in every batch. The recruitment criteria was never strictly adhered to. Every batch you have fresh and matured grads , master and bachelor degree holders.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Is the company still trying to short list more MA? How many MA do Dbs take in per year?

Well, HR has blatantly told senior management CVs this year are lackluster and that 30-40% come from an audit background.

Usually around 20 MAs per batch

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Well, HR has blatantly told senior management CVs this year are lackluster and that 30-40% come from an audit background.

Usually around 20 MAs per batch

Hahaha I was guessing a majority of applicants would be auditors, advisory and engineers.

Could I ask if it’s the norm to wait a month between stages?

Pymetrics - 1 month wait
PLI - 1 month wait

Would-be MAs take note. Don’t be conned!

What a joke! The compensation system really sucks! HR and compensation team better go back to school and learn the meaning of reward and performance. And learn your Math too!

Increment is not related to performance grading. Band 1, 2 or 3 all same increment. Same absolute amount. Master grads increment less than non master grads both in terms of absolute amount and %. So Band 1 master grads ended up with less increment than band 2 and 3 non master grads. What logic is this! The higher your salary base the more pathetic your increment in % .

Bonus is so called performance based but the difference between the different bands is so marginal. Slogged the whole year for nothing. Bonus not in terms of number of months. An absolute amount for each band. Calculation by month band 1 master grads ended up less than band 2 non master grads.

Hello HR and compensation team you sure you passed your Math in school?

2018 was a good year for DBS yet the good results not reflected in the MAs bonus . In-programme analysts have bigger bonuses .

Higher starting pay but lower compensation. Ended up annual income not great at all. Like what is mentioned in some of the posts above – enticed us with a good starting pay then take back from our increment and bonus.

HR if you are reading this thread take note. No point keep changing the programme to tackle the high attrition rate. Treat the MAs like fools and you expect to retain them after the 2 year programme? Morale is so low this week when the MAs received their compensation letter. Many are saying time to look for another job! A wasted investment in the MA programme if you can’t retain the MAs!

Anyone past PLI?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Anyone past PLI?

No news mate, anyone emailed or contacted HR?

Think we will wait till end Feb or early Mar when applications close once and for all.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Would-be MAs take note. Don’t be conned!

What a joke! The compensation system really sucks! HR and compensation team better go back to school and learn the meaning of reward and performance. And learn your Math too!

Increment is not related to performance grading. Band 1, 2 or 3 all same increment. Same absolute amount. Master grads increment less than non master grads both in terms of absolute amount and %. So Band 1 master grads ended up with less increment than band 2 and 3 non master grads. What logic is this! The higher your salary base the more pathetic your increment in % .

Bonus is so called performance based but the difference between the different bands is so marginal. Slogged the whole year for nothing. Bonus not in terms of number of months. An absolute amount for each band. Calculation by month band 1 master grads ended up less than band 2 non master grads.

Hello HR and compensation team you sure you passed your Math in school?

2018 was a good year for DBS yet the good results not reflected in the MAs bonus . In-programme analysts have bigger bonuses .

Higher starting pay but lower compensation. Ended up annual income not great at all. Like what is mentioned in some of the posts above – enticed us with a good starting pay then take back from our increment and bonus.

HR if you are reading this thread take note. No point keep changing the programme to tackle the high attrition rate. Treat the MAs like fools and you expect to retain them after the 2 year programme? Morale is so low this week when the MAs received their compensation letter. Many are saying time to look for another job! A wasted investment in the MA programme if you can’t retain the MAs!

Hi, anyone else can vouch for this? I'm seriously considering to apply for the MA programme but if this is true, I'll have second thoughts..