30yo's career -- advice from the wiser and more experienced? Int in Law/Mger/Teacher

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I don't think anyone brought up UOL/SIM in this thread. Your own inferiority complex about it made you write a whole wall of text that frankly I can't be assed to read through. I'm not sure what kind of advice you're looking for but you could've just asked a simple question instead of posting retarded crap like your PSLE results and how you can't be a lawyer.

chill. what is wrong in stating psle. In Singapore, all of us care a lot about psle. If one doesn't have good psle, then the future of our kids will be bad. Don't we all pay a lot just so that our kids do well in psle?

Next, the guy has confessed that he has not done well compared to his peers. Most of his friends are successful now. Put yourself in his shoes. How will you feel if all your friends, with whom you used to study, laugh and joke around, have moved so far ahead of you that it is close to impossible to reach them in their status in Singapore. Self efficacy and self esteem takes a lot of hitting.

To get over this, one would run away from the situation. And that is what the guy did. he left Singapore so that he could live a life away from all the competition and constant knowledge and fear of how his friends were doing. and after staying away from home, he is deciding to come back and now he has the biggest hurdle in life - how to show face to all his friends whom he might be hiding from.

He has taken a huge step by planning to come to Singapore and start fresh. I salute this guy. Not everyone will say that they they were a failure and not everyone will want to start from the bottom even realising that his friends might be the hiring managers in many companies now.

ok i get it. ur a top primary/secondary school student who bought a few pte degress. so? try and c if the pte sector give 2 farks loh. 30 yo still behave like a 16 yo teenager.

Originally Posted by harrow

A lot of my 'achievements' are intrinsic. I am happy with my life, I just did something cool the other day, my student just told me I was the best teacher he ever had, I am not stuck in anyway, I am healthy, I had a good time with my friends last week, I helped someone last week.

If you really happy with your 'intrinsic' achievements, you wont rant non stop about lawyer, high flier manager, local uni is all about $$$, professor so dumb etc.

Hey man,Ignore people's comments here because they're only trying to belitte you in every possible way.In your initial post you mentioned Law is certainly out of the picture considering the limited seats,well if you consider it in that angle then,yeah you probably don't have hope but you know what they say? If there is a will,there is a way.You could consider taking up UOL's Law diploma and using that as an entry qualification into Universities like Kings,London.Since you're already 30 this would probably be a better route for you.Ive heard the diploma is hard but you should understand that you're choosing a profession which is very competitive so it only makes sense you work hard for the diploma and use it as a ticket into Law school.Since it's also expensive,I'm sure you will have savings to back you up on this or maybe work a year or two for it.Remember it's not too late to do anything unless you have completely given up and wouldn't even consider to try.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hey man,Ignore people's comments here because they're only trying to belitte you in every possible way.In your initial post you mentioned Law is certainly out of the picture considering the limited seats,well if you consider it in that angle then,yeah you probably don't have hope but you know what they say? If there is a will,there is a way.You could consider taking up UOL's Law diploma and using that as an entry qualification into Universities like Kings,London.Since you're already 30 this would probably be a better route for you.Ive heard the diploma is hard but you should understand that you're choosing a profession which is very competitive so it only makes sense you work hard for the diploma and use it as a ticket into Law school.Since it's also expensive,I'm sure you will have savings to back you up on this or maybe work a year or two for it.Remember it's not too late to do anything unless you have completely given up and wouldn't even consider to try.

TS only making 3k. Even if he puasa save 50% 1 year only 18k. Not even enough to pay for the diploma still got time to fantasize go london to study?

Totally unrealistic cheer leading only.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

TS only making 3k. Even if he puasa save 50% 1 year only 18k. Not even enough to pay for the diploma still got time to fantasize go london to study?

Totally unrealistic cheer leading only.

The diploma will cost 8k and it isn't that big of a deal.Where the university is concerned he can always take a loan and study maybe work 2 years while studying and fund himself for a year and let the bank fund him for the other two.

If he really thinks it's not possible then I suggest he beg,borrow or steal but never give up.

If he boasts about his psle or o level grades people will definitely laugh at him but if he takes steps to straighten his life and come out as a successful lawyer,people will just have to shut up.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The diploma will cost 8k and it isn't that big of a deal.Where the university is concerned he can always take a loan and study maybe work 2 years while studying and fund himself for a year and let the bank fund him for the other two.

If he really thinks it's not possible then I suggest he beg,borrow or steal but never give up.

If he boasts about his psle or o level grades people will definitely laugh at him but if he takes steps to straighten his life and come out as a successful lawyer,people will just have to shut up.

Dude studying a full time law degree in London's gonna set the guy back at least 150k pounds all-in for the duration. That's like $330k in SGD.

He's making 3k, even if he starve himself silly he's gonna raise at most $30k in 2 years. You expect him to loan the remaining $300k study loan from a bank? Unless you can recommend bankers who can loan him this amount without any security and just an income profile of 3k a month, this is just empty talk.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Dude studying a full time law degree in London's gonna set the guy back at least 150k pounds all-in for the duration. That's like $330k in SGD.

He's making 3k, even if he starve himself silly he's gonna raise at most $30k in 2 years. You expect him to loan the remaining $300k study loan from a bank? Unless you can recommend bankers who can loan him this amount without any security and just an income profile of 3k a month, this is just empty talk.

Please don't exaggerate the figures.I checked the website its 15,200 pounds for a year so assuming 10k pounds for accommodation and another 10k for living expenses that's 35,200 pounds for a year which is 77k SGD(round up) x 3 years = SGD 231k.He mentioned in his initial post he saves 2.3k and spends only about $700 so if he has been saving,he should have 50k easily.Now for the next 2 years he lives the same lifestyle,being a miser,works at a private institute,gives home tuition,can't he not save up another 50k? That's 100k in the bag now wouldn't you not get 130k loan from the bank by putting your studio apartment and your job as security? He might have to work another extra year to restrict his loan to 100k.Btw I have no clue whether after UOL diploma,he can progress to UOL LLB year 1 and then transfer to year 2 at a reputable institute(recognised under Singapore law bar) which will be more affordable.He can check that out himself and see what works best for him.This guy is a miser,he spends only $700/month not save only $700 :P

If he can get the grades then I don't see why it is not possible.That is completely up to his capabilities.And if he really think it's not possible,then let him do A levels lor fight for his seat among the 250. - "No pain,no gain"

I don't think it's a good idea for TS to waste time & money studying law. By the time he finish saving, studying his diploma then degree etc. already 36-37 years old. Chances of a middle age guy with an overseas degree without experience getting a job in the bigger law firms & mncs/banks is very slim.

Most likely end up in some small partnership firm or legal executive / paralegal in local company, which means the starting pay maybe 4k. Still need to spend the next few years paying down debts.

Unless he is really passionate about studying law, from a financial perspective really not worth it.

If TS want to come back to SG, it will be more sense to focus on doing tuition, joining a private educational company, build up network and credibility and eventually either set up his own firm or be a lecturer in an institute. Can make more money, no need to live like a miser and most importantly no need to borrow so much money from the bank.

If it's me at the age of 37 I will prefer to be a well established educator with my own supporters and niche in the market than some entry level legal executive reporting to a younger boss in some ikan bilis local co.

Hi Harrow,

I was in a similar state like you when I was 30, lost, confused and in between seeminging "wrong" choices in career. It doesnt help that I was also idealistic and someone with entirely different value system compared to many Singaporeans who frankly speaking (from the above replies) are the typical Philistines because we tend to seek out meanings and purposes in life than exercise pragmatism (MBTI I was tested for INFJ). I found that the true purpose/calling in my career is to "value add" others with information and knowledge.

One way out (to reconcile your strong communication skills with commercial purposes) is to become some kind of a consultant. The easiest way to achieve that is to become a business development executive, or a product marketing executive. You educate the customers/key opinion leaders, and indirectly closing sales to earn commissions in the process. I had went from technical job, to teaching job, and sometime around 30 years of age when I lost almost everything (jobs, girlfriend), I went into doing product specialist job, and now I am a regional marketing manager. It took me about 3-5 years to reach there.

Food for thoughts, with many permutations!