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

Basic info:

Citizenship: SG. Born in KK hospital.

Formal Education:

PSLE top 10%
O levels (Special school) top 10%
A levels failed (rebelling at this time...18yo...too busy chasing skirts, didn't apply myself at school at all)
Polytechnic failed (ditto, see above)
BA in Business (Scotland, low ranking university) via distance (first class honours) (paid for it myself, very motivated to get my degree at this age)
Post-graduate diploma in business top 10%

Life's journey so far:

Basically, I failed my As and my poly diploma (I didn't bother to apply myself at all that time. Age of rebelling.). I wasted 5 years of my life there. And in NS, I also didn't apply myself at all, record in NS was very bad, but I got 'average' in my certificate I think.

I came from a special school so all my ex classmates are mostly doctors, lawyers, engineers, working in banks (analysts), managers in MNC, etc.

So I went into NS at 22 yo. Came out at 24 yo. Took a year to travel in Australia/NZ. 25-26 yo. I set up my own ebay/home business selling purifying products and did this for 2 years. Then I went to East Asia, I found a job teaching English in a university (lecturer) in Japan for 2 years. Then, after 2 years, I moved to China to work as a lecturer in a university (teach Business and English). Currently, 30 yo. I don't think my resume looks good, especially for Singapore, where people nitpick on everything (Oh, worked for small company, no want hire lah, oh no A levels, no hire lah!)

I know I wasted a lot of my time. By now, having traveled to most continents except Africa/N+S America, I have learnt a lot.

I have found my passion in life. I find qualitative stuff (English, Management, Speaking/Writing, Geography, History, etc) to be very easy for me. I was always one of the top students for English from P1 to A levels (even when I 'switched off'). Geography, History, etc, I found them to be quite easy.

On the other hand, I always struggled a little with advanced mathematics and complex formulas in physics/etc. I do not have a natural affinity for quantitative stuff. Although, I can do normal mathematics well enough.

So I better stay away from such jobs.

Basically, I wish to be a manager (middle-top level) in a big company or a lawyer or a teacher.

Being a lawyer probably impossible (250 places per year for law at NUS, SJD at SMU costs 80k, thanks for affordable tuition fees SMU).

As for being a manager, I previously applied for a few jobs in Singapore but got zero replies. :eek: I am not sure how this will turn out.

As for being a teacher, I currently have been teaching for 3 years already. I earn around 3k SGD here. It is not a lot in Singapore but it is quite a decent income here. I spend only 200 SGD here if I am on a 'budget month'. Normally, I spend 700 SGD or so per month, so I save 2.3k SGD or so each month. I am provided with a studio apartment for free. Electricity and water are all free. I only need to spend (very limited) money on food and shopping.

The problem is, I think teaching in Singapore is not really a good career? It pays OK at the beginning but there is really limited room to 'go up'?

I want to go back to SG to work. I mean, I love SG. As I grow older, and see more places, I love SG more and understand how great SG is. I want to buy a HDB flat and settle down in this decade. And get into middle-top level management. :p

What are my chances of getting a foot into a managerial career in Singapore like? Ironically, last year, when my work contract ended, I applied for jobs in SG but got zero replies. But I got quite a few replies from employers in Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and even 1 or 2 from Europe.

In Japan, my employer wanted to increase my salary when I told them I was leaving at the end of my fixed-term work contract. And I got 3 job offers in one month.

Zero replies from SG.:eek::(

Very long story, so I will just comment on the crucial part:

1) Manager (middle-top level) in a big company - If you mean 10-20 years down the road, then yes possible, you can still get an entry level executive job in a MNC. If you mean want to apply to be a manager now, then forget it HR will just toss your CV in the bin.

I am assuming you mean proper manager job with appropriate pay & responsibilities, not BS titles.

2) Lawyer - Not very sure, but I think based on your background extremely unlikely in a law firm or legal counsel in MNC. Perhaps you can try paralegal jobs & try to work up from there.

3) Teacher - Private education companies possible, can try. MOE teacher, not likely to get it straight, maybe can try the PDGE route.

Honestly, don't bother.

ts total unrealistic, already 30 yrs old still making only 3k with no relevant exp want to apply to be a middle top manager in big company. haha of course no reply lar, hr prob laugh think u either complete noob or trying to be funny.

Unfortunately, singapore does not know how to appreciate someone like you.

Civil service job needs you to submit O level and polytechnic results.

With failed results, nobody will want you here.

So y do you keep wanting to work here?

i would advise you to go teach in other countries better.

Ppl in Japan appreciate you, so why not go to a place where you are appreciated?

I think you should just continue teaching overseas or do freelance / contract tuition in Singapore. You are obviously not cut out to be in the corporate world and honestly I doubt you will even survive as a bottom end associate. Applying for middle or senior manager job with your kind of profile is just suicide. As for the lawyer thing unless you really are damm super passionate about it, really no point wasting $80k and a few years on it.

Sure, I doubt I can compete even with a mobile phone shop salesman who earns 3k+!!!, given that I only graduated among the top 10% for Primary school, secondary school, degree and post grad. I mean, it is obvious that I am a am pretty dumb person.

Just to clarify, perhaps I wasn't obvious enough, I did not apply for middle/top management jobs, I am looking to get on the ladder (possibly as a management trainee. associate, etc) and become a mid level manager in possibly 3-5 years' time. Most of the jobs I applied for were pretty junior jobs.

Too many capable graduates and experienced managers in Singapore? We all know how great the top guys are.

Cheers. Yummmmm seng la! Long time no go Sing-ga-pore coffee shop drink beer, wan find go-od job can get some beer money mah! :p

Why this forum got so many 30 yo with retarded back stories? Too free go write novel lah

Hmm...I was wrong.

PSLE: 262 (= top 1%)
10 O levels: 5 pts (= unsure, probably within top 10%, possibly top 5%.)
BA: 1:1 (= around top 10%)

How to survive as bottom-end associate in Fairprice liddat leh?! WAH LAO EH!!! ALAMAK!!! JIA LAT!!! WAN FIN GOODER J-OB!!!! RARRRRRR!!!

30 YEAR OLD MEET LI-FE CRI-SIS MAH!! SIAO LIAO LOH!!! :eek: