Top 100 jobs in Singapore (2007)

Thanks DP. It's tormenting everytime someone says something about the low academics pay and that academics can't make it in the real world.

Finding a purpose in life is tough. Having found it and then convincing yourself to give it all up to go seek the money is even tougher because you know you are giving up what you love most for the bread and butter.

It's painful, and you know what? I am in the middle of putting myself through this stage right now...

Dragon, if you're a prof, your pay will be around $200k. You call that low meh?
See http://www.salary.sg/2007/salaries-of-professors/

Top your class, get a gold in maths olympiad, go to MIT on ppmm scholarship, top the class there, and start your career in wall street.
Or, quit school now, start a small biz maybe online one, save up, expand your biz, go regional, get listed, and when share price shoots up, gracefully exit by selling all your shares.

Hi Professor,

Unfortunately, I am not a professor.

Anyway, an assistant professor gets paid 8k a month, but professors gets 9 out of 12 months pay. The other 3 months, they have to earn money by providing consultancy services. Many don't...

Hello Dragon,

U mean as an assitant professor in NUS or NTU, one can earn 8K starting pay?

And what do you mean by 9 out of 12 months pay for professor, do you refer to full professor? what about assistant prof? do they also get 9 out of 12 months pay?

Yes, I think the starting salary of an assistant professor is in the 8k range. But to be an assistant professor, one would have gone through years as a postgrad student, fellow, lecturer etc. It really isn't that high if you consider the fact that most people get their PhD only in the 30s, and they are studying and earning allowance when most people are out there earning a "real" salary.

As far as I know, professors gets paid only 9 months a year. But this salary is spreaded over 12 monhs. I don't know if this happens to an assistant professor as well. Sorry, I am not one. I may go down this path in years to come, but not now.

Those in the know, please fill in the blank.

An assistant prof gets paid 8-10k a month for 12 months a year. Whether or not he makes extra during the 3 special months is up to him (and maybe his agreement with the uni).

Hello Dragon and Assistant Prof,

Thanks for the info.

I have further questions which I hope you could help:

I got my Ph.D degree from Germany in Jan 08 and have 6 months post-doctoral experience in one of the research institute in Germany. I have authored about 13 ISI journal papers (3-4 in top tier journals). I have also 3 years lecturing experience in one of the university in Malaysia prior to coming to Germany for my Ph.D in Jan 2005.

At the moment, I am thinking to apply for a position in NUS or NTU, can I ask for an assistance prof position, or should I first ask for a lecturer position? And how much should i qoute for my "expected salary" in my application letter. And I am a Malaysian and have not worked in Singapore before.

In case I cannot get a position at NUS or NTU, I think I would try IME or IMRE (A* start national research institute). In this case, how much should I ask in my applications for position in IME or IMRE, given my experience?

Thank you in advance for your help.

Hi Ronaldo, I am looking for a media director, and you seem like a good fit based on the interesting material you are posting.

I have a few kids I want you to take care and mentor. Two of them are 2 yrs out of Harvard and Boston U, early 20s, and they need a good guide like you. They are already earning in excess of SGD450k/yr excl perks and bringing in about SGD5-8m of revenue each. I am sure you bring in at least SGD20m given your position, and connections, so if you are keen to be challenged, you are welcome to join the club.

Forget your pathetic BMW Z3, and no name yacht company friend. You are destined for bigger things like an Aston Martin / Bentley Continental GT and a Gulfstream jet. Why sink when you can fly?

But make sure you meet my criteria first - >SGD20m in sales.

Thanks. The MB.

Dear Dragon, understand your feeling..all of us encounter these torment now & then, that's why we're in this forum Anyway, we're all paupers standing beside Li Kah Shing who wears a $50 casio, so it's quite relative. I've seen first hand some billionaire family members but i think they live and carry themselves quite normally too.. So sometimes i think we're somewhat short-changed but then there're many others in worse plight. After that, you'd feel normal again and the bread & butter issue becomes smaller. That's the thing about living in S'pore, we eat at the same stuffy coffeeshop but there're folks around who earn many times more and there're those who earn many times less too.., and we complain the same about prices going up