please advise ...please ......

[前路茫茫]

Hi all the brothers and sister,

I would like to seek for valued advice from all of you about my career path in my current situation,
First, let me introduce myself first.
I’m 36 years old, married, and got 2 kids, staying in 4 rooms flat (monthly instalment $1000, until 52 years old), with car (monthly instalment $520).
I start working since year 1999, (20 years old), I work as an operator @ peanuts pay @ $575 per month, after a year, the company move to Indonesia.
Then I found another operator job, the salary was $850, after 1 year, the company moved to Malaysia, I get retrench again.
After that, I found a technician job with the salary of $1200; during this period I go to study ITE, (PARTIME). After 3 years, I get my NITEC certificate.
Then I quit from here then moved to a Japanese firm to work as technician also with the salary of $1200. (At this stage, I’m 25 years old)
When I working in this Japanese company, my manager quite happy with my performance, so I get few times of promotion with salary increase, the details as listed below:
1. 1st year,2006, workshop technician, $1200
2. 2nd year,2007, field service technician, $1500
3. 3rd year,2008, field service technician, $1750
4. 4th year,2009, field service technician,$1750
5. 5th year,2010, field service senior assistant engineer,$2050
6. 6th year,2011, field service senior assistant engineer,$2150
7. 7th year,2012, found a job in another Japanese firm, there offer me $2700, but then the existing company counter offer me $2850 with the title of Field service engineer( at this year, I get my diploma from Ngee Ann polytechnic after 3 years of study in part time).
8. 8th year,2013 field service engineer,$2950
9. 9th year, 2014 field service engineer,$3200.
The above mentioned Japanese company is a machine supplier to the semiconductor industry, the job scope of being a field service guy, basically is a hands on job, stationed at customer site, the working hours always irregular, example, received call from customer during midnight, sometimes need to go down to customer site to solve the machine issue during middle of the night. I been work in this pattern over the past 10 years. Actually is a very tough job, just imagine, during middle of the night, while u are sleeping after a tired day, suddenly got a urgent call in, request u to go down to fix the issue. Next day need to working again,(company will give u rest at morning, report to work after lunch).
And also, during year 2013, I go to study part time again, is a degree course, In Kaplan, Bachelor Degree in mechanical engineering, accredited by university of south Australia, 2 years course, already complete.
Early of year 2015, I discuss with my wife, i wanted to change the working environment , I don’t want to work any hands on and irregular working hours, so I start to find another job. After 2 month, I found another job, is Germany company, a machine supplier to the oil and gas company, a newly set up company in Singapore(less than a year). They offer salary $3800, with car allowance 800. As a sales and service engineer. I joined , after 1 month , I quit, due to the german boss very particular and he want me to go and find the new customer without train me about the products. And every day want me to make some cold call to the potential customer. How can promote the company product without the knowledge of the products. So , from there, I quit without secure a new job.
After 1 month shake leg at home, I found another job, as a sales engineer, salary $3500, with mileage claim if u visit customer,($0.70 per km). no-commission
My question is, based on above experience and qualification, am I under paid ? some of my friend already is a manager with the salary of 4k-5k….
Other than sales role, what position can i do with the higher salary ?
Because currently my salary only 3.5k, after cpf only get 2.8k
Can brother or sister here give some opinion whether my salary is under range or within the range to sustain a family with 2 kids ?
now i feel very depress ........

You are in deep sh*t

Who do you vote for recently?

Personally I don't think your 3.5k is particularly low for a poly grad who spent his entire career pretty much doing technical work. You can't really compare what you are getting with others who are holding managerial positions.

Truth is you really only 2 possible routes now:

1) Go back to technical engineering side
2) Continue with doing sales
3) Take up admin executive jobs

Whatever route you need to be patient, your last real job as a service engineer is only 3.2k, you can't expect employers to bump up too much unless you have some special skills. TBH I think it was a bad idea to quit the German company which pays good money on impulse just because they don't give structured training or expect you to cold call.

If you want to make big money fast, sales is the fastest way, but then you have to change your mentality. Be aggressive, thick skin, BS even if you don't really know & think on your feet and make your customers happy. Complaining & quitting just because the boss don't train your properly and want you to cold call is not the sign of a sales winnder.

If this sort of thing is not what you want, I suggest you go back to the technical side and slowly try to climb the corporate ladder, take on more projects and supervise/manage people.

Alternative is to take up generic admin based jobs in places like public sector, NGO, SMEs. But the drawback is you might need to take a pay cut temporarily.

imho, sales dont seem to suit you although it is one that can allow transport claim for your car. also, because of your lack of exp in sales, that is why you are not a manager yet.

i suggest you go back to technical job. it can be more stable i think?

$3500 could be somewhat tight for a family of four. I think that at this stage, you can only tahan with the amount of salary given to you and at least you got a job (better than nothing).

There are some questions, firstly is your wife working? secondly, what is your monthly expenses like? thirdly, how much do you save per month? fourthly, can you sell away your car, or do u really need a car?

Cause by getting away ur car, you can save $520 per month, which can reduce ur burden quite a bit

Sell the car. Pretty much everywhere is accessible through public transport / taxi now.

Is your wife working? Could perhaps talk to your wife whether she wanna start working as well.. dual income helps alot.

If your wife doesnt want, then you just have to suck it up and make do with what you have, be thrifty and spend when you really need it and not when you want it.

your salary is okay considering you started off from a nitec background.

If all else fail, pls go see your MP.

hi,

I usually don't reply. I come in here to survey sentiments and check 'market rates' since I am a HR person.

But having read your post, I can't help but feel that you need some help.

1. I think that you have worked very hard and done well so far to move up from your start to where you are.

2. I felt that if you had continue to stay in the technical side and get more professional certificates, you would do better in the long run rather than go sales.

3. I suggest that you look for a technical job in a more stable company such as ST Engineering (any one will do STK, STElect, etc) or SMRT (pay not so high but stable) or SIA Engineering etc. This is because these companies are more stable and there is a progression for technical sides but slow. From there, if you can learn to lead people and earn respect then you can switch over to managerial role. If not you will struggle and worse be 'managed out' if you cannot perform.

4. I agree with some of the posters that to be in Sales - it is a matter of attitude and personality. If you cannot do cold call and require all the 'training' before you can sell. Then you cannot be in sales.

5. I don't think you should take up an administrative executive job. I do not know you as a person. I do not know if you can handle it.... but an administrative job can be replaced by someone younger and cheaper. Not a good idea.

Good luck.

Best Rgds