SMU Fresh Grads Make $4k to $10k

Hi Jefefe

i agree with you. I think it has got to do with the kiasu syndrome here. Singaporeans are risk adverse.

Hi Jefefe

Thanks for your comments.

IMHO, I think you shouldn't extrapolate a few examples and conclude that Singaporeans are a risk-averse lot lacking in entrepreneurship.

There will always be a mix of people with different objectives. Some (like me) simply want to work a few years to gain some experience and at the same time learn more about their own wants in life. Entrepreneurship shouldn't pursued for its own sake. Some struck opportunity during their degree studies and decide to follow through 100% by quitting school. Its really a matter of timing, opportunity and desire. These are very individual factors and hence no one case can speak for the entire working generation. Not everyone leaves school with a burning desire to start a business.

Speaking for myself, I have seen countless examples of healthy and successful entrepreneurship, including that of my father. As with any country including those you have mentioned, Singapore has its fair mix of different types of personalities. Everyone should do whatever they are passionate/floats their boat, and entrepreneurship does not neccessarily fall in these categories for all.

Hi Don,

I mean no criticism here, is true that everyone should drive their own boat and Singapore is a place with fair mix of personality.

It just that the batch of people that i encounter, compare to the the people i know in the countries i mentioned above really show such differences..

Is the passion that you can feel from them.

We should feel lucky of the EDB initiative "1 dollar to 1 dollar" technoprenuership funding program.. i was thinking if Singapore can have another 50 more Creative (or rather the Uncle Ah Hock)kind of entrepreneur, then our share in consumer electronic market may have a fight with Taiwan and Korea.

A bit out of topic, anyway i agree that working for few years to gain experience before you start up anything is always good, you should start up something you familiar with..

Cannot always depend on how much people willing to invest on us.. try to let ppl depend on our investment

Anyway, good luck to all the Fresh Grad on job hunting, this yr still consider a good yr, next yr may not be so..
You know something, i notice fresh grad nowadays think that is a norm for them to get a starting pay 2.5k and above, i even hear someone in the forum said "forget about working if your boss pay you less than 2.4k..."
Sigh.. no wonder we need to import so many cheap engineer..

Personally, I think it's OK if fresh grads are trying to get the max starting salary possible. In the long run, the market will bring everybody to realize their true value. Those who are capable will be rewarded bigger and bigger. Those who aren't capable but asking for the sky will simply be fired or laughed at.

there are no hard n fast rules. and statistics being numbers and mathematics, its good as a gauge but not the exact actual fact.
there are always people making more than the conventional graduate of certain faculty or specialist. likewise, there will be people on the other end of the spectrum.
to be honest, most graduates or working folks belong to the middle strata. making 100k per annum does looks good (and feels good). however, its not alot compared to those who can make millions a year in sg n the world.
singapore is an open economy remember..we see lotsa of people

wait and wait, you are wrong. Education subsidy are provided by government so students in Singapore only need to pay about S$24k for 4 years of uni education.

wait and wait obviously has been waiting, but not sure for what.

He/She expects a graduate to be buying a car and a house straight away. He/she thinks graduate will be stuck with 3500/mth for rest of his/her career and hence as career as a beer lady (no offence) is a better off choice. He/she also thinks that spending 100k on further eduction is a stupid idea (nevermind that it's subsidized by the gov't so end $ is much lower as pointed out in #98).

It's people with this kind of narrow mindset that worries me. Not surprised why we have so many FTs today because our own people are so SHORT SIGHTED!!!

Ref to Jefe's post earlier and my subsequent post. Singaporeans are not as risk averse as some of our neighbours. There are not enough entrepreneurs. So what if we have global well known companies such as SIA, Capital Land, Keppel Corp, SembCorp, Singtel, NOL, ST Eng....but do you realise that all these are GLCs? We have creatives....but honestly, it's not really doing that well is it? In Korea, there is the LG, Samsung and other high tech industries. In Taiwan, there is the Acer, Evergreen Marine, Foxconn, HTC, Asus and heaps of other OEMs which mfg the Apple, Nokia gadgets that you have.

This has got to do with people's mentality and ultimately it is all linked to Kiasu syndrome. We have put in some much effort in our study / eduction that it would be a waste if we don't climb the corprate ladder (unfortunately, I am one of those).

HCA wat are u talking about?

SG not risk averse = risk loving or neutral. So wats this about not enough entrepreneurs?

There are lotsa creative people in Singapore making their earnings not being an employee or salary receiver. Thats being creative too. Artists, painters, song writers, musicians, engineers, architects, designers and all are creative.

So if your creative equals making big bucks, Singapore has to be very creative too. We got lotsa Millionaires!

And if you compare SG to Korea or any other bigger countries it is not that fair. U need a critical mass to be "creative", going by your definition of Acer,LG,etc. Without the mass supporting these MNCs, without the proletarians you think the capitalism gonna work?

Studying and education is definitely one of the ways to get out of poverty and attaining higher living standards. Without those basic needs, creativity aint getting you anywhere. Of course, a drug peddler, vandal, crook or criminal can be creative too..

I agree there are a lot of creative people, but that's not what we are talking about here. We are talking about entrepreneurs.

There aren't as many entrepreneurals vs other countries. Singapore workforce - a highly educated one and because of this, people are less inclined to go out and strike their on their own!