How to get a job in Singapore

Since some of my friends asked about this, I will just roughly share about "how to get a job in singapore".
For this post, I only shared my job looking experience in Graphic Design field for ya all. Im not talking about tips or whatever, but maybe you will know what to do.

I believe everyone knows where to search a job. It's like eating peanut. If you don't know, hmmm.....no comment. Of course I start with sending my resume etc. You will know what you should insert by seeing samples on the net OR there're forms regarding your experience, skills, and expected salary for you to fill in those job-search-web. Some people take 1 month to get a job, some half year. Yea..don't expect too much but must be positive.

First of all, for the current, it's not easy to get a job in SG. Frankly, maybe Im Junior GD so those companies don't wanna hire me. Most of them only wanted singaporean or PR. Its getting lesser and lesser where the company want to hire Malaysian. The requirement of the permit changing everytime and become strict. They will tell you about it during interview time. At first I did (my fren) helped me to put SG number and address. However I only insert nationality (the only thing they concern) and status (your date of availability).

What people always concern is: should I get a SG number and a living address? Well, if you get those two, make sure you're in SG. My experience is, I send my resume in my hometown and expecting for skype resume. Im too innocent. don't be happy about phone interview. Its only filtering session. I went SG for the interview when I realize I won't get any job by hoping for Skype Interview. The possibility is like 5%. I book the flight two days later then straight over flying to SG.

People might ask: WHAT IF YOU DIDN'T GOT THE JOB IF YOU GO? (meaning you're wasting money)
For me, I do what I feel right. You never go, you never know.

I'm not job looking expert with many experience but what I can tell you is don't over trust with those company that you interview with. Nah...if you look back of my post, there are only two reasons why Singaporean hire foreigner: WE ARE CHEAP / WE ARE REALLY EXPERTS.

Basically, I'm very active in calling back, follow up with employer asking what do I need to prepare and etc. People will telling you what you should do during job finding. They said: YOU SHOULD LOOK AT JOBSTREET AND EMAIL YOUR RESUME. I can't wait. I'm eager in getting jobs.

Basically, I've vomit out my experience..thats it..OHYA..PLEASE BE PREPARED BEFORE THE INTERVIEW. Don't ask me what you should prepare. What's called preparation? You should understand your role as interviewee.

Yea...thats it...

Where is my third home?

I watapps crystal (the lady who said will try to ask around accommodation for me) and asked her how's her friend decision on short term renting a bed/room to me. However, her friend refused on renting out for the moment.

Thus, Plan B activated. What I can do is temporary live at my uncle house. The only problem that made me don't wanna moving over is the distance between uncle's house and working place is too far for me. It takes almost 2 hours.

I know what will happen on me for the moment, exhausted during the journey going and return. Hope that I will get a room ASAP and settled down in short time. Moving here and there is tiring. Really, I'm really tired of doing these again. Carrying the luggage up and down bus, lrt and mrt.

Sincerely hope that what I sacrifice worth it.

Mentally Unprepared

I got myself a new luggage yesterday. Not only big, it looks very nice to me also. I still couldn't believe I'm leaving soon until I pay for the luggage.

T.T

Anyway, I like this luggage so much. Just because of the beauty. LoL

Unexpected Call

I decided to go back hometown 2 days later. My phone rang when I prepared for boarding at Changi Airport. My future boss called and told me that my E pass had been approved. Ooookay....my mind was blank for few seconds. It's too fast, I was hoping the call came until next week so that I can have more time in hometown. What's all these about?!

Haiz. 

Suddenly I worries about my accommodation for next week. Urrrghhh. Immediately I called up the lady I met on the airport few days back (the lady you saw I post her pic with eye cap and everything) for her help on my accommodation. Since I know no one in SG and she's the only one I've known so far and she knows that I came for interview session. People feels that it's insecure to believe a person that you don't know. Well, I just follow my instinct.

Surprisingly, I got her call back during the evening time when she told me that she got a friend nearby can help me out with reasonable price as her friend never rent out her room to anyone before. That's really awesome!! It's difficult to find a temporary place to live, as least for the moment.

You guys just need to wait for my next episode story yea.

Days After Interview

Well, the first interview employer told me that he will call me on the next day to tell me whether hiring me or not. So, I waited whole day on the next day, until 3 something, my phone rang. Unexpectedly, he told me that he already submit all of the document that I passed to him yesterday. I was like o.o OOOKay... sit back and wait for the reply. I wasn't really prepared for a job actually. Hmmm... everything was like going too fast where my mind and heart haven't sync.

The next day, I received another call from the second interview employer. He told me to start working on friday. This guy made me more O.o I told him I must back to hometown re-pack my stuff. He said that his designer is leaving on friday so I had to follow up from the designer before he/she left. Since the first employer applied E pass for me, so I wanted what kind of pass that the second interviewer will apply for me. Unfortunately, he said it's just a W pass. Damn! That's the lowest kind of foreign pass! Of course I questioned him WHY and he said I do not have any cert then I was graduated in M'sia. Importantly, he offer me kind of low salary. I feel like he's look down Malaysian and thought I was really a kampung girl who do not know anything, anything about the levy stuff that he keep on mentioning at the first point which later I found out there's something fishy in between. He do not really ever look over my resume, understand more about me and I seriously felt that he is insulting me as a Malaysian **puiiiiii* You think Kuching is really outdated place? Or you think I'm that innocent for you? Kuching-ian is stupid is it? We Malaysian are not slave. Then I reject his employment.

Yes, I want a job (not really). But I have dignity. Don't take all Malaysian is stupid that you could step us over like nothing.

Two days passed later which then I decided to go back hometown rather than waiting in SG...

My interview session in Singapore

For some of your information, I'm in Singapore for two job interview.

Before you get a job, you will ask your friends or relative who are working in Singapore. So do me. They did helped me during my getting-job-process. I re-do my resume for 3 times. First one is to fancy for me though it might look awesome for someone, but I found it look like so immature layout after half year. The second one doesn't look perfect then I worked on the third layout.

It's not easy to get a job in Singapore now when the SG government changed the labour law and global economy is getting worst. There's one day when I got one call from SG then I got very simple on phone interview. I asked whether can the employer arrange skype interview session for me and he say yes. But the second company do not accept skype interview. I realize I will never got a job if I do go there. So I booked my flight 2 days later to SG. Other than that, I also keep on calling both company before I go and follow up the news to make sure everything is ok. If I never call back, follow up and go there, guess the interview session never gonna happen.

There's one thing I understand, the company did check their mail regularly and they will respond super fast if you're the desired applicant. This is experience as a graphic designer post. May not applicable on other field.

So, I took almost 2 hours bus to the first interview place near Tampines Ave 1. It's a industrial place with company that repair motorbikes, doing job on steel stuff and a small hawker centre. The office located at the forth floor, quiet, clean place and not much employee. Boss that interviewed me is a friendly person. During the whole conversation, he explained the company's role, what he want to achieve and what kind of designer he would like to hire. Owh ya, he did asked me what is my weakest point. Luckily I saw that the night before went for the interview. Homework...it's all about homework. Graphic design is not an easy job but they always got low pay and long working hours compared to other field. Unless you're famous art director etc.

Then I left to the second company. I lost during my way however in the end I managed to reach the destination before appointed time. It's located around Toa Payoh North, takes me around 1 hour reach there. The company's name doesn't matched with the signboard outside. I asked the employee but I guess it's not an important question and they don't really care so no one answered my question. After a short chat, the Boss required me to complete one design on-the-spot. Luckily I faced this kind of question during my first job. He said my artwork failed, which I accept. However I don't really accept when he said that design is all about talent. How about hardwork? Damn. There wouldnt be great designer without any hardwork but just talent. Frankly, compared to the first interview session, this boss doesn't make me feel like respect him.

Finally, I completed both interviews after annoyed both Bosses for few days.

*next up: the days after interview session...

It's September!

Gosh, it has been 9 months since I left LimKokWing, though I'm getting ARU's certificates, degree holder lectures teaching degree students and mostly gain knowledge from friends but I'm still from there.

Then I got employed on March 2012.(for those who don't know) Then resign on July. Yes, I got one super sucks colleague named Jo, incase he got so advance that able to read to these. I want to tell him that I dislike him so much, the way how he 'trained' me during my working time.

My father asked what did I learned from the company. Seriously, nothing. Basically, there are only hatred, jealousy which all are negative attitude happening in there but leader do not care. That's it.

However, the main reason that I left is I gain nothing there. Being bullied is not a really big matter but things that making me frustrated is I'm the one who keep on giving out. No one is passionate to boost up company sales. Nothing will goes right when the main leader in the team secretly fights all the time.

Opps, I'm just a peanut fresh graduate but I'm like a art director there. Holy.. I never done with display arts in a building. Seriously I'm willing to learn, but I got no where to learn. Furthermore, company always in tight budget. Important stuff process very slow. It's like no one cares.

So, I'm in SG now. Again, twice in two weeks time. Will keep you guys updated.