Recieved a job offer today but got some questions

[danielwinberg]

Hi,

I've recieved a job offer today after two phone interviews and of course have a million questions. Been reading in to the subject a lot and think I've covered what I can from previous information posted everywhere online.

Would really appreciate if anyone have any insight in these three questions though:

1 - They bumped my salary down from what I wanted to 1000 dollars less. Since I dont know much about business culture ( yet ) I'm not sure how negotiable singapore companies are on that particular issue. Will they tell me to take a hike if I try to bump it up a little bit or is it like everywhere else just a game ?

2 - Is it at all possible to find a 2 room apartment for 2000 dollar ( dont need to be super central )? Since I'm not getting any super salary ( 5500 is offer ) I dont really wanna spend it all on living, and since my wife is coming too we dont wanna be cramped up in one room flat. One expat site ( dont know how old that info was though ) claimed it was possible while you read the exact opposite on other sites.

3. How does it generally work with the EP ? They want me to come now ( 1 month notice time here in Sweden ). But I dont really wanna tell my current employer that I'm quitting before the EP is approved ( which I understand will take anything from 2hrs to 2 months for some people ). Anyone been in the same situation ?

Thanks!
Daniel

[Hot to trot]

Salary-wise, bargain hard. If they offered that, then in my view you can make a higher counter-offer, much higher if you're comfy with perhaps getting snubbed. In my experience, HR people here are skilled negotiating strategist; that 5500 was likely on the low side of what they're willing to pay you.

A 2-bedder at 2000 is a no-go, unless you go HDB, which opens up a whole new can of worms. (Look at some archived posts on HDB vs. condo living and you'll know what I mean). At 5500, half will be your rent, but at last your abode will be quite sweet.

If they do the EP thing, it can take a few days to a few weeks. In some cases longer.

Don't hand in your notice until it's a done deal.

[Realist Schmealist]

5500 pcm and no extras?  Don't do it!   Miserable, miserable existence as an expat couple on that money!

Wouldn't trust a local company's offer without everything tied up in writing and even then would check my fingers after the handshake.  

[spelling police]

  "i before e except after c" 

[Geez]

  "i before e except after c" 

"a before s before s-h-o-l-e" 

[To Spelling Police]

How about you lay off of the OP? The guy is from Sweden, so it's fairly safe to assume that English is not his first language. It would be different if this was the Swedish Expat forum and he had made a mistake in his native language. 

[jeees]

don't do it - salary is too low and i would think long and hard about working for a local company if that is what it is....

[Not worth it]

As pp's say, even for a single guy, 5,500 is a rubbish pay.

As for EP, I thought your salary has to be minimum 7,000, otherwise it is an S pass?  I am not entirely sure of this but remember something about it from 1.5 years ago when I was applying.

[NMS1]

Assuming OP is relatively young, early in his career and doing this for experience I would say the salary is OK - try to push it up to 6k. If it is a local company then I would be more concerned with benefits, holidays, working hours, retrenchment policies etc as they can be quite draconian. If it's an MNC then they should be better but still worth checking.

[Mayhem]

$5500/month would make you eligible for P2 EP

http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/work_pass/employment_pass/about_the_pass.html

[danielwinberg]

Thanks for the answers. And yeah I've realized the pay is too low even though we dont live a luxury lifestyle ( my girlfriend has lived quite the local way of life earlier in vietnam for five years ).

It is a singapore company but with offices all over asia and 400 employees, and the benefits are actually better than those provided at similar offices here
So I think they are trustworthy.

I'm gonna try to get a better offer, if not accepted look for something else.


 

[marriedguy]

To be honest, without knowing the industry you will be in, speculation on renumeration is just that. $5500 may be the upper end of the pay scale for your industry (whatever that is). Do not move a muscle until you get a firm offer in writing.

[titan]

wow...all of you dissing $5500 salary a month.  That would be heaven to me to make that. I guess when your rich  you lose touch with reality.  You can do a lot with $5500 a month but if one decided they must live like a king and stay in the fanciest condo they can find then yeah 5500 won't go far.

[SvenskNisse]

Thanks for the answers. And yeah I've realized the pay is too low even though we dont live a luxury lifestyle ( my girlfriend has lived quite the local way of life earlier in vietnam for five years ).

It is a singapore company but with offices all over asia and 400 employees, and the benefits are actually better than those provided at similar offices here
So I think they are trustworthy.

I'm gonna try to get a better offer, if not accepted look for something else.


 

I think you should inform yourself even more, for instance think about that initially it will be quite expensive here, you will need to pay deposit for the apartment 1-2 monthly rents, you will need to get new furniture (if you dont rent furnished), cost of living here varies quite depending on your expectations if you live like a local eating hawker center food/cooking local food then its ok but if you want to eat healthy/western food it costs more than back home.

Also one thing to keep in mind is that its very different here with regard to apartment, if you want to move out from your apartment before the contract ends you will be liable to pay for the rest of the months as well - up front. In Sweded there is often a 1 month notice no strings attached, here its not so.

Also make sure you get healtcare insurance from the company, otherwise you will be paying out own pocket if you or your wife get ill. Another thing is pension, if you are not a PR you will need to put away money for you and your wife's pension, it is not automatic here if you are on an EP or some other temporary visa.

[Addadude]

wow...all of you dissing $5500 salary a month.  That would be heaven to me to make that. I guess when your rich  you lose touch with reality.  You can do a lot with $5500 a month but if one decided they must live like a king and stay in the fanciest condo they can find then yeah 5500 won't go far.

I don't think anybody's 'dissing' $5500 a month. It may even be a very generous offer for the OP's industry. But, after you subtract rental of $2000, you will then have 2 people surviving on $3500. (His wife finding a job for herself here is by no means guaranteed.) Doable? Definitely. But it will be just that - surviving.

So, is it really worth the OP traveling here all the way from Sweden with his wife for that amount? Only he can say. But I wouldn't do it.