Have you not read the pace of life in Singapore is the
fastest in the world?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070502/od_nm/pedestrians_speed_study_odd_dc
Or did you missed the news on a poorly paid contract manager at HP (supposedly a family friendly company who won several best employer award) who died over-worked?
http://vantan.org/archives/2007/05/singapore_woman.php - the New Paper article expired so here's alternative source
And her original Blog before working to her own death:
http://pinkmayflower.multiply.com/journal/item/140
I'm not generalising but most companies (from my experiences as well as many others) in Singapore work their staff like race horses (or rather greyhounds) and staffs just had a terrible time keeping their pants on.
But as usual, lots of companies are really worth a slot in your private blacklist and here are some recommendations for the award.
Here are some tips in what to look out for:
1.) High frequency repetative re-advertisements in newspapers and job sites - this can suggest that the newly hired keep quiting and if so many before you can't, the odds of you making it there becomes slimmer. Even if you wanna' gamble, choose something with a better odds. High frequency and reqularity are synoromous. Some employees got minimum 2-3 months notice before last day so every 2-3 months advertise instead.
2.) Recruitment agencies (with the exception of specialised and reputable Head Hunting Companies (usu.top positions only)) and blind boxes tend to be the tatics bad reputed companies source their employees. As agencies don't care and wanting the comission, what makes you think they'll tell you it's a an**l company to work in. An advertisement with web mail account and / or with many various job positions available are usually from more notorious agents. And for blind boxes, it works by cutting down the chances of you receiving sufficient feedback about the company before the interview and signing on with them.
3.) At interview, bad companies or poor compensation employers will keep the employment details as brief as possible. Things like working hours norm (ie. Official + unofficial) no AWS for the first year and no variable bonuses unless you work more than 12 months will not be mentioned but purposely ommitted. You won't see much details on your employment letter too.
4.) At interview, no one cares about your pressence and some makes you wait as if you are in for begging or you are some starved refugee. Busy is no excuse. Appointment is made for a potential candidate. If they cannot manage their time for you now, they can't do so when you're on board. Be prepared to die on your own accord. Leave immediately if you see this happening. If they do this even before you sign on with them, what else better is to happen to you?
5.) Bad employers use stress interview to mess you up. Whether you can handle the stress interview or not is not the point. The point is ethical issues. Stress interview is seen at least from the human rights perspective as unethical and wrong. Coming back to logic, if they do this to you at interview which last no more than 30 mins, they can do this to you in your face every minute everyday once you sign on.
6.) Bad employers talk you down. By that, I mean they'll try to talk downthrodding comments to convince that you are below the requirements or even not qualified for the job and should lower down you pay expectations because of that. This is the worst of all bad tatics. Not just an attempt to debase you without facts (how can you tell if the person can make it well if you don't give him/her a chance first? What's the probation period for? Then why in the world he asked you to come for an interview?) they also tried to gain unfair bargaining power over you by convincing you about something they themselves are unsure.
7.) Bad employers usually lacked the personal touch. They will never ask if you're married or have kids or what your kids are doing. Some say those who don't ask are being professional but I see it as they don't care. It's work and only work, family life is the employees' problem and the least they want to hear. So please don't fall sick or apply annual leaves. Worst still these employers hate women who gets pregnant on the job. If news broke out that you have any personal issues, eg. pregnancy, the management will mark you and manage you out a.s.a.p. before you give birth and thus save the compulsory maternity leave. Well, you can cry foul but it's defined by the management what is good or bad performances. Human are full of excuses, finding a sound like real reason to sack you is easy. The devasating part is how in the world are you gonna find bread when your stomach is showing a mid-term pregnancy when you attend an interview after being fired.
8) Make a wage search on MOM website before putting down the expected salary. Don't be conned into working for an employer who short-changed you.
9) Never under-cut the market rate. Cheap employees are usually so cheap that they are abandoned, forgotten and abused. Employers take it for granted that if this time round I can hire this position for this amount, I can do so next time too. Selling yourself cheap means lowering your own value proposition yourself and before the eyes of employers.
10) Never respond to a job interview you sent 1 month plus ago. It says someone has left and you're in line next for Pearl Harbour posting.
11) Terms you see on advertisements and what they mean:
a) Female working environment = Guys can forget about applying
b) Good team player / Good communication skill / Able to work with all levels = Your colleagues (horizontal and vertical) in the new workplace are from Hell
c) Able to work long hours when required = Expect at least 12 hours a day, 6 days a week
d) Able to handle (work well) under stress (pressure) / Well organised and good prioritising skills = Management sets unrealistic goals / work pace and gives you hell day in and out
e) Well / sweet disposition / groomed / attractive = Perverts needing replenishments (regardless of a pretence of front-line requirement)
f) Contract Renewable / Contract to perm = You are a Lego piece and a 2nd class citizen.
g) Those who can start work immediately (...due to expansion) = Someone got fired / Management prone to poor planning / Employee left suddenly in pure disgust
h) Proven track record = They want your business network you'd established over the years working for and nothing else. Hand them over and let's discuss about the severance package
i) Tertiary Education = Min. Degree
j) Post Graduate Degree = Min. Masters and onwards.
12) More tips but I think I'll stop here.
* Final advice: Source everywhere as much as possible about the company. For negative feedbacks, grapevine sources tend to be more reliable. Be as factual as possible and form your own opinions. If seriously needed, use benchmarking and weighted tables to prioritise which is the best objective choice.
Cheers.
ps. Hope This becomes a Sticky.