Career dilemma (Advice please)

[Wreckwrx]

Not so much of private Tuition group but mainly to lecture in those external degee programmes for part-time students at night. But it can be quite tiring.....

[Albeniz]

Poly job....pays about 6k?? will be about 78k annually before tax, which is about 8% .... approx 72k left.... u will be slightly less then your wife's salary after tax, but will be able to live way above what you can afford there...

 

Sadly-speaking, not this high.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Albeniz

[David]

My thoughts;

 

Since both of you have already been seperated for 2 years, what is another 3 years?

 

Let your wife go to US to work, US$100k a year after tax is good money. Although the rate is now low, who know 2, 3 years later maybe back to 1.5? Save much, spend neccessary.

 

And as for you since you got a good offer from a poly here, take it. Maybe 2 years later, you will decide to resign and go over to US. I assume poly is paying well, someone mention above 5k - that's good money. With the US/SIN rate low, convert some to US$ and save. Twp years later when you decide to move to US, wow you will be like Warrant Buffet.

[Scenic98]

then 100k settles. u be the house husband, hire a maid clean e house. all u do is play playstation, look after the dog, and when time is up meet her for dinner Wink

 

But tax rate at California can be quite high (I believe it is 30%-35%, correct me if I am wrong). Living expenses is not cheap there either. She may not be able to keep the job there for a very long term. In US, when the company is not performing, retrenchment is common.

 

Tough decisions, but glad to see most of the advises here are valid and sincere.

 

If i were u, i will consider this:

1. Age. How old are u and your wife. Employability is impt factor to consider.

2. Nett salaray (after tax) and cost of living. If your wife is drawing higher and cost is lower in California compared to S'pore, which is a possibility if u eat in most of the time. Remember to factor in the other forms of taxes in S'pore. And also health care insurance in the states.

3. Career prospect. Sad to say, unless u r up there in the Poly here, life will be tough. Compare that with the possibilities of your wife.

4. Can u get a teaching job at a college or Poly there?

5. Quality of life. It's defo better in the states than here. things move at a slower pace. the weather is much better.

 

I wouldn't be too bothered about retrenchment (esp if you are young). If bad times come, dun care where u are, u will be hit. Unless of course u have the iron rice bowl.

 

So, as u can see, i am more in favour of u moving to the California. But ultimately, it's a decision where BOTH u and your wife will have to make.

 

All the best in whatever decision both of u make. Do keep us posted

[Albeniz]

Some gentle reminders.

 

1. For her, US$100k is before tax.

2. Poly pay stated in MCF might have been "slightly" inflated. Or have I been short-changed?

[Acemundo]

Go to usa....if you cannot find a job there, try to start your own free lance business or assignments. Worse to worse, be a Chinese tutor there since Chinese is the in thing now.

[Kianbeng]

Edited : oops reply to wrong person.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Kianbeng

[Albeniz]

1. Age. We are not fresh grads anymore. Getting employed would be tougher for us, especially with our qualifications (which is very unfortunate). An interviewer in a company here told us just that. We were really heart-broken.

 

2. Expenses. No loan to service for car here, but have to get a car in US. Over here, using CPF to pay HDB Flat, but over in US, must set aside ~US$900/mth to rent a place.

Food here is cheaper.

 

3. Career prospect. My fate would be sealed for the next 20 years if I select my path. Not possible to get back to industry anymore.

 

4. Salary for teaching at US is among the lowest. Much worse than an engineer.

 

5. Quality of life. I find it very convenient here in Sg. When I was in Texas, there was nothing to do at night.

[Raven]

Once you are an academia... the industry may not want you back... at least that is what we do in my industry. If you were a poly lecturer, you may not be able to be hired back into the industry... many of them end up in government sector.... I could be lecturing in Poly too, but ..... anyways that day will only come if I retire from being active in the industry.

I personally think that overseas is better because retiring in S'pore is

Poly lecturer may need to do other project with govt bodies here and there....so may not have too much free time.

Doing part-time / moonlighting can be lucrative but do you want to do part-time forever....better spend time with your wife at after work[sly]

If you are the one that easily distracted by mei mei then better not teach in poly. Kenna caught have very dire consequences..

 

US is such a big country and you can go tour around without a need for passport. I think in your lifetime will not able to cover all of USA.

[Kianbeng]

sometimes a couple working in the same company isn't always the best thing.....unless 1 is boss, the other is boss-wife.

[Kianbeng]

For the poly side, I'm sure you can delay it. Just tell them that you cannot give them a reply today as you are seriously considering it. Ask for 2-3 more days or even a week. I'm sure they also took quite some time getting back to you.

 

Speak with the Poly HR nicely. I doubt it'll be a make/break situation.

 

Btw, you meant a Taiwanese company but based in US also? If so then this is a great opportunity. Sometimes we cannot always find the "best jobs". Assuming your wife has a fulfilling job, then if you can settle down for a 2nd best job in your opinion, it's still a positive progress for the whole family.

[Wreckwrx]

I beg to differ.... I feel that in a marriage (or any other serious relationship for that matter), every single second counts.

 

Maybe I am a hopeless romantic but it will be very complacent to wake up every morning and assume that nothing is going to change.

 

Just my two cents.

[KapitanE]

"US is such a big country and you can go tour around without a need for passport. I think in your lifetime will not able to cover all of USA."

 

If you are busy with the usual humdrum of life, you will not have the time to think even to go to the next town..... some americans living inland have not even seen the ocean...

 

Life overseas is not a bed of roses as you think...

[Albeniz]

Btw, you meant a Taiwanese company but based in US also? If so then this is a great opportunity. Sometimes we cannot always find the "best jobs". Assuming your wife has a

fulfilling job, then if you can settle down for a 2nd best job in your opinion, it's still a positive progress for the whole family.

 

Apologies for the confusion. Some clarifications:

 

Her current offer is given by a US company, based in California itself.

 

Another Taiwanese firm had invited her to go Taiwan. And she passed my resume to the hirer at the same time. This Taiwanese alternative has not been confirmed yet. But she was hoping that we could go to Taiwan (and suffer ) together.

 

It seems that the responses from overseas are more forthcoming than the companies here.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Albeniz

[Kianbeng]

Probably meant the demand for your skillset is larger overseas than locally. If this is correct, it probably meant you can make it bigger overseas than here.

 

Most importantly, your MCF participation should be regardless with what you do with your career.

[Wreckwrx]

Dun let the interviewer affect you too much.

 

Now I am beginnning to understand why you started this thread....

 

In any case, if both of you feel like you just need a place to weather out the storm, then make the decision as a couple and stand by it.

 

No one knows what the future holds for us but considering the fact that since both husband and wife got offered a job, take this as some form of encouragement.

[Mivec9]

1. Age. We are not fresh grads anymore. Getting employed would be tougher for us, especially with our qualifications (which is very unfortunate). An interviewer in a company here told us just that. We were really heart-broken.

 

2. Expenses. No loan to service for car here, but have to get a car in US. Over here, using CPF to pay HDB Flat, but over in US, must set aside ~US$900/mth to rent a place.

Food here is cheaper.

 

3. Career prospect. My fate would be sealed for the next 20 years if I select my path. Not possible to get back to industry anymore.

 

4. Salary for teaching at US is among the lowest. Much worse than an engineer.

 

5. Quality of life. I find it very convenient here in Sg. When I was in Texas, there was nothing to do at night.

 

Okie bro...first thing, the rent is crazy over there. so this will eat up a big chunk of salary. 2nd, since teaching pay sux there, dun teach, do what u r doing now cos u can ride on ur experience...so experience shd be able bring u slightly higher salary.

 

Lastly...is texas so boring? drive around cheong, pubbing etc..sure have rite? unless u r kwai kwai type

Edited June 4, 2008 by Xtraun

[Tjkbeluga]

Taiwan salaries sucks unless you're on expat package. Senior VP in IT/engineering industry is usually around 100K NT, which is less than 5K SGD. Tax here is about 13%. On the bright side, medical here is cheap and for guys, a lot of night entertainments... Heh