5 Jobs Singaporeans Shun Due To Long Hours And Low Pay

[Hwang79]

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/5-jobs-singaporeans-shun-due-011000264.html

We all know that a career in finance or top management is the way to go if you want to make decent money in Singapore.

Those of us who have the luxury to choose between making money the easy way or the hard way will normally choose whatever gives us the best pay cheque for the least amount of work. But then there are those other jobs that need to be done. You know what I mean, the kind of jobs that come with way too long hours and way too low salaries. While our lifestyle wouldn't be possible without these jobs, the truth is that most of us wouldn't do them if we had a choice.

Here I list 5 badly paid jobs that most of us would turn down if we could:

Restaurant Manager

If you have to put up with the long hours and stress involved in running a restaurant, make sure you make director ($6000 average salary) or you might be stuck with a manager's salary of just $2621. Anyone feel like 12 hours of pure stress 6 days a week for barely enough money to live on? This may be the right job for you.

Mechanical Engineering Technician

From playing with Lego to building petrol-powered RC planes, boys in particular seem to love the idea of tinkering with technology. But by the time you get to be old enough to understand the opportunities out there, playing around with noisy mechanical devices all day for a pitiful $2486 salary is probably the last thing you would choose to do.

Pre-primary Education Teacher

Working with smiling kids, watching them grow and get smarter as you teach them what you know, what a joy...not!

It would take a lot more than the average salary of $2000 a month to motivate most of us to want to spend our time appeasing a bunch of rowdy kids and complaining parents.

Restaurant Chef

If the upcoming episodes of Masterchef Asia to be hosted right here in Singapore inspire you to cook for a living, take a moment to consider that the average salary of a hotel restaurant chef is a weak $2635.

You will have to enjoy cooking even more to become a restaurant cook, with an average salary of just $1509.

It wouldn't take more than 5 minutes in the sweltering heat of a restaurant kitchen to get most Singaporeans pining for an air-conditioned office!

Park and Garden Maintenance Worker

There’s nothing like working in the great outdoors, but the proverb that recommends you take up gardening if you want to be happy for life certainly doesn’t apply to Singaporeans. There’s a reason you don’t see many Singaporeans tending public parks, and if plants and flowers are your passion, I suggest you take it on as a hobby. Trust me, those flowers won't look nearly as beautiful when you are stacking rocks from dawn till dusk for a meagre $1050 monthly.

[Kb27]

I think these jobs don't exist.

Sgporeans are making $6k average.

[Staff69]

I think these jobs don't exist.

Sgporeans are making $6k average.

 

 

if you add 2 high paying jobs into 8 low paying jobs ....the ratios would average out

 

 

let me just give 1 example to rebut this piece of sh it article

 

 

 

 

 

Skip to main content

MY_20150615_TNPCLEAN15_P_1409049.jpg

FAMILY MAN: Mr Lu, a part-time student, is the sole breadwinner of his family. His mother is a stroke patient and his sister has schizophrenia. His father died of cancer in September last year.

PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER

Video

Advertisement

Published on Jun 15, 2015

Student, cleaner and man of the house at age 23

CHAI HUNG YIN

HE IS only 23, but this young man will do anything to support his family.

Lu Zhi Quan cleans people's homes - sweeping and mopping the floors, even scrubbing toilets.

That means there are no movies or clubbing in his free time. But Mr Lu, a part-time student, does not mind.

He is more focused on his role as the family's sole breadwinner. His mother is a stroke patient and his sister has schizophrenia. His father died of cancer in September last year.

Mr Lu also has to work hard to put himself through school. He says: "I want to further my studies - diploma, degree and maybe even a master's."

He hopes to be a social worker one day and for this, he needs higher qualifications, says the mechanical engineering student.

Due to issues at home, his parents sold the family flat after they separated. Mr Lu, his mother and his sister went to live with his maternal grandmother.

His estranged father was later diagnosed with end-stage cancer, while his mum suffered a minor stroke.

After his father's death, Mr Lu became the caregiver to his mum, 60, and his sister, 31, who has been schizophrenic for more than 10 years.

Mr Lu is the youngest of four children. His other two elder siblings - a brother and a sister - are married and live with their families.

He worked as a waiter and later as a technician, while studying part-time, to support his family. But that left him with no time to spend with his sister.

He says: "She doesn't dare to go out on her own and she stays cooped up at home. She tires easily as she has been staying at home for far too long. I want her to get her life back."

So he quit his better-paying job as a technician to become a freelance cleaner with Fuss.sg, a booking platform for home cleaning services in Singapore.

As a technician, he worked from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, bringing in $2,000 monthly. As a cleaner, he earns $15 an hour and on average, makes $700 to $800 a month.

Mr Lu says: "(But) the timing is more flexible. I can take my sister to see the doctor and also, (help her) build up her stamina. I hope she can at least learn to be independent and live the life she wants."

Thrice a week, he takes his sister out for walks and jogs. He also teaches her to type on the keyboard.

"When her physical tolerance is better, I plan to bring her in as a freelance cleaner. Her typing skills will come in useful if she wants to take up administrative jobs."

Mr Lu does about 12 cleaning jobs a week. On some school days, he does two to three cleaning jobs in the day before rushing off for his evening classes, often still sweaty from his work.

Each job takes an average of two to three hours.

"Sometimes, I don't even have time to eat. I'll eat on the way to the next job. I often have to turn down my friends when they ask me to go drinking. I can't afford it."

To save money, he cooks his meals or packs economy rice from a hawker centre.

Mr Lu, who lives in a one-room rental flat in Sengkang, depends on GST vouchers. The scheme helps lower- and middle-income households with living expenses. He is in the process of applying for financial assistance.

His mother, who used to work as a dishwasher, says she does not object to her son taking up cleaning jobs as "he wants to help his sister".

But his sister reveals that their mother "feels heartache" that he has to bear the burden of looking after the family.

She says: "I'm happy that he's helping me to get back on my feet again."

But Mr Lu remains cheerful.

"At least, cleaning is a job and it pays better than being a waiter," he says. "In the army, we had to do everything, too."

THE NEW PAPER

{C}

to grace

go F yourself

 

Edited June 16, 2015 by Staff69

[Duckduck]

y never put IT programmer?

[Picnic06-Biante15]

I think these jobs don't exist.

Sgporeans are making $6k average.

 

Well.... some smart alex says $5943/- to be exact for above average sillyporean....

[Donut]

 

 

if you add 2 high paying jobs into 8 low paying jobs ....the ratios would average out

 

 

let me just give 1 example to rebut this piece of sh it article

 

 

MY_20150615_TNPCLEAN15_P_1409049.jpg

 

 

 

Skip to main content

MY_20150615_TNPCLEAN15_P_1409049.jpg

FAMILY MAN: Mr Lu, a part-time student, is the sole breadwinner of his family. His mother is a stroke patient and his sister has schizophrenia. His father died of cancer in September last year.

PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER

Video

Advertisement

Published on Jun 15, 2015

Student, cleaner and man of the house at age 23

CHAI HUNG YIN

HE IS only 23, but this young man will do anything to support his family.

Lu Zhi Quan cleans people's homes - sweeping and mopping the floors, even scrubbing toilets.

That means there are no movies or clubbing in his free time. But Mr Lu, a part-time student, does not mind.

He is more focused on his role as the family's sole breadwinner. His mother is a stroke patient and his sister has schizophrenia. His father died of cancer in September last year.

Mr Lu also has to work hard to put himself through school. He says: "I want to further my studies - diploma, degree and maybe even a master's."

He hopes to be a social worker one day and for this, he needs higher qualifications, says the mechanical engineering student.

Due to issues at home, his parents sold the family flat after they separated. Mr Lu, his mother and his sister went to live with his maternal grandmother.

His estranged father was later diagnosed with end-stage cancer, while his mum suffered a minor stroke.

After his father's death, Mr Lu became the caregiver to his mum, 60, and his sister, 31, who has been schizophrenic for more than 10 years.

Mr Lu is the youngest of four children. His other two elder siblings - a brother and a sister - are married and live with their families.

He worked as a waiter and later as a technician, while studying part-time, to support his family. But that left him with no time to spend with his sister.

He says: "She doesn't dare to go out on her own and she stays cooped up at home. She tires easily as she has been staying at home for far too long. I want her to get her life back."

So he quit his better-paying job as a technician to become a freelance cleaner with Fuss.sg, a booking platform for home cleaning services in Singapore.

As a technician, he worked from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, bringing in $2,000 monthly. As a cleaner, he earns $15 an hour and on average, makes $700 to $800 a month.

Mr Lu says: "(But) the timing is more flexible. I can take my sister to see the doctor and also, (help her) build up her stamina. I hope she can at least learn to be independent and live the life she wants."

Thrice a week, he takes his sister out for walks and jogs. He also teaches her to type on the keyboard.

"When her physical tolerance is better, I plan to bring her in as a freelance cleaner. Her typing skills will come in useful if she wants to take up administrative jobs."

Mr Lu does about 12 cleaning jobs a week. On some school days, he does two to three cleaning jobs in the day before rushing off for his evening classes, often still sweaty from his work.

Each job takes an average of two to three hours.

"Sometimes, I don't even have time to eat. I'll eat on the way to the next job. I often have to turn down my friends when they ask me to go drinking. I can't afford it."

To save money, he cooks his meals or packs economy rice from a hawker centre.

Mr Lu, who lives in a one-room rental flat in Sengkang, depends on GST vouchers. The scheme helps lower- and middle-income households with living expenses. He is in the process of applying for financial assistance.

His mother, who used to work as a dishwasher, says she does not object to her son taking up cleaning jobs as "he wants to help his sister".

But his sister reveals that their mother "feels heartache" that he has to bear the burden of looking after the family.

She says: "I'm happy that he's helping me to get back on my feet again."

But Mr Lu remains cheerful.

"At least, cleaning is a job and it pays better than being a waiter," he says. "In the army, we had to do everything, too."

THE NEW PAPER

{C}

to grace 10299075_10201187910099734_3827954428772841099_n.jpg

go F yourself

 

 

this is the kind of family situation that garment should go all the way to help, even beyond what is already in the system.

[13177]

Cant believe now the standard of living become so high, and yet there are some company still paying $1000 plus salary?!!!

 

I think this is the reason why there are so many jobs nobody wants to do, cause salary still stops at 80-90s pay! And they are willing to import foreigners to do, rather than increased most of the salary here!

[Donut]

Cant believe now the standard of living become so high, and yet there are some company still paying $1000 plus salary?!!!

 

I think this is the reason why there are so many jobs nobody wants to do, cause salary still stops at 80-90s pay! And they are willing to import foreigners to do, rather than increased most of the salary here!

 

many cleaners' pay is still $700-800 only hor...... i see already, shake head.... bloody slave drivers and greedy company owners.

[Duckduck]

Cant believe now the standard of living become so high, and yet there are some company still paying $1000 plus salary?!!!

 

I think this is the reason why there are so many jobs nobody wants to do, cause salary still stops at 80-90s pay! And they are willing to import foreigners to do, rather than increased most of the salary here!

 

if not for the FT ratio cap, those salaries wld b even lower! the GE2011 results r self explanatory

[CarPark8]

Reading from this report on 5 jobs Singaporeans shun due to long hours and low pay.

 

I am getting to be very suspicious of our rolex wearing resident table wiper of his claim of extreme long hours, sometimes need to expose his modesty like dancing on the table for customers and his mediocre salary.

 

If his complains are valid, I am wondering why his profession is not among the 5 jobs Singaporeans shun. Cannot be he is so lucky to be 6th job that Singaporeans shun and hence not included.

 

Getting complicated this world.

 

 

 

On a serious note:

 

As a country we are having difficulty in balancing between having citizens being nearly fully self reliant versus government assistance. Actually, I observed that two groups of people are well or fairly well taken care of and these are the rich and the very poor. While those of the just poor (cannot qualify for subsidy or hand-outs) and to a lesser extend the middle class are the most affected.

 

The tax system is good but there are inherent flaws. Eg. A civil servant earns x dollars a year and all his or her earning are 100% taxable with hardly anything that can be used to offset tax except what is stipulated in the budget each year. On the other hand, a business man making x dollars, can claim this and claim that, hardly needing to pay tax. Personally, I know of billionaires who lives in fully paid good class bungalow, lavish lifestyle and lots of material things, hardly pay tax on his companies income. Perhaps Warren Buffet is right, should make the rich pay more taxes.

 

 

[Kangadrool]

And we have some MNCs making billions here, but pay almost no tax.

 

Do they really create GOOD jobs for locals? Hardly! As almost all the top jobs and mid-management jobs are filled by expats/foreigners.

 

Reading from this report on 5 jobs Singaporeans shun due to long hours and low pay.

 

I am getting to be very suspicious of our rolex wearing resident table wiper of his claim of extreme long hours, sometimes need to expose his modesty like dancing on the table for customers and his mediocre salary.

 

If his complains are valid, I am wondering why his profession is not among the 5 jobs Singaporeans shun. Cannot be he is so lucky to be 6th job that Singaporeans shun and hence not included.

 

Getting complicated this world.

 

 

 

On a serious note:

 

As a country we are having difficulty in balancing between having citizens being nearly fully self reliant versus government assistance. Actually, I observed that two groups of people are well or fairly well taken care of and these are the rich and the very poor. While those of the just poor (cannot qualify for subsidy or hand-outs) and to a lesser extend the middle class are the most affected.

 

The tax system is good but there are inherent flaws. Eg. A civil servant earns x dollars a year and all his or her earning are 100% taxable with hardly anything that can be used to offset tax except what is stipulated in the budget each year. On the other hand, a business man making x dollars, can claim this and claim that, hardly needing to pay tax. Personally, I know of billionaires who lives in fully paid good class bungalow, lavish lifestyle and lots of material things, hardly pay tax on his companies income. Perhaps Warren Buffet is right, should make the rich pay more taxes.

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2015 by Kangadrool

[Duckduck]

And we have some MNCs making billions here, but pay almost no tax.

 

Do they really create GOOD jobs for locals? Hardly! As almost all the top jobs and mid-management jobs are filled by expats/foreigners.

 

 

 

http://www.guidemesingapore.com/taxation/corporate-tax/industry-specific-tax-incentives

 

"Under the Financial Sector Incentive Scheme for Fund Managers, fund managers in Singapore are taxed at a concessionary rate of 10% on fee income, subject to certain conditions and MAS approval. "

 

"Under the Global Trader Scheme, an approved global trading company is granted concessionary tax rates of 5%-10% for 5-10 years on qualifying offshore trade incomes"

song bo?

Edited June 16, 2015 by Duckduck

[Toothiewabbit]

Not just pre-school teachers. All teachers giam chye mian one.