Wednesday, March 23, 2011

FT works as MD in advertising agency.

Oops. "Honest Human Error".

Read: "Harpreet Singh relocates to US, media agency has promoted GM Vikram Bansal".

Is there no local equivalent to do the job? 


Arrived here since 2007 when the flood gates were lifted. 

Thank you Pro-Alien Party.

The Caste colonies have spread.


Thursday, March 10, 2011

Contact Singapore Exposed.


As the Manpower Ministry attempts to placate the rising angst about inequity resulting from the "talents" it recognises from abroad, its recent increase in foreign workers and employment passes levies are seen by many as carrots before the grand election.

Interestingly, my cynicism in this ruling party has increased. I stumbled upon Contact Singapore and its portal seems to be in favour of attracting talents to Singapore. What seems to be an ordinary portal, trumpeting the merits of working and living in the lion city, is atypical of a conventional recruitment or headhunting company.
Contact Singapore: Portal owned by Ministry of Manpower.


On deeper probe, the registration of the ISP domain name were found to be those belonging to that of you-know-who. It is surprising that the gahmen's focus has spread its wings overseas, in search for talents. This comes as MNCs struggle to find sufficient manpower to power their growth in Singapore while Manpower Mystery takes a shot in the press today by attempting to "control" the flow of foreigners back home.
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contactsingapore.sg: Guess who lurks beneath the veil.


It is oblivious to many, that the Singapore gahmen has courted too many companies for its own good, far outstripping the total talent supply that it currently has. After pursuing three quarters of exceptional growth in 2010, our economy is largely powered by Migrant workers and Singaporeans (including new citizens & PRs).

If we do not ask key questions. Then, our responsibility as active citizens will go spiraling downwards.

Now, hypothetically speaking, is it reasonable for a country of such small base population to support top heavy leaders for another decade? Are these 'measures' to control the flow of foreigners genuinely in the interests of Singapore or Singaporeans?

From the looks of it, it is telling, that the entire propaganda of having foreign investments and foreigners, are to increase the GDP of Singapore for 'inclusive' growth. But it also insinuates the need to generate extra income in order to support the top-heavy ruling party at a hefty price. As you have read, the public sector's operating costs have exceeded those of previous years. If EDB continues attracting investments that Singapore lacks the skills and do not have the manpower for, then, this model of growth, as it continues under an outmoded leadership, is unlikely to put substantial monies into the average Singaporean income except to its beneficiaries -- its self-serving Mysterious Ministers.

Though the wealth these select group of individuals accrue, who knows a change in law and ruling coalition, will imprison them in future for misappropriating public's fund, and acting in contrary to the interests of the public and for committing a breach of trust expected of our gahmen.

As they say, "What goes around, comes around".

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Random Sampling: IT Jobs for Singapore grads?

As linkedin.com reveals how a variety of non-Singapore graduates were able to take on high-paying technology jobs in the finance industry, we went on a random sampling to see if our observations were indeed more Foreigners than Singapore grads in white collar Technology jobs.

After speaking to key headhunters in Singapore, they confirmed our findings that IT Foreign Talents do not take home pay lower than Singaporeans. In fact, the average wage is competitive, and high, contrary to them being "experienced" and "cheap".

Robert Walters: Salary band of Technology Jobs in Banking Sector


Probabilities of Singapore Grads in Information Technology (Banks)

A random sampling was conducted, and we wanted to know how many jobs went to Singaporeans for all IT professionals in the banking sector. The probability was 2 out of 20, about 10% (if one includes UOL grads in Singapore). Why is the labour intensive technology jobs, that comprises of the top 5 revenue generators in Singapore's economy, going to foreign labour? Can the free labour market regulate itself?

As the Ministries are concerned at supplying talents from abroad, little is done to look into the interests and prospects of Singaporean grads and their future: Say goodbye to mortgages, sustainability, and employability. Quite likely, a $40-$60K education, will not land Singaporeans in prestigious technology jobs in the Banking sector.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Fake Talents in Singapore?

The Singapore gahmen has successfully moulded the elite system in society, giving preference to those from top-notch schools and highly esteemed universities in a bid to enforce meritocracy. Have these systems been successfully enforced at the workplace? Whose responsibility will this be to ensure that competent hires produced by our Singaporeans, will be met by credible employees from abroad?


In Australia, preference is given to Australian-degree holders (regardless of citizens to a certain extent) who complete more than 2 years of degree in Australia, and must pass the English IELTS test with an academic standing of 6.5/9.0 in written, spoken and listening scores and must have a valid working visa that costs hundred times that of Singapore's.


In Singapore however, entry requirements for 'professionals' are so low it's easy for anyone to enter. Salary and years of experience form the basis as core requirements for approval; recognised qualifications now extend to emerging countries that do not meet Times Higher Education Supplement's Top 200 University Ranking 2010 nor the QS World Ranking 2010. Further, language requirements are surprisingly, not a must for a Nation that preaches English as the first language.


Here is a snapshot of the Employment Pass Categories on the MOM website:
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Let's take a look at an instance in the IT industry that many know, are heavily colonised by Indian migrants from India. They are 'perceived' to possess exceptional IT skills and have high science and mathematics score. That's the perception unfortunately. Further screenshots from linkedin.com reveal that these immigrants from South Asia, do not come from Top Universities in India, or can be regarded as talent, and that Mininstry of Manpower, has accepted third-world degrees as recognised degrees to their list. One would question how will this add or increase Singapore's competencies and improve productivity. Others question why should they be paid handsomely from graduating in these unknown Universities in the World.


Our investigative checks show how Barclays and many other Foreign Banks in Singapore employ Indians and Filipinos, and possibly Chinese, who do not have top IT degrees in their home country, nor do they graduate from any of the Singapore Universities - as far as these checks were performed.  In the words of MM Lee, he is aware that the Indians from India do not integrate with the local Indians and are seen as superior (refer to Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going, 2011) and that some Chinese PRC do not feel accepted in Singapore.


Based on our recent investigations, the highest connections were largely Indian immigrants in Singapore in Linkedin.com As such, we highlighted these examples we found online for convenience sampling in the interest of time:




Investment Bank hires IT developers from unknown, unranked universities in the World.




Another One:



Oh, Another One:


There's more but hopefully you get the point..

2. So how much do they earn in Singapore?
According to the Straits Times article not too long ago, "Indian immigrants in their 30s, earn on average S$5,000 to S$7,000..."




3. So how do their Universities compare with the World?"
(a) THES Top 200 World University Ranking 2010:


Indian Universities are not ranked in Top 200 THES listings. They fall between 300-400. When viewed by speciality in Engineering and IT, Indian and Philippines Universities did not make it into the list: NUS scored higher nonetheless.
See More: Top 50 Engineering & IT


(b) QS World Ranking 2010:







See More: Rankings of Indian Universities in QS


4. So how did they come here and on what merit or basis?
It is probable that ignorant MNCs hire foreign recruiters, who do not need relevant HR degrees, in order to fill their vacancies quickly. By tapping on strong and deep relationships such as immigrants, they are able to satisfy their hiring manager's demands in requesting for candidates to fill vacancies rather than assessing competent ones. It is also probable that the hiring managers are directors, managers, or supervisors from the same home country as per the linkedin.com connections show. Try and search for yourself. You can do these causal findings yourself!


i. Recruiter from India in Barclays Singapore.


ii. Another recruiter from India in Barclays Bank Singapore.

Question: Why are these recruiters in HR non-Singaporeans?


5. Concerns
In this investigation, some questions were raised: What then will happen if you have 'over qualified' candidates who are smarter than Singaporeans? Will this disadvantage us citizens? Why are there no protectionistic sectors of the industry? How can you control demand if you don't know your local talent supply? 


If these immigrants are hiring their own, (quite obvious they are since they arrived in numbers within a short period of time) what can be done to empower HR professionals when they have to submit to unruly requests by bigotry bosses/line managers? 


The answer: Employment Law. But there's no one looking into this piece at the moment. HK on the other hand, has a strong employment law, that empowers HR Managers to throw out requests such as these. Check the Hong Kong's Employment Ordinance recently enacted for details!


In comparison, Hong Kong was able to enforce meritocracy, create jobs for Hong Kongers in the face of rising emigration from the billions of Chinese in Mainland. MNCs are concerned at supply of talent, but not necessarily about where they are from. To say MNCs need 'foreigners', is just gibberish and an untrained school of thought -- MNCs are everywhere.

Friday, March 4, 2011

What MM Says of Immigrants


1. "Foreigners to Spur Singaporeans."
2. "20,000 jobs available that Singaporeans dont do"
3. "...unwilling to do the job.."

Q1: Erm. 20,000 jobs paying $900 or less who wants to do?
Q2: How to do if I'm 50 years old, have back pain, and pay me only $450-$900 to flip the hotel bed. I will be flipping my way to hospital!
Q3: ARe you willing to do the job?

MM says: Indian immigrants today are of high quality.

Here's a comparison of MBAs.

It's better to go to an Indian MBA school as you will get high salary even though the research quality is not as high.


1. India MBA: Research Quality.



2. India MBA Salary: Very High

3. India MBA has higher chances of Career Progression.

All the best to the rest of the World.