Anonymous Interviewer Advises Graduates to be More Realistic About Pay

Hello boss? Are you reading this? I have experience and a good attitude. *coughs*

Singapore Business Owners


Career

Let’s face it. Many of us attend university for two reasons:

  1. Because our parents told us so.
  2. Because we want to get a good-paying job.

“Good-pay” is rather subjective, and as a supposed interviewer who posted anonymously on NUSWhisper has found out, some graduates’ idea of “good pay” is $7,000 onwards.

Over the past week, I have interviewed some students who have ZERO working experience asking for pay of 7k and onwards. When asked for their reason for wanting that pay, their reason? “I graduated from a local university with first class honor”

Issues advice

The individual went on to dish out some advice to job seekers:

  1. Study the company [we suppose he or she is referring to the salary structure in the company] you’re applying to.
  2. Research on the interviewer.
  3. Don’t get defensive.
  4. Right attitude trumps grades.

Shock

Some commenters were shocked by the figure quoted.

Anonymous Interviewer Advises Graduates to be More Realistic About Pay 1

Anonymous Interviewer Advises Graduates to be More Realistic About Pay 2

Asking salary is too high for a start

One commenter imagined that it’ll take him 10 years for his salary to get to $7,000.

Anonymous Interviewer Advises Graduates to be More Realistic About Pay 3

Grades not crucial

There are those who didn’t think much of a first-class honours degree.

Anonymous Interviewer Advises Graduates to be More Realistic About Pay 4

Anonymous Interviewer Advises Graduates to be More Realistic About Pay 5

Anonymous Interviewer Advises Graduates to be More Realistic About Pay 6

Reduced expectations

One commenter is fine with a lower salary.

Anonymous Interviewer Advises Graduates to be More Realistic About Pay 7

Graduate Employment Survey 2018

In the Graduate Employment Survey 2018 that was published in February this year, NUS Bachelor of Laws’ graduates commanded the highest average gross monthly salary of $5,263.

Here’s the post on NUSWhispers


In case you can’t see the post:

Dear all local university graduates, when you are searching for a job, please ask for a realistic pay.

Over the past week, I have interviewed some students who have ZERO working experience asking for pay of 7k and onwards. When asked for their reason for wanting that pay, their reason? “I graduated from a local university with first class honor”

Word of advice to all
1. Please study the company properly before asking for sky high pay. Not all companies are Google, JP Morgan, Facebook that can give you sky high pay.
2. Continuing from point 1. find out who are you interviewing with and read up on his/her profile on LinkedIn etc. I have a handful of candidates whom are already informed that they are meeting the “Regional Managing Director – APAC” still tries to correct me on my company.
3. Don’t get all defensive and offended when the interviewer ask you “Why do you think you deserve this pay” etc.
4. Grades is nothing to the eyes of more and more companies, we are looking for the right person with the right attitude. Few years back, I hired a student from NUS who was nearly expelled twice and took 6 years to complete his degree. Today he is one of my managers with a team of 20 under him.

With that, wishing all graduates good luck and all the best. Peace out

#63802: https://www.nuswhispers.com/confession/63802

Screenshots from NUSWhispers.

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