Read this from a forum I frequent sometimes. Not linking to the actual posts in the forum cos I am not promoting the forum and also cos I dun really like that forum.
The thread starter is some one with a honors degree whose core job responsibilities is supervising grass cutting.
Frankly, SO was in a similar position. And now he is senior management! So he's probably the boss of the boss of the boss of someone like thread starter.
And SO has been in the job for over 14 years. And he has only low class honors. Oops! Lower class honors.
Frankly, the TS is a bit pathetic.
Sometimes it depends on one's perspectives. Whether one sees the job as a challenge or a chore. For example, if the boss gives you a project, do you whine "Gosh, more work, more overtime!!" or do you see it as a opportunity to learn something new or that the project is given to you cos the boss thinks you can do it well?
Figure it out.
I got more to say about this when I am not sick, so come back a few days later....
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Wetcalamari
Mar 4 2009, 07:43 AMThe thread starter is some one with a honors degree whose core job responsibilities is supervising grass cutting.
Frankly, SO was in a similar position. And now he is senior management! So he's probably the boss of the boss of the boss of someone like thread starter.
And SO has been in the job for over 14 years. And he has only low class honors. Oops! Lower class honors.
Frankly, the TS is a bit pathetic.
Sometimes it depends on one's perspectives. Whether one sees the job as a challenge or a chore. For example, if the boss gives you a project, do you whine "Gosh, more work, more overtime!!" or do you see it as a opportunity to learn something new or that the project is given to you cos the boss thinks you can do it well?
Figure it out.
I got more to say about this when I am not sick, so come back a few days later....
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Wetcalamari
I graduated from NUS with an honors degree in 2003, and did some early work in a ministry. It was a typical admin job, preparing reports, writing minutes, etc. that didn't develop really useful professional skills.
Currently for the past 3 years I have been working in a stat board, where I .... supervise grasscutting everyday. It's a core duty. I make sure grasscutters leave grass no longer than 2 cm tall, and also ensure they empty rubbish bins daily. Needless to say, you don't need an honors degree for this. So for the past 3 years I haven't developed useful skills that are sought after in any company at all.
The thing is, I'm getting old, and with this lack of professional skills (i only have admin experience) it is very very hard to get a job that is not entry level. Most of my friends are already managers and directors, and I'm still supervising grasscutting.
What is the way out?
And do private sector jobs place more emphasis on developing useful skills in people? In my jobs so far the courses I get sent for are very generic, like 'handling difficult people', 'speed reading', 'national education', 'being a good wits suggestor', etc.
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Mar 4 2009, 07:04 PM
That's the problem. Whenever I tell people I supervise grasscutting the immediate reaction is to laugh at me, thinking I'm joking. But when they realize I'm serious they cannot believe it.
The thing is, I'm also not being developed in any useful way here,. so I don't have skills that other companies want. I was recently sent for a course in.. operating a crane! This kind of stuff is done by foreign workers and I, with an honors degree, am doing it now. It's not those PSA-type cranes. It's that small bucket thing behind a truck.
So some might say, at least it's a useful skill. Yes, if I want to be a laborer. But which company wants to pay honors degree holder pay to a laborer?
And so we have an incredible paradox here.
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Mar 5 2009, 08:14 AM
Actually, I had been looking for a new job since my 2nd week there. I sent out more than 30 applications in 2008 and only got called for 2 interviews. I realized the job sucked when on day 1 I was in the blazing sun for 5 hours. 1 month later it was still the same... 1 year later too. And it's been the same almost everyday since.
So far for 2009 I've sent out 10 applications so far, only 1 interview as of now.
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Mar 5 2009, 08:20 AM
Anyway my degree is in biology. 2nd class upper.
The rest of the people in my workplace all have diplomas in horticulture.
But the bosses didn't tell me that when I applied.
In fact the interview for my job was so difficult, you'd think it was some kind of elite position. Did 2 interviews for other positions in the same organization, didn't get past the first interview. Then months later got this interview, was interrogated about all my skills for more than an hour, spoke about my IT project management, my background in the quasi-medical field from my previous jobs, etc.
And now I supervise grasscutting and listen to complaints about leaves falling into peoples houses, cats from the wild going into their house, this tree too tall, grass too long, that tree ugly, "i don't like the color of this tree you planted", etc.
Naturally this is not my place.
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