🧳 More Singaporean jobseekers set their sights abroad

🐸 Frog in a well?

According to a recent survey by jobs portal Jobstreet by Seek, almost two in three Singapore workers are willing to relocate for work, of which 72 per cent of them are young professionals below 30 years old.

It’s likely that many young adults wish to experience life beyond Singapore, which motivates them to venture out of the little red dot to explore new pastures.

Young Singaporeans who have done so share with thrive that making the leap has helped them progress in their careers and pick up skills that they otherwise wouldn’t have learnt.

James (not his real name), 26, who worked as a sales engineer in the automotive industry in Los Angeles, California for slightly over a year, says that working abroad forced him to exponentially improve on his people skills at the workplace.

“Growing up in Singapore, it’s often emphasised to us to be humble, or to keep our head down to be socially or politically correct,” he explains. “But, after working in an international company overseas, I realised that there ’s simply no time to be pai seh (at work).”

He learnt the importance of confidence and speaking up, which come a bit more naturally to his Western colleagues, so he needed to do the same quickly to survive at the workplace.

“There is a fine line between being confident and being arrogant, of course, but confidence is key to branding yourself and displaying capabilities in the corporate world,” James adds.

Aidan (not his real name), 27, a Singaporean who currently works in Beijing, China, also realised how much of a bubble Singapore can be after his time overseas for work.

“Singapore is extremely comfortable, and there may not be much room for personal growth if one stays there for one’s entire career, he says.

Aidan shares that his time in China has helped him achieve a significant increase in his foreign language abilities, in addition to an enhanced understanding of China from working on the ground.

He adds that he feels Singaporeans are well-placed to be cross-cultural bridges, given our globalised education and environment we’ve received and live in. “But we aren’t bridging anything if we stay in Singapore.”

💸 Let’s talk about money

The reality of working overseas, however, is that there will be costs to any move. And these costs may look different depending on where one chooses to go. 

To Aidan, there is a sobering reality of how pay has been the greatest challenge with his decision to work in China. “Because I chose to work for a local Chinese company, I needed to be prepared that I may not be earning as much as I could in Singapore or another part of the world.” 

While the pay in many parts of Asia can be significantly lower as compared to what you can earn in Singapore, this is typically not an issue if an individual is working for a multinational or Singaporean company. 

In fact, better compensation is a motivator for Singaporeans to find work overseas, according to data from Indeed. Some of the top-searched roles software engineer and retail sales associate in the most popular US, UK, Canadian and Australian markets offer up to 51 per cent higher salaries compared to similar positions in Singapore.

However, taxes can still pose a significant burden on those working overseas. For example, although income tax systems in the US and UK are progressive like that in Singapore, the tax brackets jump in size much more exponentially than Singapore’s. 

Here are some other financial considerations 💸 that will pop up for those looking to work overseas: 

• Rent needs to be factored in when planning one’s move or negotiating a pay package with an overseas company. 

• Visa costs are not cheap as well. It usually comes with application and healthcare surcharge fees that can amount to over S$5000. Usually, foreign countries will need proof that you have a certain amount of savings in your bank account to prove that you are financially secure enough to find work in their country too. An example below details the costs required for a High Potential Individual (HPI) visa for young adults to work in the UK:

• Losing out on employer Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions can deter young Singaporeans from working overseas. It is possible to portion a part of your salary from your work overseas and put it into your CPF account, but some may not want to lose out on these benefits that come with being employed in Singapore.

🏠 Where’s home to you?

Building a community is also another difficult, but fun, experience for those working overseas, according to Aidan. “The first few months can definitely feel lonely, and it’s natural to find company among familiar people or other Singaporeans around us,” he shares. 

That said, making good friends with locals can make your time overseas much more fulfilling, says Aidan. “I never expected to find anyone (new here) that I would consider actual good friends, but I am lucky to have made some.” 

When asked about whether young adults should work overseas, James feels that it boils down to what the individual looks for in life. “Personally, I value having varied life experiences, and have always wanted to work in different places in the US, Europe and China to learn the cultural aspects of each region,” he says. “But I recognise how this may not be important for everyone.”

🛫 Before you take off…

Convinced that it’s time for you to try working in a foreign land? If so, it’s always good to be physically, logistically and mentally prepared for a big move overseas. But these arrangements don’t happen overnight, and will take some advance planning on your part. 

The following are some tips to be more prepared for your time abroad as a working adult: 

TL;DR

• Working overseas as a young adult can be a big push out of one’s comfort zone, but necessary to learn how to adapt to new environments 

• It can be a good opportunity to work on certain skills that could be missed out on when working in Singapore

• Loneliness can be a real issue – but it does get better with time and continued openness to making new local friends and connections 👬 

• Remember to do a thorough financial check to see if you are prepared to go overseas to work, and have a plan to evaluate all the administrative work that needs to be done to ensure a smooth journey ✈️