SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman nearing 30 has found herself at a career crossroads. She loves her job, has a supportive boss, and gets along brilliantly with her colleagues, but after more than five years at the same company, she still makes only S$2,500 a month and has S$0 in savings.
For someone who has spent years working her way up to a managerial position, the prospect of walking away from a workplace she genuinely enjoys is hardly appealing. But with little to show for her years of employment financially, she is beginning to wonder whether job satisfaction is worth the trade-off.
Seeking advice, she posted on the r/singaporejobs forum on Tuesday (Oct 13), asking fellow Singaporeans whether she should look for a better-paying job or try negotiating a salary increment.
In her post, the woman explained that she started out earning S$1,500 a month and has since worked her way up to a managerial role paying S$2,500 monthly.
On top of her basic salary, she receives a monthly allowance of around S$250 to S$400 for her managerial responsibilities, as well as year-end bonuses of S$1,000 to S$1,800.
The company, which runs two to three outlets with fewer than 30 employees, also covers lunch treats and holds festive events like Christmas gatherings, where staff get gifts worth around S$70 to S$100.
As for the working environment, she said that everything has been amazing. “I have one of the best bosses I could ask for. They’re very hands-on and regularly come down to the centres to help with daily operations.”
Her co-workers, she added, are equally supportive. The team helps each other, works well together, and looks out for one another, making it one of the best working experiences she has had.
Still, she admitted that contentment at work has not given her financial security.
“I know that, realistically, it’s probably time for me to look for a new job, especially considering my age, salary, and lack of savings. Growing up, my family has also always struggled financially. But honestly, I’m scared of leaving because I genuinely LOVE my job.”
“I’m feeling a little lost about where I am in life right now. I know that’s not good, and I’m not going to make excuses for it. I also have credit card debt of S$800-S$1,000, which I always pay on time and will be able to clear by the end of this year.”
At the end of her post, she asked the online community: “Should I change jobs? Or maybe possibly talk to my boss about increasing salary? And how do I start saving? I know I probably need to prioritise my financial future, but I’m afraid of leaving a workplace where I’m genuinely happy and potentially ending up somewhere worse.”
‘You have to invest in education and upgrade yourself’
With Singapore’s cost of living continuing to climb, some Redditors urged her to prioritise her earning potential rather than stay in a job simply because she enjoyed it.
One said, “S$2.5k is what poly diploma graduates at 20 years old are earning. You should really focus on saving aggressively and spend within your means.”
“To add on, at your age, no matter how good your boss is, you might want to prioritise salary. Because a good boss with a low salary might get the bills paid but won’t give you a comfortable life with the cost of living in SG constantly rising.”
Another pointed out, “S$2.5k for a managerial role sounds like a red flag to me... Did your boss just give you a title and more responsibilities but not match up your salary? Technically, S$1.5k to S$2.5k over 5 years is just a S$200 increment per year, without considering a salary bump when you were ‘promoted.’”
A third advised, “Start saving once your debt is clear. You have to invest in education and upgrade yourself.”
Meanwhile, a fourth user suggested negotiating while exploring other options, “Take time to discuss with your boss about a substantial increment; don't put too much hope on it, though. In the meantime, stay in your job since you like it. But send out job applications to know your worth in the market. If you can join a European/US MNC, I think S$4k and above is easy.”/TISG