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SINGAPORE: A fresh graduate took to Reddit to ask if a starting salary of S$4,600 was “acceptable” for a tech role in today’s job market.
Posting on the r/askSingapore forum on Friday (April 25), he shared that while it was a relief to receive a job offer after months of searching, he finally had serious doubts about accepting the deal.
Not only did he feel that the S$4,600 salary was on the lower end for the tech industry, especially given his background from one of Singapore’s top universities, but he was also concerned about the company’s reputation. According to him, the organisation is known for having a toxic work environment.
“I might have made the best decision in my life by getting a job in this poor job economy, but also a bad one, knowing I might be subjected to being overworked,” he wrote.
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To complicate things further, the fresh grad revealed that he had a final interview with another company that might offer better compensation.
“Digging through forums, the salary [for the other job] is in the S$5,000 to S$6,000 range. Rejecting that job offer for this one is such a huge leap of blind faith, though. Feels like a ticking time bomb because being a fresher for too long is no good either,” he said.
Seeking advice, he asked the community, “People who have been in the corporate world for years/freshers, what would you all do if you were me? Would you take the leap of faith and hope for the job with the last interview, or would you just accept it? Also, employed freshers, what were your starting salaries? Would you accept a tech job that is less than S$5,000 in this job economy?”
“Employers look at your experience and pay you based on industry standards.”
In the comments section of the post, one Singaporean suggested, “Accept the offer of the first company. Go through with the interview with the second company. If the second company offers better, just accept the offer and tell the first company that you won’t be joining. I don’t think they can do much about it unless there’s a clause in the employment contract. Be prepared to be blacklisted from the first company, tho.”
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Another wrote, “IMO, starting salary is not that important. In the long run, a few thousand is really not going to change your life, unless you have tight financial constraints. I started a job with a pay slightly lower than yours. It’s just good to get your feet wet and build experience. I would prioritise a job with good industry prospects and potential experience over a few hundred dollars of salary difference.”
A third added, “Honestly, these days no one really cares if you’re from NTU or NUS. Employers look at your experience and pay you based on industry standards.”
Median starting salary for fresh graduates
According to the Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey, the median starting salary for fresh graduates increased by 4.2%, rising from S$4,317 in 2023 to S$4,500 in 2024. Among the different fields of study, business graduates recorded the largest gain, with median salaries going up from S$4,150 to S$4,400.
In contrast, graduates in arts, design, and media saw the smallest growth, with a slight increase from S$3,740 to S$3,800.
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Read more: Salary for fresh graduates higher in 2024, but fewer were employed 6 months after finishing uni
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
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