Managers and professionals not budging on starting pay: survey - Singapore's Online Community

**richardsng_era** · 26-07-2008, 05:54 PM

July 24, 2008
Managers and professionals not budging on starting pay: survey
By Sue-ann Chia
MANAGERS and professionals, shrugging off signs of a job slowdown, are not budging on the starting pay they want, according to manpower surveys.

Only one in 10 of employers polled by human resource consultancy Hudson said they could convince a new manager to accept a lower salary.

Similarly, a survey of almost 900 professionals by recruitment firm Robert Walters found that 95 per cent want a pay rise of at least 10 per cent, and 23 per cent are eyeing a hike of 30 per cent or more.

Part of the reason is the high cost of living, said Ms Gina McLellan, Hudson's country manager here.

Another reason is the job market is still buoyant despite the global slowdown.

Her company found the emerging mismatch in expectations between job seekers' pay and employers' hiring plans in its latest surveys.

Most resistant are those in manufacturing, especially when they are armed with rare specialised skills; in research and development.

**GeneKoh** · 26-07-2008, 09:40 PM

So why not address the problem of cost of living?

It's unreasonable to expect Singaporeans to accept a lower pay when cost of living is still so ridiculously high, and increasing somemore!

Somemore these people are armed with specialized skills, other countries will also wan these "specialized skills", and will pay a much higher price for these people to migrate...

Ultimately, don't blame Singaporeans, or call them "quitters" when they eventually join the minimum 1,000+ Singaporeans and give up their citizenships...

They are not at fault, the country just didn't appreciate them when they were around...

**Beanman** · 26-07-2008, 10:29 PM

higher cost of living.that makes us having money problem