# Job search in Singapore



## Rudds123 (Jan 6, 2013)

I've posted on here before regarding wanting to relocate to Singapore from the UK with my wife and 1 year old son and I received some very useful advice.

I am a Quantity Surveyor with 2.5 years of experience in the UK construction market and am working towards full membership of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), which I am on course to achieving in mid-late 2014.

As I'll be approaching the end of a fixed term contract in early 2014, we have booked a 2 week trip in November this year to speak to prospective employers about potential positions. My father is a PR in Singapore and has worked there for 23 years.

Can anyone offer any advice regarding setting up meetings with various Singapore based construction companies during my trip and also what might impress employers if I do manage to arrange some meetings. I'm currently preparing a portfolio of projects I have worked on and am learning basic Mandarin in my spare time which I hope will prove advantageous.

I was previously advised that my best bet may be applying for specific positions from outside the country, but I feel it would be beneficial to have made contacts within suitable companies who may remember me when it came to actually applying for specific positions.

Any help or advice with this would be greatly appreciated.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

why not start off with the likes of FW, Macdermott, Haliburton etc ? You can write in, as most EPC companies have year round ongoing projects.

Local construction companies sort of prefer those from nations where their majority of workers are from, PRC or India. That's from what I know. and I maybe wrong.


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## Rudds123 (Jan 6, 2013)

Thanks for this I'll get in touch with these companies before I arrive


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

ps: my 2 cents, says, learning Mandarin will NOT Get you a one-up in Singapore 

Unless you are Chinese looking, most Chinese will frown on conversing with a non-chinese, who may actually butcher the language 

Example: the way your pronounce Ma can mean either mother, or horse .. want to tell a Chinese person' "hows' your horse ?? " and if he / she gives blank looks say "horse- I meant your mother ..."

it will not go down well


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## Rudds123 (Jan 6, 2013)

This is an interesting point with a great example!

I am planning to have business cards made before my trip with English on one side and a Mandarin translation on the other (proof read by a Chinese friend if course).

Do you think this would be viewed favourably? What I'm essentially after is trying to find out cultural subtleties that may impress/offend a potential employer.

I have been visiting Singapore regularly over the past 20 years and have made many Singaporean friends, but have no professional experience working with/for Singaporeans.

Any advice is most welcome


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

Rudds123 said:


> This is an interesting point with a great example!
> 
> I am planning to have business cards made before my trip with English on one side and a Mandarin translation on the other (proof read by a Chinese friend if course).
> 
> ...


Well business cards are a nice ice-breaker, though you must find the right 'syllable' to match your name  

Sure, that's fine .. though going on to converse in Mandarin, I would leave it when and if the other party is comfortable with it .. atleast, that's my opinion .. 

btw, if you have somebody here, in Singapore, get them to buy you a copy of the Saturday Straits times, for openings.

Plus, as said, EPC companies do recruit year around, and sending your resume will not cause any harm.

Good luck


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