# No Senior Finance Jobs for foreign talent???



## Bake

Hi Guys,

I need some "helpful" advice and information please. I'm a senior finance manager for an international construction business based in London UK. I have specialised in construction for the last 7 years but prior to that I have spent 6.5 years in finance across design, advertising, luxury consumer goods/FMCG, and Media (TV and Film Post Production). So my resume is both broad and deep in terms of experience. I'm CAT qualified and an ACCA finalist.

I started my job search about 3 weeks ago from here in the UK. This has been registering online with all the job boards I can find including the contact Singapore site as well as with all the usual big recrutment consultant agencies.

The problem has been that I don't seem to be having much luck...

Here at home in the UK I receive calls from the agents regularly trying to poach me from my current company and if I put my CV out I am usually immediately shorlisted for interviews. I don't understand what's going on out there in Asia.

The MOM site and Contact Singapore make it seem like they want Expats to come and work but the replies I am getting from the agents state that the jobs are only for those currently in Singapore.

I won't even start on Bangkok. I am being told by the consultants there to basically forget it as foreigners just don't get recruited often. One major agency just quoted me a statistic of 1 in the last 5 years ...and he only placed him a few weeks ago. Basically unless you are in an expat community you probably won't find work.

What am I doing wrong?Please please please help... :-(


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## Lenochka

why do you want to move ? 

3 weeks is not exactly a long time.......if you are really that Senior you should know that such jobs are rare and often get filled only on recommendations, i.e. are not even advertised....

patience is a virtue ! 

Good luck anyway !


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## Bake

I want to move because I want to have the Asia experience. Singapore (or Bangkok) are great hubs to be based in if you do want to see the rest of SEA right?

I know that Singapore is the financial centre of the SEA region now so I figure it would be a good place for someone like me to find a similar role. Although the Market here in London is buoyant, Senior roles are not easily filled as those in the positions already don't move that often. That does usually mean that they are advertised and filled through the usual channels. Not only by recommendation.

With the tax rates being what they are in Singapore I am far better off there than in London. I believe business is usually done in English which is good fore as I am not yet fluent in any of the regional languages. I do intend to learn though.

I know I may sound impatient but the excitement of potentially making the move is enough to drive anyone crazy. The main thing though is that I am worried about not being IN Singapore and therefore being excluded as a potential candidate.

Does anyone know of any consultants or agencies that are specialists in recruiting foreigners outside of Singapore?

I need help here guys. I'd rather focus on the right channels than all the wrong ones. You guys are the experts, that's why I'm here asking for your help.

Thanks.


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## Lenochka

don't want to step on your toes...but......you may want to rethink you're arguments to potential employers why you want to move here....

to be able to see SE Asia and the lower tax is not really making a lot up on the 
"can this new guy help us thrive our business forward" questionnaire which any potential employer will have...

yes, it's a great place to be and the things you mentioned are some of the positives....there are negatives around too though.....

put together your strenghts, narrow done the part of the industry you want to work in and then contact the relevant headhunters ......

and last but not least...don't panic after just 3 weeks of active looking around....
the senior folks I know...including mysel....were never able to close in on a new job in less than about 3 months.....if you don't get headhunted, that is


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## Bake

You're right. I suppose my answer was a bit thin... but I thought you mean't my own personal reasons. Either way you're right. It is going to be a crucial interview question. I really need to think my response through well. Thanks for that.

I've never worked outside of London so I need to think about what my potential employers' biggest concerns will be. If you have anymore advice like that I'd really appreciate the help. Thanks.


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## simonsays

did you try any of the british banks with operations here ?

I know enough of Finance guys, in top levels, in British banks, brought over by the UK ops ..


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## kiwiguy

Hello

How are you getting on in Singapore?

I am a New Zealand qualified accountant with 16 years experience. I have most recently been in Bangkok looking for a position and I can tell you dont bother looking for a job in Bangkok! There are none! Unless you want to be an English teacher .... or buy a bar and go broke ...

Ive just moved to Singapore and I am now looking here so would be interested to hear of your experience trying to find a job here. I also have six years construction experience.

Cheers


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## simonsays

my previous suggestions stands .. 

Look up the big consulting firms, to place you into banks .. and such

Start with Hays and Rob Walters / Adecco .. 

Cheers


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## kiwiguy

ecureilx said:


> my previous suggestions stands ..
> 
> Look up the big consulting firms, to place you into banks .. and such
> 
> Start with Hays and Rob Walters / Adecco ..
> 
> Cheers



Go Einstein.


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## simonsays

kiwguy : Que pasa ??

If you are bit miffed about my comments, let me say .. small and medium companies prefer locals for various reasons .. the most common reason being, Finance doubles as HR in most small /medium companies. ..

But, then again, you seem to be a real Sherlock ..


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## Bake

Geez... Can't we all just get along?

I leave my thread for 5 minutes and you're all fighting already??? lol...

Seriously though. No luck finding anything. I am based in London so that is my main issue. There is fierce competition and not being physically there is a huge disadvantage. One can but try and live in hope...


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## simonsays

Hi Bake

since Kiwiguy has a sensitive side to himself .. why not you PM me, and I will refer some people who can advice you ?

Don't wanna pollute the board with useless info   (or so - Kiwiguy says I do ... )


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## kiwiguy

Bake said:


> Geez... Can't we all just get along?
> 
> I leave my thread for 5 minutes and you're all fighting already??? lol...
> 
> Seriously though. No luck finding anything. I am based in London so that is my main issue. There is fierce competition and not being physically there is a huge disadvantage. One can but try and live in hope...


Hello

OK, you didnt state previously that you were based in London. You are not going to find a job in Singapore unless you are on the ground here. 

You can look from London as you have already done but I doubt you will get any calls. I have just met with a recruitment person this morning and he did mention unless you are here in Singapore you will just get ignored.

I have just arrived in Singapore to look for a Financial Controller type job so I will see what happens. But I have just been in Bangkok looking and I can tell you there is no accounting jobs for expats in Bangkok.

I am currently seeing Ambition, Robert Half, Advantage, Carmichael Fisher and other recruitment companies over the next week so will be interesting to see what they have to say and how many job interviews I actually get with them and what salary level.


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## Bake

kiwiguy said:


> Hello
> 
> OK, you didnt state previously that you were based in London. You are not going to find a job in Singapore unless you are on the ground here.
> 
> You can look from London as you have already done but I doubt you will get any calls. I have just met with a recruitment person this morning and he did mention unless you are here in Singapore you will just get ignored.
> 
> I have just arrived in Singapore to look for a Financial Controller type job so I will see what happens. But I have just been in Bangkok looking and I can tell you there is no accounting jobs for expats in Bangkok.
> 
> I am currently seeing Ambition, Robert Half, Advantage, Carmichael Fisher and other recruitment companies over the next week so will be interesting to see what they have to say and how many job interviews I actually get with them and what salary level.


Ok mate. Good luck with your search and let me know how you get on. I work for a large MNC and we are in over 65 countries. I am working on getting a move to the far east internally so fingers crossed for me!

At the same time I'm trying to make a move on my own steam externally. It goes without saying that I prefer to stay with the company but I will leave if I get an offer.

Good luck to us both!


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## Canuck_Sens

Hi,

I , time to time, check the Singapore threads here in expatforum as I plan to move there within couple of years.

I do share the same point of view of my colleagues. You are better off starting with UK companies that have operations in Singapore.

You can also leverage through your network if you have any working there in Singapore.

The other shot is the global consultancy firms. They are everywhere.

I guess that giving your state of "cravingness" to obtain international experience, you are willing to let some of your currents perks go ? 

You can also try to make contacts in sites like Linkedin and participate in some forums just to get you going and get to know people ..make contacts.

Hope this helps!!!


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## Anthonyc

We hire a lot of talent, both mid weight and senior finance positions. The challenge we have found with foreigners is their ability to understand payroll. In Singapore we have at least 1,000 accounting students graduate from the top three universities. So there is healthy supply here. 

There are also strong candidates coming from PH which you compete with. At a senior level some of them are very good. With the big financial institutions like Barclays stationed here, many of those foreign hires are done internally as a repost to this market, or through recruitment firms in the UK.

Getting foreign talent to arrive here years ago was difficult, but perceptions have changed. People want to come here, so the competition has heated up.


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## simonsays

anthonyc: I have met a bunch of Brits, in Finance, and a lot of them are from Barcap, Stanchart, Citi .. 

So yes, there are a lot of UK people employed here .. but .. the majority whom I know have got their job from UK .. not locally .. and also avail of the 'expat' terms ..


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