Should I Consider Working Overseas to Earn Foreign Currencies? Should I go to Singapore for a job with a salary of SGD 3.5K?
Last month, I had the honor of being invited to discuss this topic on City Plus.
Over the past two years, I’ve answered this question countless times. It’s similar to asking, “Which is better, working for someone or starting your own business?”
People are often attracted by surface-level issues and forget that each option comes with its own conditions.
Regardless of the choice, you only need to consider whether these conditions are something you can bear and accept.
Having worked in headhunting for 10 years, we’ve assisted numerous overseas companies in places like Macau, Singapore, and South Korea to recruit hundreds of Malaysian talents to work abroad. We’ve also brought hundreds of talents from Korea and Japan to work in Malaysia.
I remember a candidate I arranged to work in Macau. When he received his first salary, he gifted me with a famous local peanut cookie from “Koi Kei Bakery” during my visit to Macau, smiling with gratitude.
“Thank you for helping me get this job.”
That moment is still vivid in my mind.
I’ve also met many who returned to Malaysia from overseas, only to feel lost.
High-paying jobs they find themselves unqualified for, while they look down on low-paying jobs. Having been accustomed to the generous exchange rates from foreign currencies to Malaysian Ringgit, they struggle with the reverse.
Many Malaysian talents with good benefits have settled abroad.
Those who return to Malaysia often find themselves in an awkward position of being overqualified for low-paying jobs but not good enough for high-paying ones.
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In their careers, too many people focus on immediate gratification and overlook the importance of long-term planning. Especially in this era, where even watching YouTube needs to be sped up to 1.5x. Telling people that salary increases take time, they’ll tell you it’s faster to move to Singapore now.
They fail to realize that career planning is about more than just money.
If “money” is your sole pursuit at the moment, then working overseas is undoubtedly one of the fastest ways to save more money.
However, if you aim to climb higher, you need to consider whether you have the relevant conditions.
I’ve seen incredibly talented Malaysian professionals working overseas who climbed from low incomes to becoming general managers within a decade.
I’ve also seen those with average abilities working overseas, starting with a salary of SGD 3,000, and after ten years, only earning SGD 5,000.
The difference lies in whether you have the professional skills to compete with locals.
As an overseas worker, the effort you need to shine in your career far exceeds that required in your own country.
Chasing the allure of foreign currencies without considering your own qualifications might leave you as just another cog in the machine.
If you’ve accepted the idea of working purely for money and are willing to set other things aside, that’s fine. But many people overlook the golden period of their careers. Besides money, networking is one of the keys to “cashing in” and improving the latter part of our lives.
Whether you choose to stay in Malaysia and lay the foundation for a long-term career plan or pursue short-term financial gains and broaden your horizons by working overseas…
Whatever your choice, it’s more about considering your own capabilities, adaptability, and long-term goals. After all, you should be happy at work.
Listen to the full interview here : CITYPlus财经早报
