How To Find A Job in Marketing Working Abroad in Singapore

Singapore is a vibrant and thriving city with a lot to offer visitors and residents alike. One of the best ways to learn more about the area is by living and working there. If you are thinking of looking for a job in Singapore, you no doubt have a lot of questions, not the least of which is how to go about getting hired in a foreign country.

As exciting as the prospect of working in Singapore is, it is important to approach your job hunt realistically. Finding a job in Singapore can be extremely challenging unless you have specific skills that are sought after by employers in the area. Jobs that require fewer specialized skills usually go to local residents. As you can imagine, that means that the competition for jobs that are open to foreigners can be quite fierce.

To get an idea of just how tough the job market in Singapore is, try searching for jobs in the city online. One of the first things that you will see is that the vast majority of job openings specify that the position is only open to people living permanently in the country. Although there may be a few positions that are open to foreigners, for the most part, they will be searching for local residents. Although it may seem unfair, it is simply a matter of economics. Companies have to expend far less money to hire someone who already lives in the area rather than hiring someone from a foreign country and having to deal with all of the associated expenses.

The tips below will improve your chances of finding a good job in Singapore that is open to people from other countries:

One of the worst approaches that you can take is to just show up in Singapore for a short visit without a plan in place, hoping to schedule job interviews while you are in town. Even if you do manage to get an interview or find a job fair, the odds of finding an opening in such a short period of time are quite slim. In most cases, people who take this approach wind up leaving disappointed. If you only have time for a short visit, make the most of your trip by scheduling interviews with possible employers ahead of time. You should also try to connect with a Singapore-based recruiter. Typically, it isn’t worth wasting time attending career fairs since these events tend to focus primarily on jobs for locals.

Give online job boards a closer look. Although most of the jobs that are posted online are for locals, positions that are open to foreigners are occasionally posted. Finding these jobs can be somewhat challenging. In most cases, you will have to read through a lot of job openings before you find any that are willing to hire people from other countries. You may be able to speed up the process by using advanced search features on the site to exclude words such as resident, citizen, Singaporean, or PR.

Talk to everyone that you know. Although it is unlikely that any of your contacts know about job openings in Singapore, it never hurts to check. Don’t forget to put the word out to your personal or business network through social media, as well.

Only apply for jobs that you are qualified for. There is no point in applying for jobs that are not a good match for your skills. Instead, focus your attention on positions that fit with your educational background or your work experience. If you are working with a recruiter, make sure that they have a good understanding of your work history so they can find you jobs that match.

Create a high-quality resume that showcases your skills and strengths. Additionally, write a customized cover letter for each position that you apply for that lets the employer know why you are a good candidate for the job.

Before going to an interview, spend plenty of time practicing to hone your responses and to get more comfortable answering the types of questions that you may face.

If you get a job offer, consider taking it even if it isn’t exactly what you were looking for. You may be able to move into another position after you have a little bit of experience working in the country.