“How will I ever catch up in this rat race?” — Man earning S$5,000 after 3 years in the company is disappointed that new graduates are offered more

SINGAPORE: A man shared on social media on Friday (Sept 27) his disappointment when he discovered that the salary he had worked so hard for over the past three years was still lower than that of many new graduates who have just joined the band. the company wins.

In a post on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum, he spoke about his journey. When he started his job during the pandemic, he made $4,000 in a non-tech role at a tech company — a number he thought was pretty decent given tough economic conditions and a competitive job market.

However, over the years, he has received only modest raises despite his commitment and hard work, reaching only S$5,000 after his recent promotion.

His disappointment increased when he realized that the starting salary of many new graduates who had recently joined the company was at least or more than S$5,000.

Feeling conflicted about the situation, he asked the community, “How am I ever going to catch up in this rat race?” Should I really change jobs? he asked. “I love my job, my work culture, the work-life balance and my team. The only thing is the salary,” he added.

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

In the comments section, many Singaporean editors urged him to focus on his own career progression rather than dwelling on new graduates’ salaries. One Reddit user said: “Comparison is the thief of joy. »

Other editors pointed out that his current salary of S$5,000 is not bad at all and he is even lucky to be in a position with a positive work culture and a good balance between professional and private life, which not everyone has the privilege to enjoy.

A Reddit user asked: “Real question: Isn’t S$5,000 enough to fund your current lifestyle?

Unless you feel grossly underpaid for your role and overall duties, there is no need to “catch up in the rat race.” That you love your job, your work culture, the work-life balance, and your team…many people dream of having that, and those things aren’t guaranteed in any other job.

Another commenter noted, “You already reach median income within 3 years of graduating; learn to be content, otherwise you will spend the next 40 years comparing and being unhappy.

A third Reddit user chimed in: “Lol, no need to compare. My starting salary as a degree holder was only 2.2 leh in 2015. You started with 4 very good liao.

Still, a few sympathized with the man and suggested he consider “changing jobs” if he is determined to earn a higher salary.

One Reddit user shared: “I graduated the same time as you; I remember how bad the job market was. Everyone was down, companies were offering future contracts, etc. We struggled in LA, and then 2022 came, and suddenly there was a mega wave of hiring and we were too late.

In our case, we have to change jobs. I’ve already done this twice since 2021, and the salary increases have been drastic.

Also read: ‘I’m lonely and alone’: Man reveals he saved over S$3 million, but it came at the expense of his relationships

Image selected by Photo deposit (for illustration purposes only)