Fresh grad shocked by S$3K/month salary offer for sales job in MNC despite holding a degree and having work experience

SINGAPORE: A fresh graduate was shocked when a well-known multinational corporation (MNC) offered him only S$3,000 a month for a sales role.

He shared on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Monday (Feb 17) that he “couldn’t believe” the salary was so low, especially since he had a degree and some hands-on sales experience from his internships.

“I feel so frustrated because I rejected a S$4,000 offer from another SME with a lower compensation package,” he said. “I don’t expect a high base. I was thinking about S$3,300 – S$3,500 even after rejecting the $4,000 offer from the other company. But this company just offered a S$3,000 base.”

Hoping to get some perspective, he asked fellow Redditors what their starting salaries were when they graduated to determine if S$3,000 was a typical offer for fresh grads in sales or if he was indeed being lowballed.

“If you don’t like it, don’t accept it.”

Singaporean Redditors were quick to share their views in the comments section, with some confirming that the fresh grad’s hunch was right.

One Redditor said, “Yeah, S$3K for a sales role with a degree and internship experience is on the lower side, especially from an MNC. MNCs usually have better branding and career progression, but they also tend to offer lower starting pay than SMEs, which need to attract talent with higher salaries.”

Another commented, “For MNC and for degree holders, S$3,000 basic is really very low.”

On the other hand, some argued that since the fresh grad was in sales, he should focus less on the base salary and more on the commission, as that’s where the real earnings come from.

One Redditor added, “Sales jobs usually have a commission package. You don’t have any track records with them; why would they pay a high base if they also have a comm package?

If you don’t like it, don’t accept it. If you want to see a basic pay comparison, a simple search will give you the answer S$3,000- S$6,000, depending on which uni, industry, function, etc.”

Another urged him to take up the offer, writing, “In this current job market, take it and keep finding a new job during your new employment; smaller pay is better than no pay; jump ship once you get a better offer.”

For fresh graduates looking to start a career in Sales and Marketing in Singapore, it’s helpful to have a sense of what to expect in terms of salary. 

According to Glassdoor, the estimated monthly salary for a fresh graduate in this field is approximately S$3,000. This figure represents the median salary, calculated using Glassdoor’s Total Pay Estimate model based on salary data shared by users.

Read also: ‘The level of anxiety that comes with finding my first full-time job is crazy!’ — Singaporean nearing graduation faces 30 unanswered job applications

Featured image by freepik  (for illustration purposes only)