Fresh grad earning S$4.1k monthly asks whether he will be able to retire by 50

SINGAPORE: A fresh graduate recently confessed on social media that his first full-time job at one of the Big 4 accounting firms has already started to affect his mental health.

Posting on Reddit’s ‘Singapore FI’ group on Wednesday (Jan 1), he shared that his working hours have been extremely demanding, often extending into the early hours of the morning.

“Maybe it’s just the year-end but I have been working till 12 and sometimes 1~2ish am… This is normal accountancy hours,” he said.

He also voiced his disappointment over the entry-level salary of $4.1k, which he feels doesn’t match the long hours and hard work he’s putting in. “With such hellish working hours and such low pay, how am I supposed to be able to earn enough to retire early by the time im 50~55? I am feeling a bit lost.”

Uncertain about the best path forward, the fresh graduate sought advice from the online community, writing, “I have been wondering, is it better to switch jobs or stay put until I reach partner level? I would like some advice, help this poor soul out.”

“Your priority is to gain experience and contacts in your early years.”

The post garnered numerous responses from other users, many of whom shared their own experiences and advice. 

Some users encouraged him to persevere, pointing out that tough working conditions are pretty common in accounting and can pay off in the long run.

One user told him, “Your priority is to gain experience and contacts in your early years. Don’t worry about too much about compensation. That will come naturally when you have established yourself in the industry.”

Another shared, “My sis was in the Big 4 like you (her era is Big 5). She told me that it’s good for your resume when moving on to your next job, as most employers look for people from the Big 4, especially during the hectic auditing season. You can tahan tahan a few years before you change job.”

Others, however, urged him to prioritize his mental health and switch to a less-demaning department/field.

One user said, “If you can’t take the workload, join public sector/ statboard. But your career will literally end with minimal progression. However your pay will be way better with the huge bonus and higher monthly base.”

Another commented, “I have been in your shoes and started out in big four myself with a 2.7k starting salary albeit as a tax man. I left after my third year which is very early but did get promotions in my subsequent jobs. 

“I am in a decent position now. I would say to my younger self back then, don’t worry, it gets better, hang in there. So to you, I say the same.”

In other news, a man took to Reddit to share a rather unusual experience with an employer who told him he “had to submit his resignation letter to his current company and serve notice first” before they would reveal the salary and contract details for the new role.

In his post on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum on Monday (Dec 30), the man recounted that when the company reached out over the weekend to let him know he was shortlisted for the “Sales and Marketing entry-level role,” they also made an unusual request: for him to resign from his current job so that they could proceed to the next step and go over the contract details.

Read more: “Is it a common workforce practice?” — Man asks after a company asks him to resign from his current job before they can reveal salary details

Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)