Republished from Transitioning, a society to support out of job PMETs.


I started on my new job this week. First day was horrible…

  1. No HR to welcome me, nobody asked for my bank account details or ask to sign the contract. Had to set up own email account and instant messenger – first in my life! (Later I realise my Indian boss never do his work to help me settle into the office by giving me the essentials) I think too busy with his clique…
  2. Place was full of foreigners, many ang moh, Indians and pinoy
  3. Immediate bosses were an ang moh and Indian (on my second day both were further promoted)
  4. Boss didn’t even bother to ask me to lunch, the Indian instead went to lunch with 6 other Indians (all FTs I presume)
  5. I can safely put the foreigner numbers at 70% or more
  6. Immediate bosses (they didn’t interview me but their boss did) ignored me completely. Left to seat at the table alone. I like to think I used to be a high-flier drawing a 5-digit salary but had to eat humble pie now with a 50% drop in $ but this is seriously damaging to my ego.
  7. I asked them anything to do, they didn’t say anything but continue to let me wallow alone
  8. Lunch have to go alone as it is obvious all the foreigners had their own cliques. Even the locals had their own cliques
  9. I am rather depressed with this place but for my family, I have to soldier on before I find a new job
  10. To any employers out there, please have a proper onboarding strategy. Do not leave new employees in the lurch!
  11. I am now caught in a political crossfire because my local bosses told me to take over a major client that my Ang moh boss is handling and I saw her kpkb in the office. I am also requested to visit the client overseas when she have yet to meet the client so her displeasure doubled I suppose.

I suppose this is what you get when

  • you join and SME that is typically very “luan”,
  • place is creeping with foreigners. I have nothing against them, I think they are generally ok people but they will stick to their own cliques. I also think it is common courtesy for bosses/teammates to bring new colleagues out for lunch.

If I am of the same nationality or skin colour as them – I will have thrived better in this company. Sad to say, I am ostracized and ignored at work, partly due to culture and also the minority of locals in my own country.

Seriously what the fxxk is the Gahmen doing? Many of the jobs the foreigners are doing here can be done by locals.

I am getting so fed up with my life, I am already upset enough that I got replaced by a foreigner in my previous job and now this… I am at a loss but have to soldier on due to my family.