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SINGAPORE: A man with a business degree took to social media asking if it was a wise move for him to follow his passions but take a pay cut.

In an anonymous post to popular confessions page SGWhispers, the man wrote that he graduated from university three years ago and had been working ever since. He added that he had a salary of S$4,000 to S$5,000 and was comfortable. “However I’m extremely unhappy working there or in any office job setting and as the days goes by I tend to physically feel sick trying to go to work. Hence I would like a career switch”, he wrote. The man added that he always loved animals and wanted to work around them but “sadly I didn’t make the cut to be a veterinarian or my very asian family think it was wise being an animal doctor . Regardless I would still love to try finding a job working with them”.

The man wrote that he thought of applying to work at the local zoo but “they don’t really disclose their pay. So I would like to seek advice if its wise to do a career switch to them ? As I do have an expensive bto coming up and planning for kids in the future so living off a 2k salary isn’t wise”, he added, asking netizens for advice. One netizen gave him realistic advice: “Read this carefully. Average starting, based on actual experience. A vet technician with diploma brings in 1.9k to 2.5k. A vet assistant brings in 1.6k to 1.8k. A vet’s starting can be as low as 3.5k. Mind you, an overseas vet degree in UK or Australia is 5yrs and it costs minimum of SGD500k, inclusive of living. Loving animals and working with animals in an organisation is 100% two different things. Are you able to handle:

– large amts of cleaning including feces, urine, blood and gunk?
– are you able to lift or struggle with animals >20kg?
– are you able to assist or put down animals?
– are you ready to talk to owners/humans about the animal you just euthanized?
– are you able to take >12hrs shifts doing back breaking work?
– are you able to potentially burn your public holidays and weekends?
Romanticism are oft opposed to reality. It is significantly more pragmatic to earn your existing salary and volunteer in a shelter on your free days”. Another netizen who commented on the man’s post also suggested: “Not necessarily have to change to vet job.. Just try a new job! Same role, but diff industry, diff corporate culture, different people. In another workplace, you might enjoy the work. When u get married, it shd free up some resources for one to pursue something abit different. Discuss if your spouse is willing to support that. At some point in time, you realise progression in life it not about ticking off all the things you see pple are doing. Degree, marriage house kids.. With today’s high prices and competitiveness, at some juncture you have to accept delaying some of these, or think deeper if they are what you want. When you sure you want them all, work hard for them”.