‘Should I stay or go?’ asks SG Reddit user offered job in HK that pays $14.4K a month

SINGAPORE: “Should I stay, or go?” asked u/WisdomOfSolomon69 on r/askSingapore on Tuesday (May 9), saying that he is uncertain about taking the job in Hong Kong though the salary offered is nearly four times what he earns in Singapore.

“Hi, everyone so recently I was offered a job as a commodities trader for a HK firm. I managed to pass all 3 rounds of test(s), however the working hours (are) insane. I mean like 6 am to 1 am steady state. The manager in charge of the trader told me this is a high-intensity job with a very steep learning curve. I am expected to understand complex financial models and global politics fast, execute trade quick(ly) and with precision. And be contactable at all hours,” he wrote.

The salary he is being offered is 3.8 times the $3,800 he is currently earning, which means it’s $14,400.

However, his current work pace is “quite slow”, his colleagues are “very nice” and his work is “very straightforward, nothing complex”.

“I hit the jackpot for (a) retirement job,” adds the man, who describes himself as being in his 20s. “My current WLB (work-life balance) is the best 8:30-5:30.”

But his salary is “less than median income (4.5k-fresh grad)” for his degree in engineering.

He adds, “I am a single guy with monthly expenditure not exceeding $800. No GF (reason: too ugly).

“Should I leave?”

Many commenters responded to his post, with some of wanting to make sure he knows what he is getting into.

One Reddit user broke down the math for him, writing that with the amount of work he’ll be doing in the new job, his hourly rate would be “$14,400 / 452 = $31.90/hour”.

Another wrote, “I have done around 9 am to 1 am, 6 days/week for 1.5 years. In the end the stress and lack of sleep took a toll on my health. Strongly recommend to stay away from there, your future-self will thank you!”

“I wouldn’t take the new job. High pay sounds good, but you’d be sleeping 3 to 4 hours max,” opined another.

One wrote, “Old school commodities trading firms are known for their such toxic culture.”

Another warned, “14k+ is too low for that level of intensity. Not worth your health,” but added, “take it for 6 months then quit. Frame it as a step ladder for the next job. Don’t stay.”

/TISG

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