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Young professionals say it’s only right to demand higher pay amid inflation and rising living costs after HR asks if fresh grads are ‘delulu’ for wanting S$4,800 to S$5,500
SINGAPORE: Young professionals online argued it’s only right to demand higher pay amid inflation and rising living costs in Singapore, after an HR professional questioned whether salaries have just inflated so much over the years, or if fresh National University of Singapore (NUS) graduates and those with one or two years of experience are being “delulu” for asking for between S$4,800 and S$5,500.
In the HR’s post on the Facebook page NUSWhispers, she explained that the role was an in-house HR position at a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) while the candidates’ niche experience was in a relatively small area of the industry.
In her view, this meant they would still have a “big gap to fill” in terms of the value they could bring to the role.
She added that job listings offering this salary range were typically for Assistant Manager or even Manager roles in smaller companies.
Commenters said times have changed and the job market is tougher than before. With rising inflation and the high cost of living, they argued that these pressures are pushing them to aim for higher salaries at the start of their careers.
One commenter even pointed out that ten years ago, they were already earning S$3,800 for a role that required them to handle almost everything, questioning why some employers are still offering the same pay today. “That’s why SMEs cannot attract good locals to join,” he said.
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In June, locals were left wondering where they were supposed to stand after job analysts said fresh graduates may need to “taper down” their salary expectations or risk delaying their entry into the workforce.
The analysts’ comments also came after Aslant Legal founder and recruiter Shulin Lee compared Singaporean workers with foreign workers, saying locals are “not hungrier” when it comes to job opportunities. /TISG