… are you sure you don’t have leisure time ?..
unless you are talking about small companies that are family owned, you should be getting good leisure time…
No, I am talking about large companies who are listed on the stock market
the pay is not as lucrative, but if you know where to supplement your income, you shouldn’t do poorly at all…
a good 5 digit income per month is achievable especially if you hold a teaching post at the university with a few projects to do.
if you were working for a proper company, the pay is still pretty good. Especially those who pick the teaching and consulting route.
This is only possible if you are a local Singaporean .Not possible for an expat due to the employment pass.
If you are on a employment pass you are only allowed work for one employer. You must be working & living here 6 months before you apply to become a permanent resident. Then you can work for more than one employer maybe if they allow you. I am certain if a company is bringing you over here they will have it written into the contract that you cannot work freelance also.
Three designers here were recently sued by their boss for moonlighting outside office hours.
If you are a director then you will earn 5 digit figures per month ( $ Singapore dollar ) but jobs like that are not easy to find.
It is typical to find creative directors here who are very young ( 26 – 28 years old ). I find it totally bizarre as back in Europe you would have to be much older. The companies own people almost like slaves. Maybe this is the remnants of colonialism. It is common for workers to come into the office every weekend to work as they know no other way of life. Sad but true !
See here for a pdf of average salaries in design for Singapore, China, etc.
Aquent Asia Pacific Salary Monitor 2005 | 2006
http://www.aquent.com.au/AboutUs/Resources/
Westerns are charged more $$ simply for being presumed to be wealthy.
If you are coming from Europe you are paid 1/2 to 1/3 of what you are paid back home.
After converting your money into US $ and taking tax into consideration you may want to think long & hard about the offer you are made.
In Singapore the role of the designer is not the same as in the West.
In the East the budget will dictate everything whereas in the West it is the design the dictates.
The idea that good design can increase sales is not understood here. Maybe because there are so many copied versions flooding the market from China here which can damage the sales.