Life after 6 years as regular Officer
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HI Peeps,
I was wondering what's your opinions towards officer completing theirs bonds after 6 years of service as a combat officer. If they chose not to continue, what can they do after that? What are the experiences they can tapped from and use it to apply for jobs in the private sectors if they got a degree 6 years ago. (say an engineering degree).
Post your thoughts ya.
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start from scratch.
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If u acquire good people management skills, that is perhaps one of the things u can take away from SAF.Originally posted by cha11enge:HI Peeps,
I was wondering what's your opinions towards officer completing theirs bonds after 6 years of service as a combat officer. If they chose not to continue, what can they do after that? What are the experiences they can tapped from and use it to apply for jobs in the private sectors if they got a degree 6 years ago. (say an engineering degree).
Post your thoughts ya.
Seriously though, combat officer + engineering degree and apply for private sector engineering jobs, u start from scratch.
It is not so much of hard to get a job but of the lifestyle u grow accustomed to during the 6 years. The high pay, spending habits, family commitments AKA wife/kids/parents, etc.
Then getting a reality check: Are u willing to forgo the lifestyle or continue on. I have friends from the WOSE side just lan lan continue another 10 years after the first 6 years because they found out that they cannot get a job that can sustain their current lifestyle especially those who are married with kids.
So think smart, is not only 6 years, it could be ur whole life. -
Sad to say this, but once regular, usually forever regular.
Its like if you're not ready to stop, don't ever start. -
first post after almost 4 yrs.. wah.. si bei power
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u definitely have to start from scratch... be it skills, salary, adapt to private sector life
what u learn in military cannot apply to private sector... especially engineering field
u will lag your peers by six years
good luck to them -
it's true...Originally posted by ditzy:Sad to say this, but once regular, usually forever regular. Its like if you're not ready to stop, don't ever start.
hard to come out from there...
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afew sign on after finishing their bonds, went into sales line.
i ever had a captain dun-noe-wad becoming our discipline master.
but 1yr ago, i saw him in property line.
haiz.. -
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):first post after almost 4 yrs.. wah.. si bei power
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Nice one peeps. Keep this thread going. As expected, the responses so far were what i thought to be the "mental model". BUt i personally feel that it may not be as bad, not sure though. After 6 years, one of the main take away skills might be management. How about further study in a masters related to management or something and u may get a job in the government sector like ministry of foreign affairs or etc. Not sure about the requirement though.
Also, if you get a good honours degree, can consider further study into PHD,related to management.(can tapped on to the main take away skill) and be a professor. Research area can be management related since u have 6 years of experience. The only thing is that it might or might not be late to do it at age 32(on average)?
what say u. -
Don't understand. What PHD is related to management?Originally posted by cha11enge:Also, if you get a good honours degree, can consider further study into PHD,related to management.(can tapped on to the main take away skill) and be a professor. Research area can be management related since u have 6 years of experience. The only thing is that it might or might not be late to do it at age 32(on average)?
what say u. -
in army u fark ppl but in outside world, ppl fark u. mayb ur men in army last time is ur superior now
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AT the end of the day it is how you make over your career. Just because you serve 6 years doesn't mean that it is for the rest of your life.
Expect career to begin after 35 yrs.
anyway some pointer that i see could be helpful
Human Resource
Logistics
Sales Engineer
you aways have to manage people personally i think officer are great to manage production line. so it is always not restricted.
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This is Singapore where ageism is rampant. Also, one aspect that has been missed is what if Mindef decides to get rid of you?Originally posted by cha11enge:Nice one peeps. Keep this thread going. As expected, the responses so far were what i thought to be the "mental model". BUt i personally feel that it may not be as bad, not sure though. After 6 years, one of the main take away skills might be management. How about further study in a masters related to management or something and u may get a job in the government sector like ministry of foreign affairs or etc. Not sure about the requirement though.
Also, if you get a good honours degree, can consider further study into PHD,related to management.(can tapped on to the main take away skill) and be a professor. Research area can be management related since u have 6 years of experience. The only thing is that it might or might not be late to do it at age 32(on average)?
what say u.
1/2 the population has gone through NS and I think I am not wrong in saying that the consensus is Army Management = useless. Whether or not that is true is irrelevent. Its the perception that counts. -
So far, the only people I know who get direct admissions to phD, skipping masters after an honours degree are those who scored at least 3.88/4.0 in their GPA. And that was right after their graduation.Originally posted by cha11enge:Also, if you get a good honours degree, can consider further study into PHD,related to management.(can tapped on to the main take away skill) and be a professor. Research area can be management related since u have 6 years of experience. The only thing is that it might or might not be late to do it at age 32(on average)?
what say u.
And one more thing to note, your experience in management comes from a non profit organisation, or should I say where a regime overrules almost everything. -
i heard a cpt after his ord, he got a new job. the new boss is one of his cpl.Originally posted by RaTtY8l:in army u fark ppl but in outside world, ppl fark u. mayb ur men in army last time is ur superior now
he need to call the cpl "boss"
so cool... -
you mean ..Originally posted by Seven_Dragon:i heard a cpt after his ord, he got a new job. the new boss is one of his cpl.
he need to call the cpl "boss"
so cool...
"Boss, I need to ask you something."
"Yes sir, what is it?" -
1.Probably can get a job abroad. I personally have heard from a captain in the US army that experience in the military is very much appreciated by employers in US. Ya, probably can further study and become a professor. Nothing is too late.
2.In addition, the amount saved over the years can be used for some investment portfolio? might helps in building assets.
3.Anyone know the consequences of breaking the 6 years bond? say if you work for only 3 years. For the last point(point 3), please do not comment if you arent sure or without concrete supporting facts. -
ask maggot.
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That is the US army. Not the Singapore Army. Nobody's even heard of the Singapore Army.Originally posted by cha11enge:1.Probably can get a job abroad. I personally have heard from a captain in the US army that experience in the military is very much appreciated by employers in US. Ya, probably can further study and become a professor. Nothing is too late.
2.In addition, the amount saved over the years can be used for some investment portfolio? might helps in building assets.
3.Anyone know the consequences of breaking the 6 years bond? say if you work for only 3 years. For the last point(point 3), please do not comment if you arent sure or without concrete supporting facts. -
Can get into finance and take the CFA. Many engineers take that root.
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For MBA, I meet a LTC from SAFTI who part-time in NTU as a managment lecturer when I took a management course during my undergrad studies. Basically, he did what u mentioned, part-time a masters in management. So it is possible for u to take that route.Originally posted by cha11enge:Nice one peeps. Keep this thread going. As expected, the responses so far were what i thought to be the "mental model". BUt i personally feel that it may not be as bad, not sure though. After 6 years, one of the main take away skills might be management. How about further study in a masters related to management or something and u may get a job in the government sector like ministry of foreign affairs or etc. Not sure about the requirement though.
Also, if you get a good honours degree, can consider further study into PHD,related to management.(can tapped on to the main take away skill) and be a professor. Research area can be management related since u have 6 years of experience. The only thing is that it might or might not be late to do it at age 32(on average)?
what say u.
However, I do have to make a point: I have no idea what he is going to do after his SAF career is over. I am making this point because I was a clerk handing reservists during my active days and I have meet officers who ended up driving taxi, sell insurance after the SAF career ended, therefore, I know it is not always a smooth sailing career even for officers who quit after their stint.
As for PhD, as mentioned, it is more of u got the basic requirements to get into the PhD than u think u can. At the end of the day, ur grades still count. Plus, please if u do get into PhD, please do not use SAF as an research area because SAF is totally biased organisation where rank outrules common senses. -
Originally posted by octega:
I wanted to make that point but decided against it as I did not want dampen Cha11engers spirits too much - but yes that is true. I often take taxis when in Singapore and a sizable proportion of drivers were ex- captains or majors.
For MBA, I meet a LTC from SAFTI who part-time in NTU as a managment lecturer when I took a management course during my undergrad studies. Basically, he did what u mentioned, part-time a masters in management. So it is possible for u to take that route.
However, I do have to make a point: I have no idea what he is going to do after his SAF career is over. I am making this point because I was a clerk handing reservists during my active days and I have meet officers who ended up driving taxi, sell insurance after the SAF career ended, therefore, I know it is not always a smooth sailing career even for officers who quit after their stint.
As for PhD, as mentioned, it is more of u got the basic requirements to get into the PhD than u think u can. At the end of the day, ur grades still count. Plus, please if u do get into PhD, please do not use SAF as an research area because SAF is totally biased organisation where rank outrules common senses.
Another point really is to look at what majors etc actually do. I used to work for a major (SO1) and his work is by no means what could be described as 'challenging'. The clerks in his office could almost certainly do his job - often they do! -
You're slightly wrong on that.Originally posted by lwflee:That is the US army. Not the Singapore Army. Nobody's even heard of the Singapore Army.
In Canada and America, military experience regardless of nationality is counted as relevant job experience by quite a fair number of firms if you're looking to work in related industries like HR, headhunter firms, engineering (if you were a MEO) etc.
If it's an unrelated industry, it'll still be counted as normal work experience. -
haha, have a major with a light blue beret from our sch, as a Om (operations manager)Originally posted by Cool-gal:afew sign on after finishing their bonds, went into sales line.
i ever had a captain dun-noe-wad becoming our discipline master.
but 1yr ago, i saw him in property line.
haiz..