IT Engineer pay jump from $3400 to $4200 during 2008

Another interesting comment....

hi,

find your blog and discussion quite interesting, cos it's quite applicable to me now.

i'm thinking of switching career to finance/banking. but at the moment doing IT.

here's summary of my track record.
- graduated 2nd class upper (hons) BEng in Computer Engineering in NUS.
- Didn't like Engineering job, started 1st job in IT company.

2005 - $2500
2006 - $2900
2007 - $3400
decided to hop to another IT company
2008 - $4200

I feel that i'm doing quite well, but think can do better if i switch to finance/banking. any advice?

note: All the IT companies are big MNC.

First of all, thanks for your comments, and I really hope all the information in this blog can help people, as I see many cases of underpay, the HR can simply push down your salary and you suffer for a few years before you find out the market rate. So we must work together, exchange information, and bring back better money home.

Anyway, I see that you have a big jump when you switch company, from $3400 to $4200! This is about 24% increment! Impressive, again this happens in IT field.


My advise is: Do whatever you like. Do the job that you enjoy.
(Of course this is under the condition that you can afford to do so, if you got someone sick at home need the money urgently, then of course money comes first, then you should do watever that give you money, even you don't like it.)

So if you don't like Engineering job, then switch the job while you still young, and of course before your pay still not that high (though is already quite high to me already). Imagine 2 years later, your pay is closed to $6k, and that time you may suffer a pay cut when you want to switch field.

Another alternative could be: you do the IT job in Financial company. But still is IT job, however will be closer to the Financial field, you may consider this route also. Hope my advise help.

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