SME accused of seeking senior-level skills for junior role with ‘peanuts pay’ in IT assistant job listing
A netizen has called out what he described as an increasingly harsh job market in Singapore after coming across a small- to medium-sized enterprise (SME) job listing that allegedly demanded senior-level skills while offering entry-level pay.
The man shared his frustration in a TikTok post on Friday (9 Jan), after spotting an information technology (IT) assistant role circulating on online forums.
Job scope includes multiple technical skills despite junior role
In the video, the original poster (OP) shared a screenshot of the job advertisement, showing both the job scope and the salary on offer.
According to the listing, applicants were expected to possess multiple technical skills, including application programming interfaces (APIs), Structured Query Language (SQL), and SAP Business One (SAP B1).
@justme.findingmyself Saw this job ad… $1.8k–$2.5k for API expert + SQL + SAP B1 wizard? Then SMEs complain ‘talent shortage’ + boomers say ‘in my time we never complain hor’ 😤 Nah lah, we just don’t want to suffer like this! Tag a friend stuck in SME hell 👀 #fyp #tiktok #singapore #sg #sgtiktok
♬ original sound – Justme.findingmyself – Justme.findingmyself
Despite the breadth of technical knowledge required, the role was marketed as suitable for diploma holders and came with a monthly salary of between S$1,800 and S$2,500.
The position was also stated to be on a contract or temporary basis.
Man criticises employers’ mindset towards young workers
The OP argued that when small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle to attract applicants, they often blame younger jobseekers instead of re-evaluating their expectations and pay.
“You see? Singaporeans are so lazy, all these youngers are so lazy,” he said, mimicking what he believes is a common refrain from employers.
He added that some from the older generation label younger workers as “strawberries”, implying they are fragile or unwilling to work hard.
Source: justme.findingmyself on Tiktok
According to the OP, young jobseekers would simply “avoid companies like this”, urging employers to “fix the pay first” before complaining about a lack of applicants.
He also questioned whether it was common practice for SMEs to expect high-level skills for roles meant to be entry-level.
“You want junior-level employees with senior-level skills and peanuts for pay?” he said.
Netizens echo concerns over job market and fair pay
The post struck a chord online, with many netizens agreeing with the OP’s views and sharing their own experiences.
Several said job listings often exaggerate requirements, making it difficult for fresh graduates or junior workers to gain a foothold in the workforce.
One netizen pointed out that salaries for such roles have remained unchanged for decades, questioning the lack of wage progression.
Source: Tiktok
Another sarcastically remarked that fresh graduates are now expected to have multiple years of work experience just to qualify for entry-level positions.
Source: Tiktok
A third commenter said the skill set listed appeared to require more than one person, adding that anyone taking on such responsibilities would be severely underpaid.
Source: Tiktok
Others expressed sympathy for the younger generation, noting that many are already grappling with challenges such as rising unemployment and mass layoffs.
Source: Tiktok
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Featured image adapted from Justme.findingmyself on Tiktok.
