Jobs in Singapore: THE Best Place to Work in Asia

Before I went to Singapore on a trip hosted by Contact Singapore, I'd assumed the coolest, most progressive places to work in Asia were Hong Kong and Tokyo. I was wrong.

I guess I could have looked it up -- Mercer Consulting's annual rankings put Singapore as the best city in Asia to work and live (Geneva is No. 1 in the world; but at No. 28, Singapore ranks above London, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong). Mercer measures 39 factors, including political stability, crime, currency exchange, personal freedom and health and sanitation.

Yes, I could have looked it up; but there is nothing like seeing it for yourself. Though I didn't know a lot about the island before visiting, I learned that from its humble beginnings as a sandbank at the bottom of the Malay Peninsula, The Republic of Singapore, at a mere 270 square miles, has grown into a nation of superlatives. It's the smallest and youngest, yet most economically advanced nation in the whole of Southeast Asia.

It's not only beautiful, clean, and temperate, but it's also surprisingly glitch-free for visitors: my iPhone worked perfectly, I had a great wi-fi connection (Singapore has the fastest Internet in the world), I didn't run into anyone who did not speak my language, I never got lost, I had fun things to do... basically, I didn't want to for anything. From my hotel room window, I had views from city, to water, to greenery. Pretty awesome!

The admirable social and fiscal success of "the Lion City" has been attributed to several factors. Most everyone speaks English (all schools are bilingual). Its unique geographic location puts it within seven hours flying time to anywhere within Asia. There is virtually no crime (according to the Overseas Security Advisory Council). They have an amazing school system, the best professors from all over the world teach at their universities, and their health-care system is truly enviable. No wonder so many Americans and Europeans want to work and live there! (It has the sixth-highest percentage of foreigners in the world -- 42 percent -- who make up half of the service sector.)

Top 10 Jobs in Singapore

1. Business Management Consultant, Banking (from $6,400-$7,200 monthly)
2. Computer and Information Systems Manager (from $6,000 to 7,000 monthly)
3. Commercial Airline Pilot or Flight Inspector (from $9,400 to $19,500 annually)
4. Legal - Lawyers, Advocates, and Clerks (from $6,700 - $8,000 monthly)
5. Research and Development Manager (from $6,900 and $8,200 monthly)
6. Futures Trader and Broker (approximately $7000 monthly)
7. Advertising (from $8,500 to $11,000 annually)
8. Editor (from $6,300 to $7,400 monthly)
9. Physicians and Surgeons (from $7,500 to $11,000 monthly)
10. Fund Manager (from $12,400 - $20,400 annually)

So how can you apply for jobs in Singapore? First of all, you should have:

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• Educational certificates and transcripts
• Proof of professional membership (if applicable)

You can browse for jobs in Singapore and get more tips at the following websites:

• Contact Singapore
• Ministry of Manpower
• Robert Walters
• American Chamber of Commerce