Although it's only been about 2 weeks since my last paper, my academic life seems eons ago. First week after my exams, I had to give tuition everyday and it's only this week that I can really rest and plan my life.

I went job agency hunting yesterday with Wanpei at International Plaza for a whole afternoon. It was really tiring filling up countless application forms all asking for the same information and smiling so much during interviews that my mouth ached. It was also a reality check for me as I got niao-ed by 2 recruitment agencies for writing too high an expected salary. One early in the morning (the first agency I went to) and another one late in the afternoon. I wrote $2,400 initially and then revised it downwards to $2,200 (negotiable) after the first niao. The second agency that niao-ed me said that I was unrealistic and $2,000 is a more competitive wage that I should expect.

Personally, I think the wage rate is a evaluation of how good I am (not just educational qualifications but work capabilities). I studied really hard in my 4 years of university (especially honours) and I think $2,400 is something reasonable for my efforts. Apparently, either the job market is really bad or I've overated myself. Or I should have gone Poly. Like Bee Kuan said, the wage increment of a degree is just a little over a diploma and the wage increment of an honours degree is just miniscule over a degree.

Oh well, it's too late for "what ifs" now. Hopefully, things will get better soon. Got woken up early this morning at 8am by a recruitment agency asking me to submit my resume for a position at JP Morgan. :)

The job hunt has begun.