Wow, banks in Malaysia sure pay very well. RM140K for fresh graduates. RM300K for AVPs with 5 years experience.

Foreign banks in Malaysia are either paying double what foreign banks in Singapore pay (assuming 1:1 parity or absolute parity) or they pay the same as in Singapore (in USD ie. common currency). You really think so? I guess KL's the real financial hub then, not Sg or HK.

Check out this website: efinancialcareers.sg I've linked the search page. Filter your search for country: Singapore and salary: S$100,000-200,000 and you'll see that it's mostly AVP level jobs in MNC banks. See how many years of experience and the types of experience required. Most of the jobs are in wealth management or relationship/corporate banking. Find an entry level job for a fresh grad with no experience in this area, pls post it here.

In the meantime, let me go tell my banker friends about the postings in this thread and watch them either ROFL or straightaway apply for a work permit to Malaysia.

Having said that, someone earning 300K after 5 years work is not impossible. The VP in my office is only in his early 40s, and he's already earning US$2-3 million a year in Singapore. His pay after 5 years in the company was already S$250,000. But then there's only 2 people like him out of 5000 employees in Asia, who are fast tracked (average of one promotion every 1 - 1.5 years). But even a super high flyer like him didn't get a huge starting salary when he joined the company. He got the same as every other fresh grad. He was fast tracked only after he proved himself, and being really good, he could prove himself (and get opportunities to do so) very early in his career.

So, I subscribe to the notion that no company will pay a ridiculous starting pay to an untested fresh graduate, no matter how good your education says you are. But if you're really good, you will get ridiculous increments and promotions... but not before you prove yourself first.