SINGAPORE: A job listing spotted on Jobstreet has stirred debate online after a Reddit post on the r/sgwork community forum highlighted a starkly worded requirement that many found unsettling.
The position, titled PR Manager, lists a salary range of S$3,500 to S$5,000 and little else except for one line that grabbed everyone’s attention: “listen to boss instruction without argumentative attitude.”
According to the Reddit post, the job description contained “nothing else” beyond a handful of brief lines. Under the PR Manager title, the role is described as:
“Salary to be Discussed during interview (S$3500–S$5000) to maintain customer relationship and to ensure people working under your supervision are well taken care of, listen to boss instruction without argumentative attitude. suggestion may be introduced when being asked, lead a team of people under you to teach them on their roles and responsibilities.”
Other than that, there was no mention of working hours, reporting structure, or expectations beyond obedience and supervision, as far as it can be seen. So for many readers, that omission spoke volumes.
“They are looking for a puppet…”
Reactions ranged from alarmed to amused. One commenter called it “Poorly written. No frills, no details. This is not corporate speak, hardly professional.”
He went on to suggest it sounded like “likely a middle-manager role where you bao sua bao hai. For $3.5–5K? Sure, work until you die.”
Another summed it up with: “Sounds toxic.” Others added: “Wow, that’s mad,” and “They are not looking for a manager, they are looking for a puppet.”
Several took issue with the language itself. One comment read: “Broken England,” poking fun at the English usage. Another questioned the basics:
“Even if I look past the utter garbage sentence structure and errors, it still lacks other necessary information.”
He then listed missing details: “How many work days and what time does the work day start and end? Is it necessary to work on public holidays or weekends? What are the requirements and expectations apart from ‘lead a team of people…’ At least corporate speak has some relevant information, a sea of words. This barely has anything.”
“I’ll happily take it, bro…”
Still, not all reactions were negative. One commenter shrugged it off, saying, “What’s wrong? Pay me $5K to listen to whatever you say, very hard meh? I’ll happily take it, bro.”
Another pointed out that the listing was: “Very straightforward. If your value system and practices align with the boss, it’s easy money.” He suggested the employer might be looking for “XO, executive officer, second in command,” adding, “This boss is straight to the point.”
Others took a more relieved stance, advising readers: “Just be glad you’re not working for this kind of boss.”
“Are they hiring dogs?”
Beyond the humour and outrage, the listing touched a nerve because it highlighted a familiar tension in Singapore’s job market: clarity versus control to the point where one commenter even asked, “Are they hiring dogs?”
While some appreciated the directness, others saw it as a warning sign of a top-down culture that discourages questioning authority. One particularly colourful comment described the listing as “Red flags planted all over like a communist camp,” while another dismissed it outright with “No, thanks.”
So it seems that in this context, whether the job offer is refreshingly straightforward or deeply troubling depends on perspective.
However, that single line about “listening without argumentative attitude” was enough to spark a wider conversation about management style, power dynamics, and what workers are—or aren’t—willing to tolerate for S$3,500 to S$5,000 a month.
