A job advertisement offering a salary between S$5,000 and S$11,000 for an experienced full-time Buddhist nun has sparked widespread discussion online.
The listing, posted on Singapore’s MyCareersFuture portal, sought a candidate with at least ten years of experience and included extensive responsibilities, such as managing religious programmes, teaching Dharma classes, and offering spiritual mentorship.
The advertisement, posted by a recruitment firm for Ling Jiou Shan Buddhist Society on 16 March 2025, was scheduled to close on 30 March.
Online reactions and speculation
The job posting quickly caught the attention of Reddit users, who debated the high salary and the scope of the role. Some were surprised at the compensation, with one remarking,
“A nun pays much better than a preschool teacher… I clearly had the wrong calling in life.”
Others questioned whether the role was accurately described. One user commented, “Job title says nun, job scope describes a department head, educator, and religious counsellor all in one. No wonder the pay is so high.”
The advertisement also raised questions about salaries in religious institutions.
One Redditor noted, “I’m more surprised that there are ten applications. Meaning there are ten nuns out there looking to job-hop.”
Others jokingly wondered if it was too late for them to consider becoming a nun.
Job listing removed following controversy
According to 8World News, a journalist attempted to visit the Buddhist society’s listed address in Geylang.
The wooden door of the unit was locked, and no one responded to the doorbell.
Nearby shopkeepers stated they were unfamiliar with the organisation and had rarely seen people entering or leaving the premises.
Some mentioned that an elderly group occasionally conducted lecture-style activities there, but they did not appear to be Buddhist nuns.
When contacted, the recruitment agency responsible for the listing stated that the Buddhist society had not intended for the job advertisement to be published in the manner it was.
They added that the organisation was unhappy with the listing, leading to its removal.
A subsequent check on the MyCareersFuture portal confirmed that the job posting had been marked as “job closed,” with applications no longer being accepted.
Company records from SGPbusiness.com indicate that the Buddhist society was registered in 2017 and holds a unique entity number (UEN). However, little public information is available regarding its operations.
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