“80% job interviews ghosted me, 20% rejected me” — Jobless Singaporean shares his job seeking challenges in SG

SINGAPORE: A jobless Singaporean took to an online forum on Tuesday (May 7) to share his challenges in finding employment over the past three months.

“I have been actively searching for job interviews; I went for every job interview—around 12+ interviews,” he wrote. “The end result is that 80% of the interviews ghosted me, and 20% at least had the courtesy to reply back and say I was rejected.”

He also mentioned that applying through recruitment agencies was much worse, adding, “I feel like vomiting blood whenever I apply for a job from them.”

He explained that these agencies often suggested different roles when he applied for a particular position.

Furthermore, around 75% of these agencies did not follow up after submitting his resume, leaving him feeling ignored and disheartened.

He also tried applying for weekend or part-time jobs, but unfortunately, they went silent.

“I would say that I prepare every job interview seriously and not just go for the sake of it or being unprepared, but this is one of the worst periods for me, and finding a job is so hard,” he lamented.

“I just wonder if the job market is really so bad right now or whether I am just plain unlucky.”

“Just hang in there and don’t give up”

Many Redditors chimed in with words of support for the jobless Singaporean after he shared his experiences on the online forum. Some even shared stories of their own job-hunting journeys, highlighting the ups and downs they faced along the way.

One Redditor said: “Hugs!! Just hang in there and don’t give up. Last time I took 6 months + to find a job, and it wasn’t even during a recession, I think (was in 2015 period heh). Don’t give up.

Better to find a place that’s a good fit than to end up in a place that’s so bad that you wish you were not employed in.”

Another commented, “All the best, OP! Don’t give up. I have a friend who applied for over 200 jobs and only got 4 interviews back. It took me more than 6 months to find a new job previously as well.”

Some also proposed a strategy to protect his mental well-being: to “forget about the company” a week after completing his interview. 

They explained that adopting this mindset helped them stay grounded and move forward more smoothly during their job searches.

In addition, some advised him to gather information during the interview regarding when he can expect to hear back from them. 

If the company mentions a timeframe, such as receiving results in two weeks, they suggest following up on the specified date. 

According to them, this proactive approach keeps him informed and demonstrates his interest in and enthusiasm for the job.

Meanwhile, others provided practical tips and advice, such as networking strategies or resume-building tips, to help him in his job search.

One Redditor wrote, “Hi OP, I’m not sure if this applies to you, but there was once I made a very big mistake in my resume, which was to put irrelevant work experiences that diluted my resume.

If that’s the case for you, do try to revisit your resume as well, because once I took those things out, I started getting way more callbacks! And ensure that you use relevant keywords and change your resume according to the role you’re applying for.

Try getting referrals from companies as well, and DM the hiring managers and HRs via LinkedIn! You got this!”

Read also: Employer shocked at Singaporean jobseeker for not able to speak Mandarin; starts insulting the candidate

Featured image by Depositphotos