SINGAPORE: A young Singaporean graduate has been tirelessly searching for an entry-level job since completing his degree at a private university in December 2024.
However, despite his persistent efforts, he revealed on social media that he has only received “two responses” from the many companies he contacted.
“I’ve been using platforms like LinkedIn, JobStreet, and MyCareersFuture, but it seems like my applications aren’t even being considered,” he wrote on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Friday (Mar 14).
“I understand that not having much experience might be a disadvantage, but I’m still hoping to land an entry-level role,” he added.
He then asked the community, “Is this a common experience for fresh grads? Are there any other job platforms or strategies I should try to boost my chances? I’d really appreciate any advice or tips. Thanks in advance!”
“If you can, try approaching a job coach to review your cover letter and resume”
In the comments sections, a few netizens were a bit hesitant to give the fresh grad some advice since his post lacked important details.
“What did you study? What role are you looking for? How much is your asking salary? No head no tail, how to advise?” one netizen said.
“Without more information, it’s hard to ascertain and pinpoint the exact issue,” another agreed.
Still, there were others who shared suggestions on how the fresh grad could improve his chances of securing an interview and landing a job.
“Unconventional advice that worked for me when I was a junior – on top of submitting a resume, and instead of a cover letter, I submitted a ppt deck (3-4 slides) of my interests that were not professional undertakings, but relevant to the industry,” one wrote.
“When I was applying for jobs, I notice the timing you send your application can affect your chances greatly as well. Sending it in during office hours and when the job posting is new will help,” another added.
A few also pointed out that if he wasn’t getting interviews, it could be due to his resume.
“The problem is your resume. Either you’re applying for jobs which you’re unqualified for (eg major is incorrect, applying for jobs requiring non-fresh grads, applying for very competitive roles while your GPA or prior internship experiences is lacking) OR your resume is very poorly done up and isn’t showcasing yourself adequately that you’re good enough for the job,” one said.
“If you can, try approaching a job coach to review your cover letter and resume,” another suggested.
In other news, a frustrated laboratory staff member has taken to social media to vent about the brutal working conditions she’s been forced to endure due to a severe manpower shortage.
In her post on the r/askSingapore subreddit, she revealed that she’s been slogging through more than 12-hour shifts, all because her company refuses to replace three permanent staff members who resigned last year.
“Until now, the company doesn’t intend to hire new permanent full-time employees to replace them. Rather than hiring permanent staff, the company is only willing to hire contract staff. However, the contract staff are only allowed to perform minimal tasks such as extraction for analysis.”
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)