SINGAPORE: After five long months of job hunting with no success, a young woman took to social media to open up about how the process has left her feeling discouraged, judged, and increasingly anxious about her future.
Sharing her experience on the r/askSingapore Reddit forum on Monday (May 23), she explained that she has been actively looking for work since she graduated in December 2024.
“It’s been five months now (almost six), and I’m still searching. I have applied to countless roles, even approached job agencies,” she said.
“But every time I talk to them, I get the same question, ‘What have you been doing for the past five months?’ which I answer honestly that I have been job hunting because I haven’t received any offers. Then they will follow up with ‘Why not take a part-time job in the meantime?’”
She said that while she understands the intention behind such questions, they often leave her feeling like her efforts are being dismissed, as though she’s not doing enough.
“I do understand their point, but it’s disheartening that I’m also trying my best to stay motivated. I feel like I’m falling behind my classmates,” she wrote.
Hoping to find support, she turned to the online community to ask if others had gone through something similar. “Has anyone else experienced this? Or how do you respond to that kind of question without feeling like you are ‘useless’ and can’t get a job for so long.”
“Prepare a better thought-out answer…”
The responses she received in the comments were mixed. Some Redditors who had gone through similar situations empathised with her struggles and offered words of encouragement. They shared their own job-hunting experiences and reassured her that it is completely normal to feel overwhelmed and disheartened, especially when nothing seems to fall into place.
One Redditor said, “I graduated in July 2024 and have been searching for a job since. The market is harsh. It is not a reflection on you. Take it from me, a fellow jobseeker (also in this wilderness)—people are unkind.”
Another commented, “You are a fresh grad. It’s ok to take a bit longer to find your ideal job. Remember, your first job can set the stage for the rest of your career – not always, but potentially.”
Others, however, felt that the recruiters weren’t entirely wrong. They pointed out that gaps in employment can be a red flag for some employers and suggested that she should be more prepared to explain how she’s been spending her time.
A few suggested that instead of simply stating she had been job hunting, she could also mention any small projects, courses, or personal development efforts she had taken on during that period to show initiative.
One Redditor added, “Shouldn’t you prepare a more polished answer? Every interview question is an opportunity to convince them that you are an appealing candidate.
Responding with ‘I’ve been job hunting and haven’t received any offers’ isn’t doing you any favors. Prepare a better thought-out answer (travel the world, self-improvement, volunteering, freelancing, taking care of family issues, etc), though I wouldn’t suggest lying.”
Some also recommended taking up part-time or temporary work in the meantime. One wrote, “If you are taking more than 3 months to find a job, you should already start doing something like a part-time job or find an internship to do. If calls come in, you can always ask to be excused for a few hours to go for the interview or take MC to go for the interview, it’s not like an interview is a 3-day event thing.”
How to confidently answer interview questions about employment gaps based on tips from Indeed:
1. Explain why you left your last job
You can start by briefly explaining why you are currently unemployed. This could be due to a layoff, a mismatch with your previous role, or other personal or professional reasons. For example, you might say, “Seven months ago, I lost my last job due to a company-wide layoff.”
2. Emphasise how you stayed productive
Employers often want to know whether you stayed productive and focused on self-improvement despite not having a formal job. So when explaining your gap, be sure to share how you made the most of that period, whether it was by learning new skills, taking courses, volunteering, or working on personal projects.
3. Highlight the efforts you made
Let them know you’ve been actively looking for the right role by updating your resume, attending events, and speaking with recruiters.
4. Share your progress
Mention any new skills or knowledge you gained, such as through online courses, volunteering, or attending workshops.
5. Explain how you handled challenges
If there were difficulties during the gap, talk about how you worked through them and what you learned.
6. Keep things positive
Focus on how the time off helped you grow or gave you clarity about your career path. Frame it as a valuable experience that made you more ready for your next role.
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)