SINGAPORE: Unsure of how to get employment, a first-time jobseeker asked on social media whether most people “spam apply for jobs.”
“I’m a soon-to-be university student who is hoping to intern at a government agency, but I’m not sure if I’ll get the internship, so do I spam apply for internships? especially since idk how long they will take to get back to me,” u/fangedino wrote on r/askSingapore on Friday (Jan 26).
She disclosed that her aunt had just spoken with her about this, cautioning her that if she turned down a job offer from a company, particularly one that came after an interview, they would not want to hire her again.
She then said she was concerned that she might get offers from other companies and have to reject some. But at the same time, she didn’t want to wait long for a government agency to contact her with a job offer.
“How long do yall usually wait after applying to a couple of jobs you want before you start applying for more jobs? Oh, and if anyone knows how to reject a company’s offer nicely, please teach me how. THANKS,” the user said.
SG Redditors: “Don’t stop applying until you’ve signed a contract with a company”
Keen on helping out a struggling jobseeker, many offered their counsel to the youngster in the comments section.
One commented, “Just don’t stop applying until you’ve signed a contract with a company. Anything and everything that looks suitable enough needs to be applied for (a high quality application with a cover letter). It’s a numbers game, so you need to maximise your numbers to maximise your chances.
While another user said if she’s unsure if she’ll get the internship offer from her first choice company, she should keep looking.
“Would not advise you to “wait around” for companies to get back to you. If you get more than 1 offer, it’s a happy problem. You can decide which internship works best for you.
When rejecting other offers, it is good to call up the hiring manager to thank him/her for the opportunity to join the firm, but after careful consideration and evaluating your career goals, you’ve chosen to go in another direction. Drop an email to the hiring manager and/or HR afterwards, to keep a paper trail.”
Regarding her inquiry about how to gently decline job offers, the user advised her to keep her message “broad” and mentioned that she found another opportunity more aligned with her career interests.
“No need to go into details like you rejected it because of low pay, bad hiring processes, unfriendly manager, etc. Just keep it broad.”
One user also advised her to read the entire written contract carefully since some companies are “straight up slave drivers” that are bordering on employee abuse but are still technically in line with the law.
“Don’t just anyhow sign. READ. if ok, then sign.”
Three key points to remember when applying for multiple jobs
In today’s highly competitive job market, the odds of landing a job are slim to none. That’s why most jobseekers have opted to apply for multiple jobs simultaneously, sending resumes to tens or even hundreds of employers with the hope of getting a handful of responses and booking a few interviews.
However, it is important to remember the following points when doing this:
Examine the job postings in detail. While some job postings are brief, others go into greater detail about the role and the organization. To ensure that you know what the employer is looking for, take the time to carefully read the job posting.
Customize your resume and cover letter. People who submit multiple applications on job search sites simultaneously tend to do the same thing. Because they’re inundating the job websites with applications, they don’t take the time to personalize their applications to prove they’re qualified to fill specific jobs.
When creating your resume or CV and writing your cover letter, it’s important to focus on your most relevant skills and abilities. Your chances of landing a job increase if you demonstrate to the employer how well you fit the position and how you would add value to the business.
Have a list of all your applications. One of the downsides of applying for multiple jobs simultaneously is that, over time, you tend to forget the jobs you applied for. So once you get a call from one of them, you’ll sometimes have no choice but to ask, “Which job is this for?”
While it’s okay to ask this question, it makes it seem like you’re not ready while also giving off the impression that you are waiting for a phone call from other employers. So if you plan on ‘spam applying,’ make sure you keep track of all your applications.
One way to do this is to keep a list of every company name and job position you’ve applied for. This way, if you ever get a call from another company, all you have to do is run a quick check through your list, and you’ll never have to ask.