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SINGAPORE: A 27-year-old Singaporean man opened up on social media about how discouraged he feels after a year of constant job rejections.

“I’ve been to interview after interview for a year now, and yet, I’m unable to land anything,” he wrote on r/askSingapore. “Interviews, if they happen, generally go well, but after that, nothing. Or if they’re nice enough, they’ll send a rejection email.”

The man shared that he studied engineering but ended up working in the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic because it was the only industry that was willing to hire him at the time.

Over the past year, however, he has been actively seeking engineering-related roles in hopes of getting back on track with his field of study.

But his job search hasn’t been easy. He mentioned that many of the positions he’s applying for require Mandarin-speaking skills or a Chinese background, which has been a significant barrier for him.

“I’ve had my fair share of ‘oh sorry we’re looking for mandarin speakers/chinese’ a bit too often too, and it’s seriously digging into my psyche. Could this ‘requirement’ be the reason why I’m constantly rejected?” he asked.

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On top of that, he’s been applying for jobs through Careers@Gov since finishing National Service (NS) in 2020 but has had no luck so far. Though some of his applications are still listed as pending, he feels that they are essentially rejected, as more than a year has passed since he submitted them.

“I didn’t go to Uni due to financial matters unfortunately. My NS performance is rated as ‘Outstanding’, if that means anything,” he said.

“For the jobs I applied for that I want, I know for sure that I already have the prerequisites. For the jobs that are out of what I studied, like those in Careers@Gov, I know I can give my all, and have shown through interviews that I am ready for it. But yet, nothing,” he explained.

While he’s currently working a part-time job—something he’s grateful for in today’s challenging economy—he admitted that it’s not the kind of work he wants to be doing.

“I don’t know what to do anymore. I apologise for the rambling as I am feeling very, very down at the moment. I just don’t know what to do anymore,” he lamented.

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“Job market is tough now without a degree.”

In the discussion thread, many Singaporean Redditors reminded him that the job market can be tough and that rejection doesn’t necessarily reflect his abilities or worth. They reassured him that many people face similar setbacks and that persistence is key.

One Redditor shared, “It took me around 6 years to land my current role with a public agency. I got in after applying for the third time. What I am trying to say here is that, you gotta be persistent and do know that life isn’t all a bed of roses.”

Others suggested that he focus on improving his interview skills, as this could be one of the reasons behind his repeated rejections.

One Reditor wrote, “Take some time to reflect on your interviews, analyze what went well, and pinpoint areas for improvement. Use these experiences to better understand the type of role that suits you best. Every rejection can serve as a stepping stone to refine your approach and explore new strategies.”

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A few, meanwhile, advised him to get a university degree. One Redditor commented, “Job market is tough now without a degree. I understand there are financial struggles right now for you, but perhaps work part time and take 0 interest student loan.”

In related news, a Singaporean tech professional has applied to over 1,000 positions since he got laid off in January, yet he still hasn’t landed a single offer.

In a post on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum, he shared that this marks his third retrenchment in the past twelve years “due to cost-cutting and changes in employer location strategies”.

Read more: Tech professional has applied to more than 1,000 positions since losing his job in January 2024 but still remains unemployed

Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)