‘No luck even after a SkillsFuture course’ — Woman asks for help after two years of unemployment

SINGAPORE: A woman who has been unemployed for over two years took to Reddit to seek advice on restarting her career.

Posting on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Tuesday (May 27), she wrote, “I have been unemployed for more than two years. My previous jobs were mainly in administration. I have a degree in sociology. And I have not been working due to personal reasons, which I prefer not to disclose.”

She also mentioned that although she has been actively trying to get back on her feet, such as sending out numerous job applications and taking up a digital marketing course through SkillsFuture in late 2023, none of them have panned out.

With her confidence waning and the job market remaining uncertain, she turned to the online community for support. “What should I do now?” she asked. “I heard the job market is really bad.”

“Take on any job that is available and don’t be choosy…”

Her post quickly drew responses from fellow Reddit users, many of whom related to her struggles. Some encouraged her to stay open to any kind of work, whether full-time or part-time, as a way to get back into the workforce, regain some confidence, and start building up her resume again.

One user suggested, “Just apply for jobs! The worst they can do is ghost you or say no. Keep an Excel sheet of where you applied and what you sent for your resume/CV.

During interviews, when asked about your gap, share your digital marketing course and any other self-improvement things you did. There are always jobs, just whether it fits your expectations or not.”

Another commented, “The job market is usually bad, and I don’t foresee it going better. Have to just try and apply. Upskill and apply; even internships are also good.”

A third added, “Take on any job that is available and don’t be choosy. Approach employment agencies. They tend to have jobs of various natures but are in industrial estates. Some pay market rates. SkillsFuture courses are meant to complement or add to your existing skill sets to make you more competitive in the industry. They are not courses that you take and can straightaway enter that industry.”

In other news, a troubled worker took to social media to share how his demanding job has pushed him to the brink, causing him to develop anxiety just from the thought of going to work.

“I started to develop anxiety even to go to work. It’s almost like I don’t even have time to breathe once I step into the office,” he wrote in a post on r/askSingapore.

The worker shared that in recent months, several of his colleagues have quit, and with no new hires brought in to replace them, the remaining team has been forced to take on the extra workload.

Read more: ‘I don’t even have time to breathe’ — Singaporean worker says his burnout has led to daily anxiety

Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)