SINGAPORE: A 30-year-old woman recently shared on social media that she’s been having a hard time landing an office job due to her background and qualifications.
In a post on r/askSingapore, she explained that most of the job listings she’s encountered require applicants to have either “a diploma or at least a year of relevant experience”—qualifications that she regrettably does not have.
She said, “I only [have] an ITE certificate. Since graduating six years ago, I’ve been working in F&B and retail. I also do not have Microsoft skills, making it difficult to secure a position.”
Beyond the challenges of meeting job requirements, she also mentioned that the main reason she’s looking to switch careers at this point is because she’s tired of working long hours and feels like her current job doesn’t offer any chance for growth.
“I realised that I no longer want to stay in this industry,” she wrote. “I want a stable 9-to-6 office job with weekends and public holidays off, offering a good work-life balance.”
Wanting to know if getting a diploma will improve her odds, she asked the online community, “Do you think it’s too late to study now? Is a diploma worth it? Should I take the risk and go for it? I really want to get at least a diploma to improve my job prospects, but the job market is so bad that even degree holders can’t secure a job. I’m afraid that once I graduate, I will not be able to secure a job either.”
“Yes, it will help you open more doors.”
In the comments, many people encouraged her to go for the diploma, stating that it would definitely create “more opportunities” for her.
One individual commented, “Yes—do a part-time diploma while still continuing your work. Part-time classes are normally at night and will not affect your current day-to-day job if you manage to get one.
“As an employer, I’d say enrolling in a part-time diploma will help you in securing jobs because it shows that you’re improving yourself, and it shows drive.”
Another echoed this sentiment, saying, “Yes, it will help you open more doors. Think of it as a ticket that allows you more ‘travel’ options. You can get to the same point with an ITE cert, but you might take a longer detour.”
A third added, “You should do it! Not only does it demonstrate skills, it shows potential employers your dedication to continuous personal growth and development.”
Is it a good idea to pursue further education later in life?
Career experts say that there’s no age limit when it comes to pursuing education. There are also real-life stories about older individuals doing this.
For example, Ms Felicity Cheng returned to school at age 57 to pursue a career in nursing. According to Schoolbag, an online publication by the Ministry of Education, Ms Cheng made this decision shortly after being laid off during the pandemic. In another case, 75-year-old Karl Siegler went back to college in 2024 to pursue his second master’s degree at the University of New Mexico.
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
