‘They mind my gap’: Laid-off tech worker says 5 months of job hunting have led to only 3 interviews

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man who was laid off earlier this year from his role as a tech project manager shared on Reddit that he’s been unemployed for over five months and is starting to feel discouraged about his job search.

Posting on the r/singaporefi subreddit, he explained that since losing his job, he has been actively applying for roles, customising his resume for each position, and doing everything people typically advise during a job hunt.

However, despite all his efforts, he has only received three interview calls so far, and unfortunately, none of them led to a job offer.

“I just went for a job interview last Friday and got rejected as they seem to mind my gap a lot,” he continued. “Anyone going through the same? Any tips for job search other than tailoring resume, networking?”

“Five months is not long in this economy.”

The post struck a chord with other users, many of whom offered advice, encouragement, and their own experiences.

One commenter replied, “Sorry to hear about your situation. You should try to get into some relevant part-time, freelancing work while job hunting. You could consider reaching out to your former orgs that you worked for, if you didn’t burn the bridges.”

Another user reassured him that five months of unemployment isn’t unusual in the current job climate. “Five months is not long in this economy,” they said. “Do part-time if things become restless. Keep the faith. Jia you!”

Others chimed in with their own stories. “My friend just got employed after ten months of job hunting since September 2024,” one shared. “Seems like the new normal nowadays… we just have to get used to it and stay strong.”

One commenter also pointed out that salary expectations can play a role. “It really depends what you are searching for,” they said. “One of my colleagues who got terminated received three offers within two weeks. He just lowered his salary expectations from S$5,000 to S$4,000 and continued job hunting. He used CareerFuture. Good luck!”

Singapore workers say job hunting is getting harder

Job hunting seems to be getting tougher for many in Singapore, according to LinkedIn data reported by The Straits Times.

From November 27 to December 13, 2024, LinkedIn surveyed 1,001 working professionals and 500 HR and talent acquisition experts in Singapore as part of a global study across 15 countries.

The findings showed that most professionals here dedicate about one to two hours a week to looking for new jobs. More than half apply for up to five roles weekly, while younger job seekers like millennials and Gen Zers often send out as many as eight applications.

LinkedIn also found that six in ten workers in Singapore feel that job hunting has become more difficult over the past year. This is higher than the global average, which stands at five in ten.

Read also: Singaporean man baffled as neighbour accuses his family of making loud noises at 1am, says they’re all asleep by then

Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)