SINGAPORE: A Singaporean shared her job hunt struggles on social media, saying that even with 18 years of IT experience and recently completing additional academic credentials from a private university, she’s still having a tough time finding a job.
She shared in her post on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum, that she did not ask potential employers for an “extravagant base salary, only a salary that pays her enough based on her working experiences and certificates”.
Nonetheless, despite setting the bar low, she was disappointed to find that she was searched 407 times in one job portal but only had six profile views.
“Am I the only one struggling for a decent job? It is disheartening to know that a local person like me is struggling to find a job in Singapore.”
Feeling discouraged, she asked the Reddit community, “Anyone in the recruiting sector can please advise how I can help to elevate my resume so I could get more profile views and hopefully secure some interviews?”
“Keep only relevant details on your resume”
Most Singaporean Redditors were unable to offer specific advice on improving her resume, as it was not included in her post. However, they did suggest making sure her skills and experience match the job she’s applying for.
One Redditor said, “Ensure your skills are relevant for the job you are applying for. If they are asking for cybersecurity but you only have IT support experience, then the resume won’t make it past the review.
“If they are looking for a senior managerial role but you are an individual contributor, then don’t apply. Keep only relevant details on your resume. When listing down your professional experience, make sure the points address the points in the job description.”
A few also suggested that she try using her connections. One Redditor said, “This is where your personal and professional network comes in! The top people will tell you that it’s all about who you know that will get your CV a view. Imagine the tons of CVs that end up in the mailbox of HR.”
Some recommended that she try resuming her job hunting after the holidays. One Redditor wrote, “It’s a really bad time to search right now.. you’ll have more luck after CNY when people are leaving after the bonuses.”
In related news, another IT professional has shared on social media that he has applied for over 1,000 positions since his layoff in January; however, he has yet to receive a single job offer.
In a post on r/askSingapore, a Reddit forum, he wrote that this marks his third retrenchment in the past twelve years ‘due to cost-cutting and changes in employer location strategies.’
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