SINGAPORE: A Singaporean in his late twenties lamented how hard it has been to look for a job despite sending nearly 300 applications.
“Is it me or am I just fighting an uphill battle here?” he asked on r/askSingapore on Monday (July 15).
He wrote that he had delayed going to university for two years as he had first pursued going into business, but he has since gotten a marketing degree from the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
He added that he is now 29 and wishes “to move on,” but he is “struggling hard with job hunting.”
Despite applying for almost 300 jobs in two months, he is pretty sure that 90 per cent of the companies he applied to did not even bother looking at his résumé.
Additionally, it’s not as though he lacks work experience, as he has internships at multinational companies and his own business and marketing experience to support his content creation, graphic design, and social media and offline marketing skills.
He noted with concern, however, that he was told during interviews that firms only want women in marketing positions and that his age would make it hard for companies to take a chance on him.
After being told this, he was asked if he wanted to sell insurance.
“It’s super frustrating! It feels like the only companies that even call me down for interviews are insurance companies disguised as other companies,” he wrote.
“I’ve seen fresh marketing graduates at 24 snagging up jobs at MNCs and Government, while I’m stuck sending hundreds of applications to jobs that won’t even look at my résumé,” he added.
The post author then asked if anyone has similar experiences in finding a job.
Many Reddit users have commented on his post, with one telling him that the job market is “generally bad.” They advised him to have a backup plan to maximize his opportunities and tailor-fit his résumé for the jobs he’s applying to.
Their last bit of advice was: “Prepare to sacrifice things to get the job.” Another commenter advised him to “show the interviewer how your skill sets match with what they’re looking for.”
Some generous Reddit users offered to help him tweak his résumé, and others encouraged him to consider other options.
“Just wanted you to have another perspective… I spent a little more than 6 months to find a job after graduating. In between, I worked as a teacher and tutor. It can feel like an uphill battle and is frustrating, but you have to keep moving.
Keep applying while working. Good luck,” wrote one.
“Hang in there bro. I’m in the same boat and of the same age as you so I can also understand the stress from age-related topics.
I don’t have a solution for you but just wanted to remind you to not forget looking after yourself and do stuff for leisure and a healthy headspace as you continue looking for work,” chimed in another. /TISG
Featured image: Depositphotos
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