Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi all, I have been jobless for the past 2 - 3 months.

Applied for jobs almost every other day and went for maybe 10-12 interviews during this period. I would say the job market is really quite bad now - even the recruitment agents told me so. I've finally secured a job and would like to share my observations and tips to all who are still job hunting ~

1) Work out a routine and stick to it
Unemployment can be very depressing. You wake up and there's a whole day ahead with nothing to do. You probably waste the day away by playing games or watching dramas or movies. At least I did. Until I told myself to not be so negative and start a routine. Try to do some exercise, make your own meals (keep healthy), upgrade your skills by taking free courses online, some leisure time, meet with friends and have a social life and definitely check out the job portals everyday.

2) Plan your finance wisely
I had savings when I left my job and didn't think money is an issue at all. But bills, insurance, money to parents, spending on outings can come up to quite a big amount if you can't find work for a few months. While I was job hunting, I also cleared out my wardrobe and drawers, and listed items i don't need for sale on carousell. It's a good way to make some cash too. One can also consider doing some part time work to supplement the income, but do remember that your focus is still finding a full-time position.

3) Use JobStreet for insights on your competitors
For every job you apply, you can see who else has applied - eg. how many applicants (local and foreign), their current job titles, salary, education level and years of experience. It's important to know your competitors, and whether what you're asking for is realistic. Say, if you're a fresh graduate with no experience asking for 3K, and your competitors are people with degree, experience and asking for 3K, who is the company more likely to pick?

4) Update your resume
Your resume is the very first thing the HR Department look at. It's that piece of paper that determines whether you get called down for an interview or not. Look up some sample templates and see if there's any way you can make it look better. And always include a photo with your resume, ALWAYS.

5) Work on your interviewing techniques
Are you good at talking? Some people aren't. If you have been to several interviews, or second interviews, and don't end up getting selected... don't think that you're not good enough based on qualifications or experience. You could have done better at convincing them that you can do the job. Practise in front of the mirror or even with a friend. Make yourself sound confident and enthusiastic about the jobs you used to do!

6) Be selective, not picky
I think everyone would love to work for MNCs, big companies... same for me. Thus I applied only for bigger brands and only manage to send out a few applications every day. Try SMEs where the competition is lower and you'll have a higher chance of success.

I've went for 2 job openings where there was a 1st and 2nd interview. For both, I was so sure of getting the job, but I didn't hear from the HR in the end so I felt very played out... and that they wasted my time.

The job offer that I just received - I went for the interview on Friday morning and got offered on the following Monday afternoon. And it's a big company too. So don't feel despondent. Try as many interviews as you can, and you'll find a company that feels that you're the right fit.

Good luck to everyone who's on a job search!