Replying to above... *continue ranting aha*

Yes yes! Totally agree. A lot of these roles I have no idea why they bother to post onto the public job portals, and sometimes doubt they are genuine in collecting resumes. And I believe many of us here really took the effort to draft our resume for each application to customize to the role and highlighting critical important requirements. It is really upsetting to know many of our sent applications will probably never be read.

And agree to the referral part. In my months of search and sending many many applications, most if not all of those which I finally got a phone or face-to-face interview were those that were internally referred.

I even heard from people I know, whose online application for a job never got any response, but was able to get a face-to-face interview after getting a friend who is working in the organisation to refer for the same role. So sometime it is not so much about how you write or present your qualifications or capabilities. It is more about whether you have an effective person to refer you so that the HR will pick up and read your resume, or pass your resume to the hiring manager.

I guess now the key to get a job is not about drafting the best resume, but rather going for more networking sessions, building up a good network so you can be referred to your desire organisation. Haha now really regret of being an extreme introvert, hopefully it is not too late now to get out of comfort zone to network and 'forcefully' build connection on linkedin. Haha!

Sadly I somewhat agree
 

Might as well enjoy the ranting if nobody has unique or critical questions that need quality answers.. Afterall this is also considered the Real and Dark side of getting a white collar job in Singapore.

my god so this explains why the job postings are up for sooooo long and they never seem to be filled - because these are phantom jobs! I wonder when MOM tallies job opening statistics, do they take these phantom jobs into account? that would explain why there's always positive/neutral news on job openings, but the large majority of job seekers I know struggling for months before they even get a callback for an interview!

Well, to say they are phantom jobs is not true, theres no law dictating that an organization must take down positions within certain days of it being filled. And there's no law saying a company cannot collect resume ahead of the future recruitment drive.

However to the desperate job seeker, it is frustrating that we apply for a non-existant position. For me, I make it a point to only apply to jobs within the first week of it posted when I was actively job seeking.

Recently LHL took a happy photo with I think the career coaches and proclaimed 30k people placed to jobs. Didn't say if its haphazardly selling bodies to organisations though.

Only in very very rare cases, I came across companies who sent automated no-reply rejection emails to applicants when the role has been filled or when they were not shortlisted.

Most of the time, applicants received an automated no-reply email indicating the applications have been submitted successfully and they will only be notified when shortlisted. No timeline given.

At least some who gave a timeline (such as shortlisted candidate will be notified within x weeks) will make it easier for job seekers to manage their expectation and application process.

Be it be a case of genuine 'profile collecting' or 'role internally filled but job posting not taken down', having a timeline will make it much easier for everyone, and job seeker can move on and mark as case close.

Sadly, I don't know if it is working, as from this thread, many people are suffering from the same frustration. I guess many job seekers want the real truth, rather than false hope.

Agree. I have even heard of cases where someone was hired because he/she fit the personality type they were looking for, but ended up it was a job role misfit as the role/work expectation was not properly communicated, which the person quit shortly after joining.

adding on
 

Haiz... this issue of radio silence, even my parents (60s) fed up. 3G army, Smart nation, Huawei doing 5G, phones with a screen that can fold....... HR still unable to add everyone to BCC and send a 1 liner, **we regret to inform you that the position is now closed** we don't need a whole page (MNC do send a whole page of sugar coated words) just 1 liner will suffice.

a bank sent a 1 liner and I was immensely thankful.

the idea is similar to the Haze problem. since 2016 HR of an SB refuse to issue 3m mask despite asking for it. They sent out a memo, for the health of our officers we have adequate in stock. HOWEVER, only when PSI reaches "unhealthy" then allowed to issue. There was an incident that PSI hit above 150, HR still refused to issue, pending instruction... these eunuchs of the emperor...

the morale of my story, the real reason is, (found out over tea) they want you to feel assured that gahmen is prepared and already anticipated this. they don't issue the mask because they don't want half a million public servants to wear a mask and cause panic. This issue of confidence in the gov, assurance, speculation .... haiz....

I have a history of asthma related to allergies, I bought and wore my own mask when I go for lunch and I Removed my work lanyard... I walked past HR towards food centre, HR never bothered me.


to share: hidden agenda I heard of include, manager scared to be overshadowed, manager themselves don't hope to hit target for whatever reason, gender bias department not willing to take opposite gender, age bias manager, race/lang bias department whole dept cannot speak English anyway... and these problems are often in companies that proudly hang up the cert "Equal opportunity employer".. yes there is such a cert, hung up at many public service organisations.

adding on
 

Haiz... this issue of radio silence, even my parents (60s) fed up. 3G army, Smart nation, Huawei doing 5G, phones with a screen that can fold....... HR still unable to add everyone to BCC and send a 1 liner, **we regret to inform you that the position is now closed** we don't need a whole page (MNC do send a whole page of sugar coated words) just 1 liner will suffice.

bank sent a 1 liner and I was immensely thankful.

the idea is similar to the Haze problem. since 2016 HR of an SB refuse to issue 3m mask despite asking for it. They sent out a memo, for the health of our officers we have adequate in stock. HOWEVER, only when PSI reaches "unhealthy" then allowed to issue. There was an incident that PSI hit above 150, HR still refused to issue, pending instruction... these eunuchs of the emperor...

the morale of my story, the real reason is, (found out over tea) they want you to feel assured that gahmen is prepared and already anticipated this. they don't issue the mask because they don't want half a million public servants to wear a mask and cause panic. This issue of confidence in the gov, assurance, speculation .... haiz....

I have a history of asthma related to allergies, I bought and wore my own mask when I go for lunch and I Removed my work lanyard... I walked past HR towards food centre, HR never bothered me.


to share: hidden agenda I heard of include, manager scared to be overshadowed, manager themselves don't hope to hit target for whatever reason, gender bias department not willing to take opposite gender, age bias manager, race/lang bias department whole dept cannot speak English anyway... and these problems are often in companies that proudly hang up the cert "Equal opportunity employer".. yes there is such a cert, hung up at many public service organisations.

just wanted to know if you are applying for a job position (admin contract) that was advertised on their company website.. is it usually for one vacancy or for many? just curious.. the job ad did not specify how many ppl they are recruiting.

Pls lah. People, pls wake up and smell the coffee. Job ads get placed for a wide variety of reasons, some are furthest away from a position needing to be filled. I understand your frustration but seriously, do talk to an experienced senior HR person and coax them to privately share (if you can) the 'tactics' behind. I guarantee it will blow your mind.

Sometimes, the ads are for real; sometimes it is a game. The key is know when you should fold and walk away. No need to get so emotionally invested. Before being hired, you are ultimately a statistic and someone to be exploited. Know which situation it is.