Anyone jobless for a long time before?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Yes i am a minority race but how does that affect? I am singaporean after all..

I will be honest also... I am minority race and have trouble finding jobs. Cannot confirm if they are not hiring me for positions cos I am of a certain minority race, but when comparing to my peers who applied for the same jobs and who have less internships (in terms of both quality and quantity) and also who have lower GPA and academic awards - there may be a slight disadvantage maybe because of perhaps the so-called cultural fit. Fyi I am a fresh grad from local uni with GPA very close to 1st class. Have been applying for 6 months now.

And it may not because of my interviewing skills as well, cos from knowing these peers in class, the way they articulate their thoughts and from the substance of their words, I am relatively better than them at talking.

So you must try your best not to get disappointed too much and keep pushing on. Must try harder to stand out from the rest of the candidate pool, more so cos of possibility of cultural fit disadvantage.

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Originally Posted by Unregistered

I will be honest also... I am minority race and have trouble finding jobs. Cannot confirm if they are not hiring me for positions cos I am of a certain minority race, but when comparing to my peers who applied for the same jobs and who have less internships (in terms of both quality and quantity) and also who have lower GPA and academic awards - there may be a slight disadvantage maybe because of perhaps the so-called cultural fit. Fyi I am a fresh grad from local uni with GPA very close to 1st class. Have been applying for 6 months now.

And it may not because of my interviewing skills as well, cos from knowing these peers in class, the way they articulate their thoughts and from the substance of their words, I am relatively better than them at talking.

So you must try your best not to get disappointed too much and keep pushing on. Must try harder to stand out from the rest of the candidate pool, more so cos of possibility of cultural fit disadvantage.

The previous poster only had a lower 2nd honours, it is always gonna be hard to find job if you only had that B(A) as compared to Business/Finance/Accountancy or even Engineering.

For a local uni with FCH, I do not believe you are being 'disadvantaged' because of your "race". I am more inclined to know where have you interviewed at? Ministries? Statboards? If so, how many have you went?

6 months is really a short time - it meant you started in Feb. If you are only applying Careers@GOV, they take like 1-2 months before they start processing. So technically you are only hunting for a job during the 4 months time.

As to your comparison to your pers with lower GPA/Academic awards, did the both of you get interviews or only the one with lower GPA?

You also mentioned you are better than them at talking, but what is the job you are applying for? Does it require a lot of stakeholder management? Some interviews may specify they want someone good in communications skills, but deep down, they know they want someone to be good in talking and 'working' for them, not one to voice out many problems in work and giving them issues to solve.

Furthermore, they may feel that with your FCH, you are better off with other job roles because this may just undermine your ability. They will not want to risk you jumping to another job because they know you can command a better job and pay.

So TLDR, keep the faith on, I do not think race plays a huge part, especially for a local uni fresh grad role.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The previous poster only had a lower 2nd honours, it is always gonna be hard to find job if you only had that B(A) as compared to Business/Finance/Accountancy or even Engineering.

For a local uni with FCH, I do not believe you are being 'disadvantaged' because of your "race". I am more inclined to know where have you interviewed at? Ministries? Statboards? If so, how many have you went?

6 months is really a short time - it meant you started in Feb. If you are only applying Careers@GOV, they take like 1-2 months before they start processing. So technically you are only hunting for a job during the 4 months time.

As to your comparison to your pers with lower GPA/Academic awards, did the both of you get interviews or only the one with lower GPA?

You also mentioned you are better than them at talking, but what is the job you are applying for? Does it require a lot of stakeholder management? Some interviews may specify they want someone good in communications skills, but deep down, they know they want someone to be good in talking and 'working' for them, not one to voice out many problems in work and giving them issues to solve.

Furthermore, they may feel that with your FCH, you are better off with other job roles because this may just undermine your ability. They will not want to risk you jumping to another job because they know you can command a better job and pay.

So TLDR, keep the faith on, I do not think race plays a huge part, especially for a local uni fresh grad role.

Thanks for your reply. Well I hope and want to believe that I am wrong about my perception of my chances to get employed due to my worries of the lack of 'fit'. Anyway, it could be due to several objective reasons, including things that you mentioned and others such as other candidates simply being better by merit, prior relevant experience, etc - so it can only be speculated.

But being jobless for a few months more than your peers put such thoughts in your mind, especially if you have very apparently worked harder than your peers in university and in your extra-curricular activities, yet they have gotten good and comfortable jobs in a span of only a few weeks searching, while getting more interviews although they have sent markedly less applications out. (also e.g. getting invited for interviews for the same role while they are a 2nd lower but me in the higher 2nd upper range don't get a response at all).

Not trying to play the victim card here, as cultural fit is indeed a consideration for employers I feel, especially smaller departments/teams (e.g. may affect image of the team to clients, may affect team bonding activities and general bonding of a team which have never had any minority members in their team, affecting the team culture, etc - regardless if we will make the effort to integrate), so I think us minorities just have to perhaps work a little harder to stand out more. Being realistic in this sense would temper disappointment and maybe make us realise we have to buck up a bit more.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thanks for your reply. Well I hope and want to believe that I am wrong about my perception of my chances to get employed due to my worries of the lack of 'fit'. Anyway, it could be due to several objective reasons, including things that you mentioned and others such as other candidates simply being better by merit, prior relevant experience, etc - so it can only be speculated.

But being jobless for a few months more than your peers put such thoughts in your mind, especially if you have very apparently worked harder than your peers in university and in your extra-curricular activities, yet they have gotten good and comfortable jobs in a span of only a few weeks searching, while getting more interviews although they have sent markedly less applications out. (also e.g. getting invited for interviews for the same role while they are a 2nd lower but me in the higher 2nd upper range don't get a response at all).

Not trying to play the victim card here, as cultural fit is indeed a consideration for employers I feel, especially smaller departments/teams (e.g. may affect image of the team to clients, may affect team bonding activities and general bonding of a team which have never had any minority members in their team, affecting the team culture, etc - regardless if we will make the effort to integrate), so I think us minorities just have to perhaps work a little harder to stand out more. Being realistic in this sense would temper disappointment and maybe make us realise we have to buck up a bit more.

If you are a good grades student, make sure that you are not just book smart and be the best.

I have a few friends who got 1st honours or double degree but took at least 6 months to get a decent offer. Some of civil servants and some are in consulting.

I am a private uni grad and I got an offer before graduation.

Working hard is one thing but there are many factors contributing to the world of jobs.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thanks for your reply. Well I hope and want to believe that I am wrong about my perception of my chances to get employed due to my worries of the lack of 'fit'. Anyway, it could be due to several objective reasons, including things that you mentioned and others such as other candidates simply being better by merit, prior relevant experience, etc - so it can only be speculated.

But being jobless for a few months more than your peers put such thoughts in your mind, especially if you have very apparently worked harder than your peers in university and in your extra-curricular activities, yet they have gotten good and comfortable jobs in a span of only a few weeks searching, while getting more interviews although they have sent markedly less applications out. (also e.g. getting invited for interviews for the same role while they are a 2nd lower but me in the higher 2nd upper range don't get a response at all).

Not trying to play the victim card here, as cultural fit is indeed a consideration for employers I feel, especially smaller departments/teams (e.g. may affect image of the team to clients, may affect team bonding activities and general bonding of a team which have never had any minority members in their team, affecting the team culture, etc - regardless if we will make the effort to integrate), so I think us minorities just have to perhaps work a little harder to stand out more. Being realistic in this sense would temper disappointment and maybe make us realise we have to buck up a bit more.

Yes it sucks that some other peers who may be less 'capable' than you but managed to get more interviews. I got that feeling too, it took me months before getting a perm crappy job to pay my student loans.

When you mentioned they got good and comfortable jobs, mind sharing some examples?

Just joined this club... hope my membership wont last long

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Thanks for your reply. Well I hope and want to believe that I am wrong about my perception of my chances to get employed due to my worries of the lack of 'fit'. Anyway, it could be due to several objective reasons, including things that you mentioned and others such as other candidates simply being better by merit, prior relevant experience, etc - so it can only be speculated.

But being jobless for a few months more than your peers put such thoughts in your mind, especially if you have very apparently worked harder than your peers in university and in your extra-curricular activities, yet they have gotten good and comfortable jobs in a span of only a few weeks searching, while getting more interviews although they have sent markedly less applications out. (also e.g. getting invited for interviews for the same role while they are a 2nd lower but me in the higher 2nd upper range don't get a response at all).

Not trying to play the victim card here, as cultural fit is indeed a consideration for employers I feel, especially smaller departments/teams (e.g. may affect image of the team to clients, may affect team bonding activities and general bonding of a team which have never had any minority members in their team, affecting the team culture, etc - regardless if we will make the effort to integrate), so I think us minorities just have to perhaps work a little harder to stand out more. Being realistic in this sense would temper disappointment and maybe make us realise we have to buck up a bit more.

Ah I see your point about cultural fit. I try not to apply to companies that have 99% employees being the same race because 100% they would never hire you if your are not their race. So I guess your point about cultural fit is true and it is sad that is happening! Well try to apply to companies who accept no matter what race or religion you are. I would personally like to think and believe that my hiring capabilities are weak due to my interviewing skills and how I sell myself. I wouldn't want you to think because you are different race than them you are confirm not going to get the job.

I did psychology Bsc hons degree in UK got 2:2 and I dont have enough experience to sell myself thus thats why I am struggling. But right now I am looking at intern positions to nurture myself mentally and then land into full time jobs. Having said that I have went about 10 interviews ft jobs in the span of 3 months, I think I might have wasted my time because I do not have a lot experience to fit in. So now I am looking at intern jobs at MNC companies. I am interested in human resources where my psychology degree could put to good use.

Yes singapore is unashamedly meritocratic but work experience always trump your good/bad education grades. So chin up

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I will be honest also... I am minority race and have trouble finding jobs. Cannot confirm if they are not hiring me for positions cos I am of a certain minority race, but when comparing to my peers who applied for the same jobs and who have less internships (in terms of both quality and quantity) and also who have lower GPA and academic awards - there may be a slight disadvantage maybe because of perhaps the so-called cultural fit. Fyi I am a fresh grad from local uni with GPA very close to 1st class. Have been applying for 6 months now.

And it may not because of my interviewing skills as well, cos from knowing these peers in class, the way they articulate their thoughts and from the substance of their words, I am relatively better than them at talking.

So you must try your best not to get disappointed too much and keep pushing on. Must try harder to stand out from the rest of the candidate pool, more so cos of possibility of cultural fit disadvantage.

Actually ah you may be right... if you walk into a office that is 100% filled with the majority race, chances are low to hire you if you are not the same race. I try not to take it personal because I would like to think the office director/CEO as racist or authoritarian for having to respect the same race to hire them only. Damn bs.

I have completed psych bsc 2:2 and i am interested in human resources where i could put my psychology skills to a good use but singapore is very competitive. for an entry level hr position they are so many skills needed and we need to show how long you had the skills for. singapore is unashamedly meritocratic as they say but it all boils down to your work experience.
i am a fresh grad just started looking for jobs since may and got no offer.

I am looking to attend workshops to improve my interviewing skills and also would start to hunt for good intern positions rather to fall in to ft positions which I may be not satisfied with.

I wished my uni lecturers would have emphasized that you need work experience to land in graduate job roles. Pfft. I mean I did know you need to combine it with work experience but I did not know it would this bad.

I totally understand your cultural "fit" reasoning but this does not apply to private mnc companies or companies that are larger. So u may try applying to bigger firms.

Does anyone have ntuc employability workshops and classes? Is it effective? I did my degree in UK so would they even bother to make an appointment with me?

My current employer is closing down end of this year. I am 42 years old and no phone call from recruiters for the last two months after sending out 25 job applications.

How is the employment markets now ?

Please advise

Regards,

Ben Chan