Anyone jobless for a long time before?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Using big words like "inspiration" or "positive human spirit" to cover up poor achievement is just arguing for the sake of arguing.

Fact is your karang guni friend quit in a huff over a stupid reason like he cannot stand having somone younger than him as boss.

He then went out to start his own karang guni business, went totally nowhere for 20+ years and in the end start a mama shop below HDB at 60 years old, probably much worse off than if he had stayed in employment until retirement.

To compare this kind of screw up due to his poor judgement and folly with the RSN guy who has suffered such great misfortune and yet picks himself up immediately upon discharge from hospital is a complete insult to the bravery and reslience demonstrated by the RSN guy.

Well put, I was also reading and thinking how come some failed wanabe entrepruenur suddenly can be come source of inspiration.

When civil service HR tells you that after rejection that "your resume will be kept in our database for future roles, kept for reference etc" is it all just meaningless motherhood statements?

Have anyone ever come across a miracle case whereby you kena rejected and suddenly get offered the role later? I for one, got rejected by N** university initially but was accepted 2 months later during the appeal phase.

I personally attended 4 civil service interviews, got shortlisted to 2nd round for 2 of them and one of them reached until salary discussion and 'approval from superiors' phase, but still rejected after 2-3weeks.


Or am i judging too early? Will I only get offers after 8-10 interviews?
Really feeling ccb. I have a sparkling new N** degree but still bloody jobless for >3months. fresh grad here.

[jobhunter1234]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

When civil service HR tells you that after rejection that "your resume will be kept in our database for future roles, kept for reference etc" is it all just meaningless motherhood statements?

Have anyone ever come across a miracle case whereby you kena rejected and suddenly get offered the role later? I for one, got rejected by N** university initially but was accepted 2 months later during the appeal phase.

I personally attended 4 civil service interviews, got shortlisted to 2nd round for 2 of them and one of them reached until salary discussion and 'approval from superiors' phase, but still rejected after 2-3weeks.


Or am i judging too early? Will I only get offers after 8-10 interviews?
Really feeling ccb. I have a sparkling new N** degree but still bloody jobless for >3months. fresh grad here.

hey. Me similar situation as you...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

When civil service HR tells you that after rejection that "your resume will be kept in our database for future roles, kept for reference etc" is it all just meaningless motherhood statements?

Have anyone ever come across a miracle case whereby you kena rejected and suddenly get offered the role later? I for one, got rejected by N** university initially but was accepted 2 months later during the appeal phase.

I personally attended 4 civil service interviews, got shortlisted to 2nd round for 2 of them and one of them reached until salary discussion and 'approval from superiors' phase, but still rejected after 2-3weeks.


Or am i judging too early? Will I only get offers after 8-10 interviews?
Really feeling ccb. I have a sparkling new N** degree but still bloody jobless for >3months. fresh grad here.

sorry to burst your bubble bro, but the chances are slim at best

Hi All,

Just to share my experience with those who are still searching for a job.

1. I am in my mid-30s and have worked 8 years in a GLC - stable job, salary with good medical benefits. Unfortunately in the last year or so, I was posted to a department where I neither like the job nor the boss. I had some issues with the progression, company culture and location but none of these are worth quiting over for individually, but put together with the wrong department and wrong boss all these became unbearable. I left my job in mid-2012 without a new job as I gave myself a deadline of 1 year to learn whatever I could from the last department so I could reasonably put the skills and duties in my CV.

2. Yes you should never quit without a job and I learnt this the hard way. Theoretically I had enough savings to last a few years without working, but it's the mental torture and anguish of finding a new job over an extended period of time that can take it's toll on you. Firstly you had to face friends and family asking you what you are doing everyday since you are not working, and you have all these free time that you may or may not know what to do with. An idle mind is a dangerous mind - you start imagining the worst and start thinking what if you can never find another job to match your last. In my opinion, you need to have a strong mental state of mind to quit without a job.

3. The advantage of being jobless was that I could put all my concentration on finding a new job. When I was employed I barely had the motivation to brush up my resume and send in job applications. After I quit, I had the urgency to make sure that my CV is top-notch and consistently look for suitable jobs everyday to apply for. After I tried applying for jobs related to my last industry and gotten no response, I was forced to consider other industries with applicable skills picked up from my last job. If I had still been employed, I would never have thought of venturing into other industries since I still had the stability of a job. I was also forced to examine what I really want out of life and what kind of jobs and specifications would motivate me to go to work everyday.

4. From mid to end-2012 I probably sent out about 100-150 resumes (I don't really keep track) and gotten maybe 5-7 interviews, none of which resulted in an offer. I submitted my resume to several major job recruitment agencies but none of them were really helpful with the exception of SearchAsia, which would consistently get me interviews but still no offer. Hence I continued to apply jobs on my own. Some of the interviews are brief (<10 mins), some long (>2hrs) and some just brutal. Keep in mind if you are a mid-career professional and are switching industries, the questions they ask you will blunt and tactless. I wasn't quite prepared for that after being out of the job searching market for so long. My worst interview was with a panel of 10 people, who would interview me in pairs for total of more than 3 hours. I have to keep repeating myself and it was stressful and tiring. However after this dreadful interview all my other interview experiences became a breeze compared to it.

5. Things started to change in 2013, in a span of 2 months I got 6 job interviews, 3 of which resulted in offers. Some tips for all job seekers:

(i) Don't buy into the 2% unemployment rate hype. I suspect the unemployment rate for PMETs and mid-career professionals is probably higher. If you really want to quit without a job, be prepared that it may take 6-8 months or more to find a job. Be focused and disciplined on your job search and make sure you have a top-notch CV because HR spends less than a minute scanning through all the hundreds of CV they receive for just one job posting.

(ii) In my opinion, Jobstreet and online job portals are a waste of time. I've only gotten 2 job interviews out of the countless job applications I've submitted. You get more attention if it is an online direct submission to a specific company. I suspect it's because most of the job postings are by recruitment agencies and they get bombarded with applications since it is so easy to just click apply. Newspaper recruitment ads and direct submissions are still the way to go if you want to have a decent chance of getting noticed by the hiring manager. For public sector, it's almost the same for career.gov.sg since job applicants can submit multiple applications for multiple ministries, so it's hard to get noticed. There are still stat boards that maintain their own external job application sites which require you to apply individually so these are your best chances to get noticed.

(iii) You must have a strong "story" and "personal branding". What's your selling point and past achievements? This is especially true for mid-career professionals to justify your last drawn pay and higher salary. When you go for interviews do note the questions they ask you and what's the motivation for asking you those questions. HR are the ones typically asking "cryptic" questions whereas the hiring managers are more straight forward. When you reach home google those questions online and you'll be surprised all the hidden meanings behind those cryptic questions. Sad to say honesty is not the best policy. Job interviews are like beauty pageants and you have to imagine yourself as a contestant trying to win the crown by saying the right things during the interview round. You don't have to lie but you do have to know what you can say or cannot say. For example, you cannot bad-mouth your ex-bosses or ex-company even though they ask you what you don't like about your previous job.

(iv) If you quit without a job and have employment gaps you must have a strong reason, i.e. long notification period, care for sick family members, studies, volunteering, working part-time etc. I'm not sure "taking a break" is a good reason since it could imply that you cannot take the stress of your previous job so that's why you quit. HR is very sharp to pick up on these. If you are out of the job searching market for a long time get your friends or professionals to vet your CV and your answers with a mock interview. By your 10th interview, you should be able to answer questions like a professional beauty contestant without sounding fake or too conventional. Then it's just a matter of chance of getting an offer when you intend enough interviews.

(v) The best time to quit is Dec to Jan, where there are more job opportunities due to start of new financial budget and when people quit after receiving bonuses. Don't quit mid to end of year. If you do, be prepared for a long wait.

(vi) Last but not least, keep positive and learn how to manage your anxiety and stress so you do not express them during interviews. Meet up with friends and family, exercise, have a routine, don't rely solely on one source or recruitment agencies for job opportunities, be open to other industries, and keep going for interviews until rejection means just moving on. Then it's just a matter of time and chance to impress that one or panel of interviewers and get a job offer!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi All,

Just to share my experience with those who are still searching for a job.

1. I am in my mid-30s and have worked 8 years in a GLC - stable job, salary with good medical benefits. Unfortunately in the last year or so, I was posted to a department where I neither like the job nor the boss. I had some issues with the progression, company culture and location but none of these are worth quiting over for individually, but put together with the wrong department and wrong boss all these became unbearable. I left my job in mid-2012 without a new job as I gave myself a deadline of 1 year to learn whatever I could from the last department so I could reasonably put the skills and duties in my CV.

2. Yes you should never quit without a job and I learnt this the hard way. Theoretically I had enough savings to last a few years without working, but it's the mental torture and anguish of finding a new job over an extended period of time that can take it's toll on you. Firstly you had to face friends and family asking you what you are doing everyday since you are not working, and you have all these free time that you may or may not know what to do with. An idle mind is a dangerous mind - you start imagining the worst and start thinking what if you can never find another job to match your last. In my opinion, you need to have a strong mental state of mind to quit without a job.

3. The advantage of being jobless was that I could put all my concentration on finding a new job. When I was employed I barely had the motivation to brush up my resume and send in job applications. After I quit, I had the urgency to make sure that my CV is top-notch and consistently look for suitable jobs everyday to apply for. After I tried applying for jobs related to my last industry and gotten no response, I was forced to consider other industries with applicable skills picked up from my last job. If I had still been employed, I would never have thought of venturing into other industries since I still had the stability of a job. I was also forced to examine what I really want out of life and what kind of jobs and specifications would motivate me to go to work everyday.

4. From mid to end-2012 I probably sent out about 100-150 resumes (I don't really keep track) and gotten maybe 5-7 interviews, none of which resulted in an offer. I submitted my resume to several major job recruitment agencies but none of them were really helpful with the exception of SearchAsia, which would consistently get me interviews but still no offer. Hence I continued to apply jobs on my own. Some of the interviews are brief (<10 mins), some long (>2hrs) and some just brutal. Keep in mind if you are a mid-career professional and are switching industries, the questions they ask you will blunt and tactless. I wasn't quite prepared for that after being out of the job searching market for so long. My worst interview was with a panel of 10 people, who would interview me in pairs for total of more than 3 hours. I have to keep repeating myself and it was stressful and tiring. However after this dreadful interview all my other interview experiences became a breeze compared to it.

5. Things started to change in 2013, in a span of 2 months I got 6 job interviews, 3 of which resulted in offers. Some tips for all job seekers:

(i) Don't buy into the 2% unemployment rate hype. I suspect the unemployment rate for PMETs and mid-career professionals is probably higher. If you really want to quit without a job, be prepared that it may take 6-8 months or more to find a job. Be focused and disciplined on your job search and make sure you have a top-notch CV because HR spends less than a minute scanning through all the hundreds of CV they receive for just one job posting.

(ii) In my opinion, Jobstreet and online job portals are a waste of time. I've only gotten 2 job interviews out of the countless job applications I've submitted. You get more attention if it is an online direct submission to a specific company. I suspect it's because most of the job postings are by recruitment agencies and they get bombarded with applications since it is so easy to just click apply. Newspaper recruitment ads and direct submissions are still the way to go if you want to have a decent chance of getting noticed by the hiring manager. For public sector, it's almost the same for career.gov.sg since job applicants can submit multiple applications for multiple ministries, so it's hard to get noticed. There are still stat boards that maintain their own external job application sites which require you to apply individually so these are your best chances to get noticed.

(iii) You must have a strong "story" and "personal branding". What's your selling point and past achievements? This is especially true for mid-career professionals to justify your last drawn pay and higher salary. When you go for interviews do note the questions they ask you and what's the motivation for asking you those questions. HR are the ones typically asking "cryptic" questions whereas the hiring managers are more straight forward. When you reach home google those questions online and you'll be surprised all the hidden meanings behind those cryptic questions. Sad to say honesty is not the best policy. Job interviews are like beauty pageants and you have to imagine yourself as a contestant trying to win the crown by saying the right things during the interview round. You don't have to lie but you do have to know what you can say or cannot say. For example, you cannot bad-mouth your ex-bosses or ex-company even though they ask you what you don't like about your previous job.

(iv) If you quit without a job and have employment gaps you must have a strong reason, i.e. long notification period, care for sick family members, studies, volunteering, working part-time etc. I'm not sure "taking a break" is a good reason since it could imply that you cannot take the stress of your previous job so that's why you quit. HR is very sharp to pick up on these. If you are out of the job searching market for a long time get your friends or professionals to vet your CV and your answers with a mock interview. By your 10th interview, you should be able to answer questions like a professional beauty contestant without sounding fake or too conventional. Then it's just a matter of chance of getting an offer when you intend enough interviews.

(v) The best time to quit is Dec to Jan, where there are more job opportunities due to start of new financial budget and when people quit after receiving bonuses. Don't quit mid to end of year. If you do, be prepared for a long wait.

(vi) Last but not least, keep positive and learn how to manage your anxiety and stress so you do not express them during interviews. Meet up with friends and family, exercise, have a routine, don't rely solely on one source or recruitment agencies for job opportunities, be open to other industries, and keep going for interviews until rejection means just moving on. Then it's just a matter of time and chance to impress that one or panel of interviewers and get a job offer!

Hi thanks for the sharing, it's very informative.
May i ask is it because of the public work experience is not so relevant to the private sector that is the reason for you to take so long to secure another job?

I wonder what is the last drawn salary / expected salary / qualifications / age / experience for those who are having difficulty in finding job?

[Dayer]

You can try to find odd job on the internet.

i'm the person who wrote earlier about being out of work for 18 months.

Yes i agree as a mid career professional more time is needed since I was in that shoe at the age of 36 and being forced out of work in the civil service. Its also true that work in the ministry is different from the pte sector and to the HR in pte ltd, it means you cannot plug and play the same way as putting DVD in recorder without any help instructions. So they will use nice words such as You do not have that X-factor and blar blar blar... having been in HR before I know the kind of "excuses" HR will give.

Yes i agree with another earlier post about when to resign as timing is important. Generally more ppl will leave after getting their bonus. But for mid career you wouldnt want to leave during mid year because that's when supply is always alot more due to graduates graduating. Also for ppl who are fed up with your job, they will still try to endure for mid year bonus and perhaps performance bonus and then endure some more till year end for AWS.

Speaking about timing, statistics always not the truth. Isnt stats say 2012 have low unemployment figures? Why then there are so many ppl didnt get job offers? The year of the dragon hasnt been kind to many people out of work.

Just like the previous writer who got 3 offers in 2013, i finally had my perm job offer in 2013. Though it was a 25% pay cut, i am glad someone is willing to give me a chance to switch to a new career. I hope there are more "end to the tunnel" for all those mid career ppl who are still searching for a job.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

i'm the person who wrote earlier about being out of work for 18 months.

Yes i agree as a mid career professional more time is needed since I was in that shoe at the age of 36 and being forced out of work in the civil service. Its also true that work in the ministry is different from the pte sector and to the HR in pte ltd, it means you cannot plug and play the same way as putting DVD in recorder without any help instructions. So they will use nice words such as You do not have that X-factor and blar blar blar... having been in HR before I know the kind of "excuses" HR will give.

Yes i agree with another earlier post about when to resign as timing is important. Generally more ppl will leave after getting their bonus. But for mid career you wouldnt want to leave during mid year because that's when supply is always alot more due to graduates graduating. Also for ppl who are fed up with your job, they will still try to endure for mid year bonus and perhaps performance bonus and then endure some more till year end for AWS.

Speaking about timing, statistics always not the truth. Isnt stats say 2012 have low unemployment figures? Why then there are so many ppl didnt get job offers? The year of the dragon hasnt been kind to many people out of work.

Just like the previous writer who got 3 offers in 2013, i finally had my perm job offer in 2013. Though it was a 25% pay cut, i am glad someone is willing to give me a chance to switch to a new career. I hope there are more "end to the tunnel" for all those mid career ppl who are still searching for a job.

hi can you share you switch from which field to which field?
And what is your qualification.