over 40s... if you were retrenched tomorrow...

[Victor68]

11 hours ago, Sosaria said:

Got a taste of this when trying to switch jobs to another sector. Despite not being unemployed it's still very discouraging and depressing to apply to multiple places, attend interviews and get many rejections. Then update resume, check job sites , repeat the process. Took 4 years thereabouts before finding my current employer and making the switch!

It is always easier said than done especially if you need to put food on the table. Most times, it is not about your abilities but opportunity available and timing. Without them, you don't even have that chance. Motherhood statement is easy, you got to be there to understand. Of course, having the right attributes and attitude will see you through together with luck.   

[Fuelsaver]

On 10/23/2019 at 7:51 PM, Spring said:

For me, I was more concerned of the job fit than the pay cos I didn’t want to shortchange an employer if I couldn’t do the job so what was disappointing was that the jobs I applied for all fitted my skill set but I was not even called for an interview till 4.5mths later. Can’t be all the jobs I applied didn’t find me suitable or could it?

All said and done, I believe some companies work by referral, and publishing on gov career website is probably to meet certain requirements. Referrals are almost always preferred. Maybe end of day it's matter of who knows you.. 

[Fuelsaver]

On 10/23/2019 at 6:56 PM, Davidtch said:

Work for Starbucks can meet more XMM la.

Not enuf to spend on self n family still wanna spend on xmm lol

[Fuelsaver]

On 10/23/2019 at 11:20 AM, Jusnel said:

 

Actually there are alot of jobs in the market, i tell you.  Its only whether you are interested to do or not 

I talk to many company HRs and biz owners.  The common complaint i hear is they CANNOT find local Singaporeans in the job applications.  Why?  

Here we all complain, retrench, no job to do blah blah.  On the other hand, many HR is saying they cannot find local Singaporean to do the job. 

Someone not telling the truth right?  

I also post job listing and waiting to receive CVs.  And i also got the same problem.  No local singaporean application.  What's wrong with our people? 

And these job vacanies are not cleaners, table wipers, construction workers, rubbish truck drivers.  These are v comfortable office jobs or sales jobs. 

 

Either biz owners n HR not telling truth or locals have became choosy / complacent? 

[Jusnel]

Let me share something on what i had done to land a new job.

i saw the job posting (either jobstreet or somewhere).  i like it and wanted to give it a go.  But knowing that there will be 1001 applications for this post, i did something different

What i did was to use the power of connection.

I remembered that i'm connected to that HR Director in Linkedin for some time (maybe for one year).  We never 'talk' or chat in linkedin.  The connection was quite random. He was just part of my "friends list" in linkedin

So i use the power of networking.

I DM him in Linkedin.  Wrote nicely that i'm keen in that position, and ask him if i'm suitable.

Now, when he gets a DM, 90% he will read and respond.  He read my DM almost immediately and he went through my Linkedin profile.  

Your Linkedin profile is almost like your CV.  What u put there is impt coz it reflects your professional life. 

So he read my profile and he replied that i'm pretty much suitable for the position and explained abit more about the job. 

And the best part of his reply was "Please forward your CV directly to me."

This is the winner prize, that the HR DIrector is asking for CV directly. 

I send to him.  He pass it down to his staff.  His staff pass it to the hiring Manager directly.   Now here comes the psychological part.  When the hiring manager gets it from HR Director, he will give a very much favourable consideration of me coz my CV is from HR Director. 

The next thing i know, i got a call for interview.  The rest is history. 

This is one way to get your foot into the interview room.  How you perform in the interview is another story. 

Linkedin is not the only way.  there are lots of social connection platforms out there. 

The power of networking is real.  You need to know how to use them.

Sending in a 'blind' job application, not going to help much really. 

 

 

 

 

[Spring]

1 hour ago, Fuelsaver said:

All said and done, I believe some companies work by referral, and publishing on gov career website is probably to meet certain requirements. Referrals are almost always preferred. Maybe end of day it's matter of who knows you.. 

Yes exactly and as bro @Jusnel also shared, networking is definitely an advantage. This is something most  job seekers esp those who have been retrenched including myself need to brush up on. some of us have been in the same job for a long time so naturally quite rusty but when there is a will, there is a way 

[Spring]

8 minutes ago, Jusnel said:

Let me share something on what i had done to land a new job.

i saw the job posting (either jobstreet or somewhere).  i like it and wanted to give it a go.  But knowing that there will be 1001 applications for this post, i did something different

What i did was to use the power of connection.

I remembered that i'm connected to that HR Director in Linkedin for some time (maybe for one year).  We never 'talk' or chat in linkedin.  The connection was quite random. He was just part of my "friends list" in linkedin

So i use the power of networking.

I DM him in Linkedin.  Wrote nicely that i'm keen in that position, and ask him if i'm suitable.

Now, when he gets a DM, 90% he will read and respond.  He read my DM almost immediately and he went through my Linkedin profile.  

Your Linkedin profile is almost like your CV.  What u put there is impt coz it reflects your professional life. 

So he read my profile and he replied that i'm pretty much suitable for the position and explained abit more about the job. 

And the best part of his reply was "Please forward your CV directly to me."

This is the winner prize, that the HR DIrector is asking for CV directly. 

I send to him.  He pass it down to his staff.  His staff pass it to the hiring Manager directly.   Now here comes the psychological part.  When the hiring manager gets it from HR Director, he will give a very much favourable consideration of me coz my CV is from HR Director. 

The next thing i know, i got a call for interview.  The rest is history. 

This is one way to get your foot into the interview room.  How you perform in the interview is another story. 

Linkedin is not the only way.  there are lots of social connection platforms out there. 

The power of networking is real.  You need to know how to use them.

Sending in a 'blind' job application, not going to help much really. 

 

 

 

 

Good sharing and information bro, thanks!

[Lala81]

On 10/23/2019 at 11:50 AM, Jamesc said:

By the way nothing to be ashamed of getting retrenched. 

All my colleagues have been chopped many times. 

It's very nornal because of shorter product lifecycles and boom bust economy. 

only towkay never get chopped...  

[Spring]

10 hours ago, Throttle2 said:

No leh Bro.

i am unemployed, thinking of what next to do, meaningfully that is

You should do some voluntary social work, very meaningful I can assure you but of course no pay.

[Jusnel]

2 minutes ago, Spring said:

Good sharing and information bro, thanks!

that's why i keep saying, past 40 is not the end of road!!

I'm past 40 and i still get a new job!  

The difference is we need to be innovative in getting a job!

[Enye]

wah i no linkedin account

tio retrench means siao liao

maybe go protest in front of cpf building ask them to return my cpf to me

😅

[Jusnel]

Just now, Enye said:

wah i no linkedin account

tio retrench means siao liao

maybe go protest in front of cpf building ask them to return my cpf to me

😅

u r free to do a Linkedin account.  FOC.  no need to pay anything.

just make sure you don't BS in your work experience and education 

 

To add on, Headhunters and recruiters do go through Linkedin to sieve out potential candidates and they call them up for interviews.  

One friend got a new job through this way, out of the blue.

 

[Lala81]

On 10/23/2019 at 6:56 PM, Davidtch said:

Work for Starbucks can meet more XMM la.

Think more likely Starbucks don't want lao uncle serving customers LOL 

[Throttle2]

7 minutes ago, Spring said:

You should do some voluntary social work, very meaningful I can assure you but of course no pay.

Yes, i agree.

I do some but too little still.

[Spring]

Just now, Throttle2 said:

Yes, i agree.

I do some but too little still.

Well at least u started so good on u 

I also didn't do enough when I was working on a permanent job and then I got retrenched and so had more time and this sort of pushed me to do more which I would nvr have done so if not for the retrenchment so maybe there is a silver lining in me being laid off...... 

[Jusnel]

15 minutes ago, Spring said:

Yes exactly and as bro @Jusnel also shared, networking is definitely an advantage. This is something most  job seekers esp those who have been retrenched including myself need to brush up on. some of us have been in the same job for a long time so naturally quite rusty but when there is a will, there is a way 

Now u realise why you couldn't get a perm job?   

there are things that you overlooked, that can help you along in today's age and tech

 

[Lala81]

17 minutes ago, Enye said:

wah i no linkedin account

tio retrench means siao liao

maybe go protest in front of cpf building ask them to return my cpf to me

😅

Only hong lim can "protest". Unless it's summer time and u want to seat in cold air-conditioned police station...

[Spring]

Just now, Jusnel said:

Now u realise why you couldn't get a perm job?   

there are things that you overlooked, that can help you along in today's age and tech

 

Trouble is I'm not saavy. I don't have Facebook, Instagram etc. Linkedin I only updated much later after retrenchment n even then I'm not active there nor do I link up much with other members but I'm aware of the power of network so I'm working on opening up as I'm more of a private person in general.

I was even told by a career counsellor to seek out friends for coffee every other day to tell them of my availability so they could look out for me or at least pass the word round. This is quite a challenge for me and I believe to quite a few as well.