SINGAPORE: Retrenchments are leaving mid-career workers in a bind, with some struggling not just to find their next role but to keep up with the everyday costs of living.
One such case has surfaced on Reddit, where a Singaporean man in his mid-40s opened up about the pressure he is facing after being laid off. With bills still coming in and no steady income, he said he is now urgently searching for any form of gig work just to get by while continuing his job hunt.
“It’s a matter of survival. I need to pay bills until I can find another job (if ever),” he wrote. “Does anyone know how this old fart can find gigs via any channels to keep going?”
In an update to his post, he shared a brief overview of his background, revealing that he has accumulated 14 years of experience in game development. He also spent two years working as a lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic, followed by three and a half years in learning design and course training.
Most recently, he worked for one year as a creative producer and media editor and handled general project management tasks as well. His last drawn salary was S$4,300.
“Try applying as a lecturer again.”
In the comments, many users stepped in with practical suggestions on how the man could earn some income in the short term while continuing his job search. A large number pointed to ride-hailing and delivery work as one of the fastest ways to start bringing in money.
One user wrote, “Gigs? If you own a car, you can do Grab. If you own a bicycle, do GrabFood.”
Another shared a more detailed account, citing a recent conversation with a driver.
“I just sat on one Grab today where the driver said he can earn S$8,000 per month. Three hours in the morning, four hours in the evening, all peak hours. Each day earns S$200+ net after minus the car rental and petrol.”
“If plus incentives work out to about S$8,000 per month. His strategy is never to choose destinations; whatever Grab pushes, just take. Then the algorithm always prioritised him. I hear only, got to add water or not, I don’t know.”
Beyond ride-hailing, other users suggested a range of roles that could provide more immediate income. These included part-time positions in museums, security work, food and beverage outlets, retail, cleaning services, supermarkets, and even hospital porter roles.
Some users also pointed out that he could consider returning to teaching, given his background as a lecturer. One commenter said, “Try applying as a lecturer again. Can consider private uni and institutions, MDIS, Kaplan, SIM, etc.”
Another added, “Since you have experience as a poly lecturer, adjunct or even back to full-time teaching will probably be a good option. Can try UAS, Nafa, and the polys for digital art-related teaching gigs.”
In other news, a Malaysian working in Singapore as an office administrator has shared his frustration after a pay rise he was told to expect after three months suddenly turned into a much longer wait.
In a post on the r/askSingapore forum on Tuesday (Mar 31), he said that before accepting the role, a recruiter had assured him over WhatsApp that his S$2,400 salary would be reviewed and increased once he passed his three-month probation.
Read more: ‘3 months became 1 year’: Malaysian earning S$2.4k frustrated as promised salary increment falls through
