SINGAPORE: After a short break and 14 months of job searching, a mid-career tech professional in his 40s who was laid off from a multinational company in February 2025 said, “I am seeing light at the end of this tunnel.”
Like many “costly” mid-career professionals — dubbed by businesses’ finance teams as “payroll cholesterol” — he shared on r/singaporejobs that he was often told in interviews that he was overqualified or too expensive, and was frequently ghosted. While he made it to the final rounds a few times, he did not receive an offer.
“There were moments I really questioned myself. It gets to you more than I expected. But I kept going. Kept showing up to every interview, even on days I felt tired and unmotivated. Because at the end of the day, we just need one yes.”
In Malaysia, just across the Causeway, high-skilled local talents, mostly mid-career professionals, were among those most affected by layoffs in January and February this year.
“I accepted an offer last week,” he said, adding that for others going through the same, it might take time — “longer than you expect” — but encouraged them to “just keep going, trust the process, and [take it] one step at a time.”
Netizens, some of whom went through similar long job searches, including up to nine months of job search and 100 applications, congratulated him. While many wished him well in his new role, others were curious whether he had lowered his salary expectations over time.
The post-author noted that he stuck to the same pay and job level throughout, and the long wait probably had to do with him being selective in the roles he applied for.
“I felt that if I lowered my expectations, I would be starting the next chapter already behind. That is probably what most people do. I just was not willing to let the timeline define what I was worth.”
To get through the 14-month job search, he said he relied on his severance package and savings while keeping his daily expenses “as lean as possible”.
He also spoke about the financial and social pressure of being unemployed in Singapore.
“Singapore is not a cheap place to live at a low cost,” he wrote. “The financial stress is one thing, but the social pressure in Singapore hits differently. The guilt, the comparisons, the feeling that everyone else is moving forward while you’re standing still.”
He added that there were moments when he almost accepted any role out of panic.
“But I kept reminding myself that a desperate move could cost me more time in the long run than waiting for the right fit.”
“It is a hard line to hold when your savings are dropping, and people around you mean well but keep asking why you can’t land a job, just lower your expectations,” he explained further.
Responding to others who said finding a job can take time, he compared the process to finding “true love,” saying, “Finding a job is not difficult, but finding something that you like to do is not easy.”
He also provided practical advice, such as customising your CV for each role and being clear on the problems the company is trying to solve, what you can contribute specifically, and why you stand out compared with others with similar backgrounds. /TISG
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