SINGAPORE: A Singaporean jobseeker has shared online that he feels rather “hopeless” after being unable to secure a job despite lowering his salary expectations to around S$3,000 to S$3,500.
Posting on the forum “singaporejobs” on Monday (May 4), the 26-year-old described the job market in the city-state as “brutal.”
“I’ve been unemployed for eight months and counting, and each day feels more hopeless than the last,” he said. “Seeing friends my age progressing in their careers also makes me feel very left behind.”
For context, he shared that after graduating from Kaplan, he initially took up a retail job out of necessity as he needed an income. However, the long 56-hour work week soon took a toll on him both physically and mentally, eventually leading him to resign.
Things eventually took a turn for the better when he secured a tech role at a Fortune 500 company, which felt more aligned with the career direction he had been aiming for.
For the first time in a long while, he felt he could finally breathe and begin rebuilding his confidence.
Unfortunately, that stability was short-lived.
According to him, shortly after receiving an email congratulating him for “passing probation,” he was abruptly informed that he had been laid off.
In total, he remained in the role for just five months.
Since then, he said each passing month without employment has gradually eroded his confidence and sense of optimism.
“It lowkey feels hopeless for me to even land something and stay there for long enough my resume doesn’t come across as ‘job hopper,’” he said. “I’m at the point where I have to take a part-time job to tide me over so I don’t dip into my very small investments.”
At present, the only thing offering him some relief is the fact that he still lives with his parents and has no major financial commitments.
“It’s a godsend,” he wrote candidly, before adding, “but some days I just want to scream into the void.”
“Don’t lose hope, don’t compare with others.”
His post resonated with many online, particularly other young Singaporeans who said they are facing similar struggles in today’s highly competitive job market.
The most upvoted comment read, “It’s really bad. Can’t even get a job in public healthcare office roles.”
Another commented, “I just got retrenched at the end of last year too. Until now, nothing yet. The market is brutal. Stay strong, bro.”
A third shared, “You are still not the worst around. My girlfriend got retrenched at the end of Dec 2024 and is still unemployed now… [She had] a handful (I think 4-6) interviews for last year. For this year, she only has had 2 interviews.”
Still, amid the frustration and gloomy outlook, some commenters tried to encourage the man not to give up.
One older Singaporean offered a more hopeful perspective, writing, “I’ve been jobless for 19 months, and I am 50+ years old. You will most probably get a job before me. Chin up my friend, you’re only 26 and have a whole career ahead of you.”
Another commenter reminded him not to measure his progress against others. “Don’t lose hope, don’t compare with others. You are still young, and situations can change. Don’t stop upskilling. Are you an extrovert or introvert? Learn to network with people to create new opportunities.”
In other news, a Singaporean Threads user who tried to call out two national servicemen on the MRT has instead found himself at the centre of online criticism, after his post struck a nerve with many who felt the men were unfairly singled out.
In a post published on Tuesday (March 28), the user, who goes by the handle “chefphotodan,” shared a photo taken inside a crowded train carriage.
Read more: Man criticised online after calling out NSFs for using phones on MRT: ‘Cut our boys some slack, please’
