Jobless 39 year old NTU Engineer works for $4 per hour

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Jobless 39 year old NTU Engineer works for $4 per hour[/h]

http://www.transitioning.org/2012/0...eer-worked-5-months-as-pt-librarian-at-4hour/


I came across your article on fuckwarezone forum today….the one on Thomas who is doing a $1.6k technician job despite having a NTU degree.

First of all, kudos to you for creating this transitioning.org website for the unemployed.

Let me introduce myself…..

I’m 39 Male Chinese Singapore Citizen. 2.5 years NS and 10 years ICT for the boot…..

I graduated from Nanyang Technological University in July 1997 with a Bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering.
After graduation, my working experience has always been in the failure analysis and inspection of IC components in various companies.

I was retrenched in 2010 due to company closure. Ever since, I have trouble getting full time jobs.

I applied for diploma entry level jobs even though the skillsets required were below those described in my resume.

Yet…I was not called up for interview.

I’m willing to take a lower diploma pay but yet……forget it.

My foray into temp jobs didnt bode well either….I did worked part time in a library before but I found the pay too low ($4/hour)….so I quit after five months.

Imagine a NTU engineering graduate having to go down to such a level is frankly beyond me especially when I started to study engineering almost two decades ago with much optimism.

What is happening to our country?

Moreover, the government won’t be bothered about people like us.

We are the losers.

WDA and e2i called up when I was doing part time in the library…..and they assumed I’m fully employed after I told them my part time job! What a joke!

Subsequently my name was removed from the list and I guess that’s why unemployment figures are low…. I also heard that those who are out of work for more 6 months are considered retired!

How can the unemployment figure be just 2%? Its beyond comprehension…

When I was working in the library, I chatted with the aunties working there and a lot of them told me their sons/daughters also got trouble finding jobs even with a professional degree.

You might have wondered why those aunties are willing to stick to the library job despite such low pay ($4/hour)? It is only because they can’t find relevant companies willing to employ them.

$4 /hour? It is totally ridiculous and almost like a cleaner’s pay.

If you think it is an easy job (which many think it is)….try doing it for 5-8 hours standing most of the time.

According to them…..the agency submitted the lowest bid to NLB…naturally the project was awarded to them because the government always go for the lowest bidder.

Hence…..the low rates.

I guess this also explains why cleaners wages are low too.

We are in serious trouble and yet many people think Singapore is still ok….that’s because they still have cushy jobs.

The influx of FTs in every area has depressed wages for low income workers and also deprive our local graduates of good jobs.

The government always say FTs are here to do jobs which Singaporeans don’t wish to do……but what about jobs which we want to do?

If you are wondering why I can still survive until now….it is because I have been frugal all along and I’m still single. If I’m married with kids, most likely I would have ended up in Bedok Reservoir.
Anyway, I got a slight favor to ask of you….is it possible to get in touch with Thomas regarding the company particulars for which he is working in?

I’m more than willing to do a technician job for $1.6k.

Thank you very much…..and have a nice day!

Louis​

 

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Engineer who used to earn $100,000 a year jobless for 20 months[/h]Dear Friends - This is a urgent message to all our avid readers. We are in danger of closing down this NGO and support site as we are desperately short of funds to run this operation. We need a minimum amount of $500 a month to pay for all our operational cost. Once again, we urge you to donate generously to our cause using the paypal button on the Donation icon on the blog or simply email me at [email protected] or [email protected] for other modes of donations. We have survived four years because people like you care enough to contribute and we urge you to do so again It can be one-off or a monthly small amount contributed regularly. Give to us so that we can continue serving the needs of Singaporeans. Can we depend on you? Gilbert.
Number of View: 13589

We recently conducted an email interview with a jobless engineer and here is his reply:-
How long were you jobless?
I have been jobless for 20 months as of Oct 2010.
What is your past profession and qualification? Your last drawn salary?
I was a semiconductor Process and Equipment Manager working with a multinational company. I have 2nd Upper honours degree in engineering from a reputable UK university. My annual pay is around 100K. My boss and boss’s boss are all foreigners. My boss has 4 years of working experience whereas I have over 13 years in this field of work. He is definitely not a ‘talent’ in mine and my colleagues’ opinion.
What problems did you face while searching for jobs? Was age always the problem or are there other reasons?
Age is one of the stumbling block for me – even though I have accumulated over 10 good years of working experience and another 20+ years to go in my working life according to the government retirement age.
There is just no opportunity given to people like me who has crossed 40, even if I am willing to lower my pay by 20-30%.
Another obstacle is the hiring manager – most of them who conducted the interview are ‘FT”. Personally, I feel that they are gathering information (pay range and knowledge from me), and likely to give preference to their own ‘kind’ (race) or other ‘FT”.
Even if the hiring manager is a local, there is no guarantee that they will hire a local simply because there is no incentive to hire a local or any quota to adhere to.
To make it worse, we locals have to fulfil many obligations like reservist training and have to leave office on time or not too late to take care of other family matters like our young children. Where as in the ‘FT’ case, they do not have Reservist disruption and most of their family are back in their country. They can afford to even ‘camp’ in office or stay until midnight.
You can say that we are not hungry enough to go to that extend. But these FTs normally would stay for 3-5 years and then move on to other better paying jobs in other countries. But we are not likely to do so.
I have tried to lower my expectations by applying for an engineer’s role – many times the employer would just say they will keep me posted. After a few rounds, I probed further and they told me that with my qualifications and experience I should be looking for a job of a higher level and give other people a chance to apply for lower level jobs. But the question is who is going to give me that chance!
How did your family cope while you stay jobless?
My wife is now the sole breadwinner for the family now. I was very depressed at the beginning because I had worked so hard and made many sacrifices to reach this level. Now I just have to accept my predicament and move on, I strongly believed that no one is going to help me if I do not stand on my own feet. So, I just have to find my own way to make money to provide for my family.
Are there financial problems now?
Yes, we have financial problems too. We just have to adjust our finances to cope with our situation. We have to make do with what we get every month and try to reduce our expenses to carry on living our life. One way is to look for cheaper alternative for those daily necessities and buy more during discounts and promotions.
How do you think the government can help this huge pool of jobless PMETs?
1. The government should restrict the number of foreigners into the country and also set a quota for the number of foreigners for each company, like 25 percent or something. We invite MNCs to invest in Singapore to give us job, not to give jobs to foreigner or act as a training center. This might be a myopic view, but if we cannot feed ourselves do you think we should be concerned about providing jobs for other people?
2. We should amend our retrenchment laws, regulate the retrenchment compensation and benefits BY providing higher payout to discourage retrenchment exercise and continue medical coverage until we secure the next employment. The current laws are too lax and it doesn’t offer sufficient protection for the PME group.
3. A possible solution is for the company to reduce the number of working days to ride out any future downturn than retrenching staff quickly because there will always be downturn. Moreover, nowadays, the business cycle is getting shorter and more frequent. The economy also fortunately recovers faster after every downturn. For example, my ex-company after laying us off, was hiring again within 6 months after retrenching staff.
4. On top of that, restrict HDB ownership to Singaporeans only. If our PRs want to buy properties they should go to private properties. If not, the cost of basic housing in Singapore will go up due to the demand from PRs. The HDB housing is meant for Singaporeans but now the foreigners are pushing up prices with their purchases. With higher housing price, can we afford to live with a lower salary? We have 30 years of housing instalment to pay and it is so difficult to get a job nowadays despite all our qualification and experience!
Lastly, I hope that the government will seriously look into helping this huge group of highly-educated experienced jobless professionals.
Thanks!
Regds,
James (not his real name)
PS: James is contemplating starting a small engineering business on his own – Gilbert

 

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Jobless ex-IT Manager who used to earn $100,000/year applied for fast-food job[/h]Dear Friends - This is a urgent message to all our avid readers. We are in danger of closing down this NGO and support site as we are desperately short of funds to run this operation. We need a minimum amount of $500 a month to pay for all our operational cost. Once again, we urge you to donate generously to our cause using the paypal button on the Donation icon on the blog or simply email me at [email protected] or [email protected] for other modes of donations. We have survived four years because people like you care enough to contribute and we urge you to do so again It can be one-off or a monthly small amount contributed regularly. Give to us so that we can continue serving the needs of Singaporeans. Can we depend on you? Gilbert.
Number of View: 11913

Hi Gilbert,
Thanks for posting two earlier mails on my jobless situation. I hope that the articles have helped other jobless readers caught in similar circumstances.
I am penning another article here and hope that you can publish it.
I do not get much help or moral support from my own relatives – some of them are working either in Australia or US.
Instead, they chided me for not being humble and not trying hard enough to look for a job in Singapore (I am not making things up … one even told me to look and take any job even if is a cleaner or waitress position and she does not believe why the employer wouldn’t accept me when I am far more qualified than the usual applicant).
I actually did some of these suggestions they insisted me to do.
For example, I applied for job at a fast food restaurant but the manager there thought I was ridiculing him. Even then, my relatives think I should continue trying.
My relatives do not even see a need to advise me on how to go about getting a job in Australia or USA which is why I have to ask you or search elsewhere for information.
I suspect my relatives abroad do not realise how serious the situation in Singapore has become. My relatives probably do not know what is practical anymore because they have not been in this situation before.
I do not think my relatives realise the seriousness of the debt my family is in when I am not earning and my husband had to take $70K of unsecured loans from 7 banks to pay for his father’s gambling debts which nearly resulted his parents’ flat being confiscated by HDB. Knowing how selfish the Singaporean culture can be, perhaps all these tasks are just excuses for these relatives not to help me.
The reason for asking you to post this mail is because, rather than just rejecting upfront the advice from these people and get chided again, let’s see what others would have to say. Someone else may share that he has tried a method that has being successful in helping him get out of the rut.
After all, I just want to solve the problem whichever way possible.
By the way, I got my scholarship from my university in USA. The scholarship was not from Singapore government.
My last-drawn salary was around $100,000 a year including perks and bonuses.
Regds,
Kim (not her real name)

NB: Kim is looking for any career path that may lead to IT- related advancement such as training, consultancy, entrepeneurship, IT functional or any project management in a new industry. Her previous work experience includes directing, managing else executing delivery and support of supply chain specific IT applications. Employers keen on her resume can email me at [email protected] - Gilbert.
​

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

Why don't work as Jumbo Seafood dishwasher for $2,500?

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Why don't work as Jumbo Seafood dishwasher for $2,500?

Drive taxi lah!
Got 6k

 

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Jobless engineer terminated unfairly by PRC Chinese boss and replaced by a Indian foreigner[/h]Dear Friends - This is a urgent message to all our avid readers. We are in danger of closing down this NGO and support site as we are desperately short of funds to run this operation. We need a minimum amount of $500 a month to pay for all our operational cost. Once again, we urge you to donate generously to our cause using the paypal button on the Donation icon on the blog or simply email me at [email protected] or [email protected] for other modes of donations. We have survived four years because people like you care enough to contribute and we urge you to do so again It can be one-off or a monthly small amount contributed regularly. Give to us so that we can continue serving the needs of Singaporeans. Can we depend on you? Gilbert.
Number of View: 2725

Transitioning has seen a few unfair dismissal cases recently and the growing trend is disturbing as such cases usually involve well-educated Singaporeans who are mostly in their forties.
More significantly, they do not have a union to represent them during a very trying period of their employment and usually gave in to the company’s demands who are behaving like big bullies.
I have always advised disenchanted executives to seek assistance from Ministry of Manpower who usually arbitrates for them successfully.
Seldom do such unfair dismissal cases go to the open court as it does not help anyone involves in the case. Companies also want to avoid bad publicity as it will involve an adverse reputation tag for them as well if the case goes out in the open.
Moreover, reinstallation of the sacked executive looks unpromising given the fact that most of such dismissal cases were carried out bitterly and acriminously.
Most of these executives just want a fair severance package from their previous companies and also to clear their good name if possible.
There is alot of pride and hurt involves in an unfair dismissal case especially if it is unwarranted and unjustified.
I met up with Johnson recently – another highly-educated engineer who was unceremoniously dismissed from his multi-national company together with another local engineering colleague.
Both were shown the door early last week - given one month’s notice using the contractual method. They have worked in the company for more than five years.
The fact that both were local engineers and above 45 years old also infuriated them as they suspected that they are being targetted for replacement due to their seniority and age.
Their high pay structure is also one huge factor as MNCs now can hire cheaper foreign talents by the hundreds using the Employment Pass permit.
The company is also accused by the sacked executives of trying to save up on retrenchment benefit.
It did not help that the whole company is invaded by permanent residents, foreign talents and very few local Singaporeans. That is probably why the two sacked Singaporean engineers felt targetted.
Their new boss – a local PRC Chinese, asked them to buck up or ship out earlier this year but both of them decided to hang on as they were not under-performing as alleged by the company.
Using a under-handed tactic and threatening them with Performance Indicator Plan (PIP), the company hoped that they would resign on their own accord – a provened technique used by many companies to drive executives to resign on their own as if not termination due to poor performance will suffice.
Many executives fall for the ruse and resign on their own accord to save face.
Moreover, it is not wise to work on if you are not appreciated by your own bosses and it is far better to move out respectfully and look for another job.
Johnson and his ex-colleague hung on as they felt that they are entitled to severance package and moreover they are still working well in the company.
The severance money is no small feat especially when one of them has worked for more than ten years in the company and could come up to a tidy six figure sum.
The Ministry of Manpower website has this to say about severance payment:-

Under the Employment Act, an employee who has been employed in a company for at least three years can request for retrenchment benefits if he/she is retrenched.
As the law does not stipulate the quantum to be paid, the amount is subject to negotiation between the employee and employer. The quantum will also depend on the company’s financial position.
An employee who has worked less than three years in a company is not entitled to retrenchment benefits under the Employment Act. However, the company may pay an ex-gratia payment at its discretion.
Both retrenchment benefits and ex-gratia payments do not attract CPF contributions.
​

What irked Johnson is that failing to kick them out using the dreadful PIP excuse, the company now terminated them using the contractual term stated in their contract i.e. terminating an employee’s service given one month of notice.
“It is not right to use such under-handed tactic to let go of long serving executives,” Johnson retorted.
“I am ready to go but please be fair to us. We also have a family to raise and the severance package is just nice to tide over before I could find back another job.”
Johnson also realised that his age could be one main reason why he is being replaced together with his colleague as the company wants new young blood to refresh the company’s reorgansational plan.
Already, before he left, he got wind that his replacement will be someone from India – something which rubs more salt into his gaping wounds.
As Singapore continues to grabble with the huge influx of foreign workers in our midst who compete head on with us for jobs, our labour law needs to be tightenend so that our local PMETs will receive better protection from unscrupulous employers out to replace us with cheaper younger foreigners.
If not, we will see more jobless well-educated PMETs looking for work fruitlessly and eventually becoming a huge social problem for the country.
Written by: Gilbert Goh
Editor’s Note: Johnson will be making a complaint to MOM soon with his colleague.

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

Drive taxi lah!
Got 6k

$6k what's the use? Everyday need to pray hard not to get banged by Ferrari or Lexus!

 

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Singaporean senior engineer at UGL Services sacked by American boss and ostracised by Filipino technicians[/h]Dear Friends - This is a urgent message to all our avid readers. We are in danger of closing down this NGO and support site as we are desperately short of funds to run this operation. We need a minimum amount of $500 a month to pay for all our operational cost. Once again, we urge you to donate generously to our cause using the paypal button on the Donation icon on the blog or simply email me at [email protected] or [email protected] for other modes of donations. We have survived four years because people like you care enough to contribute and we urge you to do so again It can be one-off or a monthly small amount contributed regularly. Give to us so that we can continue serving the needs of Singaporeans. Can we depend on you? Gilbert.
Number of View: 2040

Mr Fadil was happy when he managed to secure a senior engineer position at a MNC – UGL Services Premas Operations Ltd late last year.
He was the engineer in charge of facility management at ITE College West.
The job was also paying well and when he signed up on the dotted line, he felt confident as the job scope was within his capabilities.
However, six months later, he was given the sack and his last day was on 2 May after failing to clear an extended probationary period on 31 March.
The signs were already ominous when he first stepped into the office. Three quarter of the 50-strong workforce are foreigners – mostly from Philippines, India and Malaysia.
80% of the technical staff are foreigners.
They also tend to clique together according to nationality and it is difficult to penetrate into their inner circle.
Moreover, two Filipino technical staff who are supposed to assist him are also loaded with their own duties and he was told not to disturb them. The Filipinos were so unskilled that they could not even fix a simple aircon problem.
He ended up carrying out most of the technical tasks himself whereas he was under the impression during the interview that he has two staff assisting him. He felt cheated.
Mr Fadil brought this matter up to his American boss but every time he was told to carry on working alone.
He was later shocked to be informed that he was ill-suited for the position of senior engineer after working for a few months and that he would be reassigned.
Nevertheless, he was given the merry go round by the respective department heads and realised that the reassignment plan was just a plot to get him out.
Feeling chided, Mr Fadil later had a stormy meeting with the HR manager – ironically a friend who has brought him into the company but who proved to be very unhelpful when he is in need of wise counsel.
As Singapore struggles with integration in the workforce with many locals fighting to survive in our own country, more can be done to better protect the livelihood of local Singaporeans.
Singapore is probably the only ountry in the world that allows foreigners to control the top and middle management echelon at the work place.
Singaporeans are often sandwiched at the middle management level and report to a foreigner boss who often is suspect in his work and qualification.
Transitioning envisages that stressors at the workplace will boil over in the future with ugly consequences if the ministry does not look into the local-foreigner quota soon.
Many of the jobs now performed by foreigners can also be carried out by local Singaporeans who are currently jobless.
Already, many locals have questioned the hiring bias of foreign bosses who tend to hire their own kind and even make things difficult for the local staff so that they will resign on their own.
Our ministry probably may need to send in spies to the private sector to better understand the seriousness of the manpower staffing issue.
If not, they will end up not knowing what is the real situation on the ground if they continue to sit in comfort at the their ivory tower.
Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted last month when the engineer is still working. He is now no longer a staff with the company and wish to put the matter behind him.

 

[chonburifc]

James should have advised all his friends, families and relatives to advise everyone they know to kick out the pappies in 2011 erections.

Hopefully by 2016, James is Seng Mook enough to vote the pappies out. Otherwise, he don't even qualify to clear tables at the hawker centre.

 

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Reader shared his pro-foreigner interview experiences[/h]Dear Friends - This is a urgent message to all our avid readers. We are in danger of closing down this NGO and support site as we are desperately short of funds to run this operation. We need a minimum amount of $500 a month to pay for all our operational cost. Once again, we urge you to donate generously to our cause using the paypal button on the Donation icon on the blog or simply email me at [email protected] or [email protected] for other modes of donations. We have survived four years because people like you care enough to contribute and we urge you to do so again It can be one-off or a monthly small amount contributed regularly. Give to us so that we can continue serving the needs of Singaporeans. Can we depend on you? Gilbert.
Number of View: 2997


Dear Gilbert,It has really been an eye opener after surfing your website and reading the many ‘sad’ stories about how many PMET’s have been left ‘out in the cold’ with the influx of foreign talent.Allow me to share my story which I hope you will publish on your website (minus my actual name of course).I came out to the workforce fresh out of NS as I could not qualify for admission to the local university due to my lousy ‘A’ level results. I had thought of retaking my ‘A’ levels but due to financial constraints had to come out to work.

As you can imagine without even a ‘proper’ certificate it was obvious that you would not be able to survive in Singapore as advised by my first boss who already had an MBA back then!

Funny thing was being so ‘green’ in the company, I never really understood why my boss (who is a Singaporean) was always resentful with a Malaysian PR colleague who was holding the same position as him, the only difference was of course he didn’t have to serve NS and this was really a ‘sore’ point for my boss and he would never fail to bring this up whenever we went out lunch together.

Fast forward till today, I’m now a PMET in my early 40′s. On retrospect, now I can fully understand why he felt this way, allow me to elaborate further. I now have a Msc degree and 2 diplomas through part time study, I’m fortunate to be still employed as I have a good local boss who worked from bottom up.

Lately however I have decided for the sake of career development or maybe perhaps the impending management reorganization to send out my resume to prospective employers and that was when ‘reality’ set in especially of course the ‘no response’ syndrome.

Two recent interviews stood out though and I would like to share my experience with the readers of this website.

I had this first interview (about 4 years’ ago) with a MNC that was recommended by a headhunter. I was to meet with the Vice President of Asia who had just been newly appointed to manage the business here. We had a good discussion and honestly I knew after the interview that I had gotten the job and this was communicated to the headhunter who called later in the evening to confirm this.

However, there was a catch… you see he was an Indian FT who just arrived in Singapore and during my discussion with him I realized that actually his experience was rather similar to mine only that he managed a much bigger organization back in India and obviously managed to ‘rub shoulders’ with the right people back home thus giving him the opportunity to be posted here. I did not accept the job as my sixth sense somehow told me that this didn’t seem ‘right’.

The other interview was quite recent, probably about six months back, I was shortlisted for an interview for a lecturer’s position in one of the oldest polytechnics in Singapore (no prizes for guessing which one). I was obviously shortlisted because I fulfilled the main criteria of having the relevant working background that was related to the course of which I was to lecture… i.e. of course if I was selected to go through a second round of interviews.

During the interview, I was to do a short presentation but here was the ‘bombshell’ that was totally unexpected… Before I could begin the lady interviewer (also a lecturer) asked me, “I know this is a little unfair, but could you do the presentation in Mandarin?” I was literally dumbfounded. (This was because this was not indicated in their advertisement) I mean doing a short presentation on Marketing in Mandarin??? How many of us would be able to do that since Mandarin is not even our first language in the first place? Obviously I did not get the job but I certainly hope it went to a Singaporean.

Now when I find out that there is even a percentage quota set for the intake of foreign students even in polytechnics this really had me thinking that this is obviously one of the ‘undesirable’ effects of globalisation and I certainly don’t blame the many Singaporeans who feel so strongly against the many FT’s here.
Just a case in point, I’ve been staying in a HDB flat for 15 years now, They are 8 units on the same floor which I’m on,15 years’ ago, there was only 1 HK PR when I moved in. Now I have 3 China PR family units (within a period of last 2 years) on the same floor itself so you see it is now 4 out of 8 units that have now been occupied by an FT.

Sorry for being so long winded but I suppose it comes with age… Ha! Ha! Anyway I look forward to meeting up with you when time permits.
Till then please continue to keep up the selfless work.
Best Regards
Danny

 

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Jobless lady PMET lost out to a foreign Indian during a job interview[/h]Dear Friends - This is a urgent message to all our avid readers. We are in danger of closing down this NGO and support site as we are desperately short of funds to run this operation. We need a minimum amount of $500 a month to pay for all our operational cost. Once again, we urge you to donate generously to our cause using the paypal button on the Donation icon on the blog or simply email me at [email protected] or [email protected] for other modes of donations. We have survived four years because people like you care enough to contribute and we urge you to do so again It can be one-off or a monthly small amount contributed regularly. Give to us so that we can continue serving the needs of Singaporeans. Can we depend on you? Gilbert.
Number of View: 2360

Transitioning (T): First of all, thanks Amy for allowing us to interview you online and can you provide us with some background information about yourself?
Amy: A single female in her late 30s. I have a private secretarial certificate.
T: What was your last occupation and you have told me that you were unemployed for more than 1 month, you tell us more about this and also your job search experience?
Amy: I am in Administration with more than 15 years of experience. Unfortunately, I was let off when my department head has to return to his country due to some family reason.
T: You have told me that you are currently jobless for more than 1 month, what did you do in order to survive? Did you also approach the CDC for assistance?
Amy: I have sufficient savings for now. I have sent numerous resumes to many job placement agencies and even stats board to widen my opportunities for job search.
T: Did you attend any interviews during the past 2 months and why do you think you are unsuccessful so far?
Amy: I have attended nine interviews so far. Companies I applied directly to and those that I attended interviews with do not even bother to reply you to inform whether you are being shortlisted or not. They could at least send you an email to inform you of the outcome. Some companies would asked you about your salary at the end of the interview and thus you are able to gauge that they are not keen to pay that amount. I used to earn around the high end of $2000 but is coming to terms that my pay will be reduced further going forward.
T: Tell us abit more about what you have learnt from your jobless experience and how it has impacted your family.
Amy: As I am single, my family does not worry so much about me being jobless. I also learn to move forward with each single day and not to procrastinate. I know that each little step I take is important for me to attain my goal of getting a job! You can’t take a day of rest when you are jobless.
T: What do you think you could have done to shorten the unemployment period?
Amy: Reduce my pay. However, this will affect my self-esteem and self-worth in the long run. Also, my savings could also be depleted. Morever some companies do not give an increment even after the probation period. Many companies have also done away with AWS and replaced it with variable bonus instead. Is this legal by the way?
T: Do you think that Singapore is now a more difficult place to make a living?
Amy: I have a lot of acquaintances who are married without children even if some of them have a combined salary of a higher 4-figure sum. Many people are already jobless only in their 30s so you can imagine what will happen when you reach your 40s or 50s. We are only able to draw out our CPF at age 65 years and if the person cannot find a stable or full time job in their 40s, how are they going to survive?
T: What do you think the government can do to alleviate the current employment situation?
Amy: Set a minimum wage for local employees and restrict the percentage of foreigners in a company. e.g. 75 percent locals, 25 percent foreigners for all categories.
T: Many people have blame foreigners for competing jobs with us, what is your view on this?
Amy: The foreigners play a huge part in affecting the pay range and the job opportunities for us locals. e.g. I went for an interview with a company and one of the boss is an Indian. An Indian lady was eventually chosen over me. If all foreign bosses start hiring their own, then what kind of jobs are left for us locals?
T: Lastly, whats your advice for those who are still jobless and depressed?
Amy: Be open to contract work and stay healthy. Get out more often even if you are not working and meet up with friends. Most of all stay positive!

[h=1]Thank you and end of interview[/h]

 

[RWSSLOTS]

Be a hawker! Vivian B says more sinkies shd be hawkers mah, isnt it?

 

[Khun Ying Pojaman]

Yes, to all these PMETS who lost their jobs, I would really like to know if they had voted for PAP in the last election.

 

[Cestbon]

More and more people like him in SG and more peasant will vote for Opposition. Why PAP still not wake up.

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

Yes, to all these PMETS who lost their jobs, I would really like to know if they had voted for PAP in the last election.

Will u console them if they admitted that they had voted for PAP?

 

[Khun Ying Pojaman]

Will u console them if they admitted that they had voted for PAP?

I will console them if they promise not to vote for PAP in the next election.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

$6k what's the use? Everyday need to pray hard not to get banged by Ferrari or Lexus!

All drivers cannot avoid accidents....
It's whether they choose to get hit by Ferrari or Lexus.

 

[hotbot]

sooner or later i will get hit or hit someone at the rate of how isd is torturing me. it's not my fault if it happen...

All drivers cannot avoid accidents....
It's whether they choose to get hit by Ferrari or Lexus.

 

[sleaguepunter]

now i see him no up but $4 an hr he do when ntuc said they cannot find cashier at $6 an hr. not i want to condemn but i seen many example of ppl work blindly everyday then kenna retrench liao cannot find job. smart ppl no need find job but jobs find them. i dont mean those "smart" ppl are good in their job but they have good networking and recruitment aka headhunters keep finding them new jobs every couple of years with salary increasing 20% every time.

 

[MeeSiamGirl]

sooner or later i will get hit or hit someone at the rate of how isd is torturing me. it's not my fault if it happen...

dont worry, i will burn a paper doll for you when the time comes