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‘I just want to work’ — 27 y/o Singaporean who graduated two years ago says he’s still jobless
May 25, 2025
SINGAPORE: Most fresh grads in Singapore manage to land a job within a few months of finishing school. But for one 27-year-old, the job search has stretched on far longer than he ever expected.
In a recent Reddit post that struck a chord with many, the man shared that he graduated in April 2023, but until now, he has yet to secure full-time employment.
“I don’t think I’m picky because I applied for everything and anything related to what I studied in,” he wrote. “I either get a call and then get ghosted, or I don’t hear back from the company at all. I get one to four interviews every month, and it’s getting frustrating.”
Because of the long stretch without a job, he’s even lowered his expectations when it comes to salary. “I don’t even care if the pay is only $2,500 to $3,000 because I just want to work and get something on my resume.”
While he’s grateful to have a family business as a safety net and runs a small home-based bakery on the side, neither opportunity matches what he originally envisioned for his career path.
What adds to the challenge is seeing his friends land jobs and kickstart their careers. Even though many of them complain about how stressful and exhausting work can be, he can’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.
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“I get jealous seeing my friends,” he admitted. “Is anyone else going through the same thing? Fellow Singaporeans, do you think the job market is pretty bad?”
“There’s something seriously wrong with your interview performance.”
In the Reddit discussion thread, a Singaporean who used to work in recruitment weighed in, saying, “It’s been stagnant in SG for a while and a downward spiral globally since mid last year with lots of uncertainties. Certain industries and roles are thriving, like hospitality and C suite. The rest? Only when companies see a need for replacements. Otherwise, the leavers’ work scope will be delegated to existing staff.”To offer some comfort, others in the thread shared their own struggles with long stretches of unemployment.
One wrote, “Graduated December 2023 with a degree in supply chain management, and kind of in the same boat as you. At first, I was making it to the final rounds of interviews with MNCs, but as time went on, I started getting fewer callbacks, or callbacks, then they would ghost.”
Another said, “Yes, the job market is bad. I have experienced a slightly shorter job hunt than yours. (Wasn’t expecting anyone to beat my record.) In fact, I have joined a social group full of job hunters who are currently suffering. If you live in Punggol, you are welcome to join as well.”
See also AI-driven job hunt: Man applies to 1,000 jobs while asleep, reveals shocking results and the hidden price of automation
A third added, “It’s really bad. I have almost a decade’s worth of experience with big MNCs and have both a Master’s and a pretty coveted professional qualification, yet I am getting ghosted. Heck, even the lower-paying ones, too, where I know I’m overqualified.”
However, not everyone agreed. Some suggested that since he’s getting interviews every month, maybe the issue lies in his interview skills rather than the job market itself.
One individual explained, “If you’re getting so many interviews (48 at a rate of two interviews per month for two years), are not picky with the role, but still getting no offers, there’s something seriously wrong with your interview performance.
Do some mock interviews (heck, I’ll do a quick call with you if you’re fine with a stranger) and figure out what’s wrong and how to fix it.”
Six in ten Singaporeans say finding a job has gotten tougher
Unfortunately, the experiences shared by the man and others in the comments are not unique. According to new data from LinkedInreleased in January, six in ten workers in Singapore report that it has become more difficult to secure a job over the past year. This percentage is higher than the global average, where five in ten workers express the same sentiment.See also More retrenchments, fewer jobs in 2019
Moreover, as reported by The Straits Times, most professionals in Singapore spend about one to two hours a week searching for jobs. Over half apply to up to five roles each week, while Millennials and Generation Z tend to be even more active, with some submitting as many as eight applications weekly.
Still, all that effort does not always pay off. Nearly half (47%) of Singapore respondents say they are applying to more jobs but receiving fewer callbacks. Meanwhile, 48% say they have been ghosted by recruiters, which only adds to the frustration, as they are left wondering why they did not make the cut.
