Seeing the many negative news in the newspapers and TV make me somewhat depressive and forlorn these days. When I take the train, there is also hardly a smile on the faces of commuters.
Even though I am currently working, my contract will end in April and I may also join the unemployment statistics. Right now, I am earnestly writing to other private schools for any teaching assignments in case they are already snapped up by then.
Making plans earlier to snatch that elusive job seems to be the focus of many Singaporeans now. Job stability and confidence remains very low and some friends told me they go to work daily in fear of being retrenched.
Some factories I heard have no work and workers simply sit around the whole day and chat. How long can the bosses keep their workers in such a state? The thought of going to work with nothing to do is simply demoralising.
Many emails I received here sounded desperate and some even despondent. Many were laid off for at least three months and some have already received the dreaded pink slip while working.
Work is also minimal now and employers have all but freeze up new hires. I also detect that the employment pages of the Straits Times are getting thinner by the day.
However, a friend of mine was fortunate to get an offer from a contact of mine for an overseas teaching assignment. It was like a bright spot in a very dark tunnel. He was unemployed for close to 6 months and have three kids – all below the age of 15 years old. I was happy for him.
As we journey together in this stormy time, let us look out and help those who are down and out. A shoulder that is broad enough for others to lean on is always welcome. Facing unemployment alone is not only depressive but also unnecessary. Many people out there will be willing to help out in many ways if we only know how to ask.
Many of my previous jobs are all from referrals. I emailed some friends and they responded by giving me some companies to connect with. Often, if the expectations of both parties matched, the job is almost secure as there is no competition here. In this down time, connection and networking take on a higher priority as people employ from friends and their contacts. The employers also save from advertisement cost and the hassle of having to work through tons of emails and interviews.
I hope that employers out there who have read about our site will continue to post their jobs on our column here. The jobless can then search for them and email the respective employers for work.
It is when many hands out there are helping out one another that we can emerge victorious from this crisis.
Gilbert Goh
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I fully understand the feelings of all those retrenched people. I myself was retrenched twice in 1998 and 2002. I tried teaching from Jul 08 to Nov08 in a secondary school, after 4 months of teaching, the principal find me not suitable to be a teacher and I was forced to resign all because the students I taught fought in class and 1 of them got hurt. The principal blamed me for not being able to control the class and she has to answer to the parents. I find this very unfair as I have to teach a class of 40 normal Technical students who are all not academically inclined and trying to control 40 of them is no mean feat for a new teacher like me who have not even gone through the proper training at NIE. Parents nowadays are over protective of their children and blame the teachers when their child gets hurt. They never ask why the child fights in class in the first place and we teachers get the blame for not controlling them. What’s worse is the principal supports the parents instead of supporting us teachers. I though teaching will be a stable job for me if I’m able to complete the training at NIE, but now I don’t even the the chance. With the current econonic crisis it is very tough to find a job. To all those out there looking for jobs, don’t be discouraged, there’s always a way out. Instead of looking for jobs, why not start your own business. I’m not talking about the traditional business, I’m talking about doing business via the internet. I’m currently doing some networking marketing business via the internet with the help of my brother-in-law. The good thing about this business is you don’t have to employ any people and the startup cost is low. Our team is able to provide us with potential leads for us to expand our business.The income is slow at the beginning but it will grow if you are willing to work consistently on the leads given to you. If anyone of you are interested to find out more go to this website http:www.RetiredAt32.com or you can e-mail me at tangim@singnet.com.sg.
Thanks for allowing me to share my experiences with you all.
Gim Leong