As my personal transitioning goes into the second month now I began to wonder  if Singapore is really in recession. Restaurants are still packed and shopping malls crowded with shoppers. It looks as normal as ever and I think that the period during Sars was much more worse than current. So what is the true state of affairs here?

Many commented that perhaps the retraining Spurs programme, with it’s allowance incentive has somewhat muted the impact the recession has on the state. The government has also absorbed in a large percentage  of the unemployed new graduates by putting them on MAS-financed schemes. Banks who hired such graduates will be offsetted by reimbursement from the state. Citibank I heard is hiring about 100 of finance graduates using such a scheme.

A 30-something old member of transitioning told me that he  was hired by the MOE on the mid career path scheme and will start work next month. He is naturally estatic with the employment after being jobless for a few months.

The government has done alot to cushion the impact of this current recession and ought to be commented for their efforts or else the fall out may be worse.  Nevertheless, more could be done to take care of those who are in their mid 40s to 50s age category. Many of my readers who belong to this category find the going tough as they struggle with an old bias hiring mentality here and failure to adapt with the new economy.

Many who work for decades in their old job will find it very difficult to find new work in an entirely different field unless they are willing to downsize their expectations. Already, some engineering members are also thinking of finding work in the security field fed up with the long wait and hopeless situation. Several have already left for abroad either temporarily or for good. Most are  frustrated with not being able to survive in a harshly competitive environment here. Time will only tell whether such professionals in a challenging age group will pack up and leave for another country. I for one is increasing looking at opportunites abroad in the future as I find it futile to look for work here.  The jobs here frankly catered more to younger professionals who have just fraduated and employers have also all along prefer younger staff.

Jobs in the Integrated Resorts (IR) also are mostly in the hospitability industry and we may find it uncomfortable performing them. I foresee many foreigners here taking up such jobs. The foreigner/local employment percentage could even be 70/30 when it comes to hiring in the IR sector.  There are only so many managers or supervisors that the IRs can hire for our local people. The rest has to be menial workers that we all shy away from.

As the jobless are still in huge numbers and people struggle with livelihood, let us spot for opportunites and inform those that are looking for work so that more can be gamefully employed in this trying time.

Related posts:

1. 7 Ways To Recession-Proof Your Job
2. 7 Ways To Come out of Prolonged Unemployment
3. 7 Major Traumas of Unemployment
4. Facing Joblessness With Confidence – Be Prepared
5. How To Tell Your Family When You Are Being Laid Off