Letter from a Singapore PR reader (8 Sep)

Number of View: 1455

Dear Mr Gilbert Goh,

I am a reader of the TOC (The Online Citizen) and I understand that you have been wrtting articles on how to cope with unemployment.

I am a Spore PR from Indonesa and I have served my full-time NS. I found that your articles quite encouraging to others. I need to ask you some questions.

In Spore, people above the age of 40 have been getting more difficulties in getting the work they want after being retrenched and to make thing worse, the competition given by the foreign professional is getting keener. I myself is pretty shocked to see many people of different countries in Spore, this is a situation not seen during my childhood.

I need to know if I should stay in Spore or go back to Indonesia to do business?

I have gone for many interviews, the local interviewers have the tendency to ask me how come that I never go back to Indonesia to help in the family business, they have the tendency to think majority of the Chinese Indonesian from rich background and looking for work is only to pass the time. I did not go back to Indonesia and the reason is I am not used to the lifestyle there.

I wonder if you have any Indonesian fren who faced the same situation as to what I am facing at this moment? I look forward to your reply.

Thank you and regards.

Henry (name changed)