SINGAPORE: Nine months into the job hunt and seven months after graduating with a marketing degree, one 26-year-old says they are still stuck in limbo, sending out applications, getting ghosted, and watching the weeks slip by with no full-time offer in sight.

Sharing their experience on a local forum, the graduate said they knew the market was tough, but did not expect it to be this discouraging. “I know the market is bad, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. I have applied for some office roles, but they don’t seem to have vacancies, and most ghosted me. My degree is in digital marketing, and yes, it’s a private degree.”

Dealing with pain while dodging pressure at home

The graduate said they eventually picked up a part-time job at a shoe retail shop just to stay afloat while job hunting, but that came with its own problems.

Standing all day has made their plantar fasciitis (a painful foot condition) way worse, to the point where they are constantly in pain. “I’m limping around most of the time,” they said.

They also admitted they started taking on more shifts partly to avoid being at home, where their parents have been constantly “grilling” them about not landing a job after nine months, which has only added to their “stress and anxiety.”

But things have taken a turn for the worse lately. The pain in their feet has gotten so bad that they cannot even walk properly anymore. 

“I can’t walk without limping,” they said. “My manager asked me what happened, and I told her I got plantar fasciitis and that my feet are a bit sore. She asked me to take an MC and rest up. However, she also mentioned that if I can’t get back to work for a while, she will have to let me go.”

“Therefore, not only will I become jobless, I will be tortured with my parents’ nagging and complaints at home. I don’t think I will be able to go through such an ordeal.”

As their problems continued to pile up, the graduate admitted they had started to lose hope.

“These few days, I have developed dark thoughts,” they wrote. “I feel so worthless and kind of sad that my life has turned out this way. How to find motivation to live?”

“Use this time to deep dive into projects and certifications.”

To help them get through the slump, several Singaporean Reddit users jumped in with some much-needed encouragement and perspective.

“This is a chapter, not the whole story. I know it’s hard to see past today, but I’m sure things will get better someday,” one said.

“I’ve been there with parents breathing down my neck and doing a random retail job after a degree. Honestly, first thing, get your foot sorted, see a polyclinic doctor, and log it as a real condition. While you rest, spam-apply to gov-stat boards, contract roles, and even internships for conversion. Use this time to deep dive into projects and certifications, build a small portfolio site, and blast it in every app,” another advised.

“Those dark thoughts are momentary. Don’t succumb to them. There are always ups and downs to life, and you are currently facing a phase where it’s building you up to be stronger. Stay focused on your goal of landing a job you want and work towards it. Step by step, not giving up. At the end of the struggle, you will find your joy,” a third added.

In other news, a 30-year-old woman who is currently supporting her parents has turned to social media for advice after a scam wiped out her entire savings, leaving her in deep financial and emotional distress.

Posting anonymously on the NUSWhispers Facebook page on Tuesday (March 31), she shared the full extent of her family’s situation. She explained that she has long been the main source of financial support for her parents, who, according to her, have “very little savings” of their own.

Read more: ‘I’m their CPF and retirement’: Scam wipes out 30-year-old SG woman who is supporting parents

This article (‘I feel so worthless’: Singapore grad, 26, says 9 months of unemployment and health issues are pushing them to breaking point) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: To improve their chances of landing a job, some university students are not only working towards better grades, but also taking on multiple internships along the way. With some companies requiring years of experience for supposedly “entry-level” roles, this seems to be one of the only ways they can think of to get their foot in the door.

Unfortunately, this does not always work, as shared by one local engineering graduate on social media. He wrote that despite completing a total of three internships, none of the companies he applied to reached out with a job offer.

“I did manage to get some interviews, but some interviews caused my mental health to suffer a blow. I seriously don’t get it. I honestly don’t know what to do. I apologise, and I do not mean any offence, but why do I feel like I graduated with an art degree?”

He added that although he first targeted roles related to his field, he later cast a wider net, applying for just about any job available, even ones that required long commutes or came with demanding schedules.

His efforts, however, have gone nowhere, leaving him feeling deflated. 

He also said that when he graduated from university, he genuinely believed he had finally reached the finish line, that the hardest part was behind him, and a more stable chapter was about to begin.

“I was struggling very hard in uni and always doubted if I could manage to graduate in the end. When I did, it was the proudest achievement I had and a huge relief. Little did I know my nightmare hadn’t ended,” he wrote.

Gen Z graduates are facing a tougher job market

This local graduate is far from alone in facing this kind of struggle. 

While some millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers may dismiss it as a normal part of starting out, research suggests that younger job seekers today are facing a much tougher landscape than earlier generations did.

A 2025 report by Kickresume found that 58% of recent graduates are still looking for full-time work, compared to just 25% of graduates from older generations who were in the same position. 

Moreover, in the past, nearly 40% of graduates secured full-time roles by the time they finished university, but today only 12% of Gen Z graduates can say the same. In other words, they are about three times less likely to have a job lined up upon graduation.

So what is behind this shift? Several factors are often cited. One is the growing influence of AI on hiring processes and the broader job market. Another is the rise of so-called “ghost jobs.”

A 2024 survey by MyPerfectResume found that as many as 81% of recruiters admitted their companies post roles that either do not exist or have already been filled.

According to Fortune, 38% of recruiters said they post such listings to maintain visibility on job boards, while 36% use them to test how effective their job postings are. Another 26% said it helps them better understand the job market and keep an eye on competitors.

Jasmine Escalera of MyPerfectResume added that these companies also post these listings to “improve their image” and make it seem like “they’re not freezing hiring.”

Read also: ‘Non-stop chaos since early March’: Energy sector worker burnt out after war-driven demand surge pushes workload to extreme levels

This article (‘My nightmare hasn’t ended’: Engineering grad struggles to land a job despite 3 internships) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: What if your friends’ advice ends up doing you more harm than good? A 26-year-old diploma holder who lost his job in the banking and finance industry after a company restructuring vented online about how challenging it has become to find a decent-paying job.

He said that after attending numerous interviews, he had only received job offers worth around S$1,500, adding that he believed this was because he only had a diploma and not a degree.

To make matters worse, while still jobless, he revealed that he now has over S$20,000 in debt after turning to gambling, following his friends’ suggestion that it could be a source of “extra income”.

Commenters on The Independent Singapore’s Facebook page, however, questioned why his so-called friends would advise him to turn to gambling instead of encouraging him to keep searching for better job opportunities.

One commenter said, “If your friends had suggested that you gamble, then maybe you need better friends. If anyone can win in gambling, then no one will work…And even if someone can make the rare occasional win, 99.99% of the people will end up losing money in the long term. Just bear this in mind before you gamble,” while others suggested he cut off communication with those friends.

Another commenter added, “The only reason gambling businesses exist is that they make money. No one would open a gambling business if it were not profitable!”

Several others offered encouragement and suggested taking on part-time jobs instead.

A 59-year-old mother who had also previously lost her job once encouraged him and shared her experience, saying, “You are young. Keep trying or get a part-time job. I used to work 16 hours when I was 26 years old. Take care of my kids, aged 5 and 3 years. My hubby was sick and jobless most of the time. I worked the night shift. Now I am 59 years old. I worked in retail and switched jobs recently. I am a driver now. I worked long hours till my kids finished poly. Now they are working. I like working and don’t depend on my kids for pocket money. Don’t lose hope and don’t go down the wrong path.”

According to Singapore’s National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), gamblers and their families, who often have to struggle with financial and debt problems, as well as guilt, anxiety and even depression, can seek assistance through NCPG’s helpline at 1800-6-668-668, or check here for more information on counselling services. /TISG

Read also: Laid-off tech professional finds job after 14 months, shares advice for job seekers: ‘I am seeing light at the end of this tunnel’

This article (Jobless diploma holder racks up more than S$20K debt after gambling on friends’ advice) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A 23-year-old employee has sought advice online after noticing that her senior colleague, a 27-year-old woman who is four years older, has been “stalking” her at work.

In her post on a local forum, the employee shared that the colleague has been “obsessively” monitoring her movements and keeping tabs on “what she eats, what she’s doing at her desk, and how she carries out her experiments or deals with machines in the lab.”

“It has been close to half a year since I entered this company, and I don’t think I want to let her continue this act,” the employee said, alarmed by the creepy behaviour. “She has been monitoring me to the point where she will hide behind machines discreetly just to see what I am doing when I’m handling my own experiments. She can’t even leave me alone when I’m taking out the trash.”

“There have been multiple occasions where I caught her turning her head to look in my direction, and when I turn around, she will quickly look away, pretending. If she wants to keep an eye on me, she can just do it openly. Why hide?”

She also noted that the colleague appears to behave in a similar way towards other staff members, although she is not certain whether they feel the same level of discomfort.

“[This colleague] does the same thing to the rest of my colleagues when in the lab. However, I’m not so sure if they feel the same way as I do. Nor do I want to ask them because my colleagues can’t keep secrets. Having spent the past few months with them, I just know the rest of my colleagues dislike her as well.”

Not knowing how to respond to her colleague’s actions, she asked other Singaporeans for advice.

“I’ve been thinking of talking to my supervisor about it. Should I inform her about it and ask her to observe my colleague? Any suggestions on what would be the best way to do it? As I am still under probation, I don’t want things to turn sour when I still have to work with her.”

“Maybe she’s trying to build a connection or friendship.”

In the comments, several users advised the woman not to overthink the situation or blow it out of proportion, and instead try to respond with a bit of patience and kindness.

One individual wrote, “I hope you can choose the path of kindness. You don’t know what she might be going through, even if her intentions aren’t innocent. I think a lot of it can be addressed with a ‘Hey, are you ok?’ or ‘Is there something I can help you with?’”

Another commented, “You don’t have to be confrontational about it, but still let her know you are aware of her watching you. A simple ‘Do you need something from me?’ Or a joking ‘Yes, how can I help you, ma’am?’ will suffice. After a few attempts of this and still no change, then you can bring it up to her that you’ve noticed her watching you a lot and move forward from there based on what she replies.”

A third user took a more open-ended view, saying there could be many possible reasons behind it. “Maybe she’s trying to build a connection or friendship…. Maybe she’s bored. Maybe she’s a wannabe leader, maybe she has anxiety and paranoia and thinks you are checking on her. Who knows? Ask her why.”

Others also shared similar experiences from their own workplaces. One person wrote, “I had a colleague who did something like this. Once I caught her staring at me, then I just stared back. Strong eyes, not backing down, then she became paiseh and smiled at me. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. After that, she doesn’t dare to make eye contact with me.”

In other news, a man earning S$110,000 a year has shared online that his girlfriend has been nudging him to increase his monthly spending to S$3,000.

Writing on the r/singaporefi forum on Tuesday (Mar 24), the man shared that he has been intentionally keeping his monthly expenses at about S$2,000, even though he is in a strong financial position.

Read more: Man earning S$110k a year says GF keeps nudging him to bump spending up to S$3k a month

This article (‘It’s been half a year of this’ —Employee says colleague keeps ‘stalking’ her at work) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: What happens when a “comfortable” job starts to feel like a dead end? For one single parent in their 30s, the very stability that once offered security is now raising uncomfortable questions about money, growth, and the future.

On Saturday (Apr 18), the individual turned to Reddit’s “askSingapore” forum to seek advice. 

In their post, they wrote that their role is fairly stable, manageable, and relatively free of stress. But beneath that calm surface, frustrations have been quietly building. Their monthly pay falls below S$4,000 before CPF contributions, and with no clear path for progression, they say it feels like time is slipping by.

“There is no growth in this company and no career progression; I feel like I am getting older and need a better place to work with higher pay. I realised that an accountant’s job is low-paying. Please help me know what to do,” they wrote, hoping others might offer direction.

Now, they find themselves at a crossroads. Should they start fresh and actively search for a better opportunity, or stay put for another year to gain more experience and avoid the risks that come with moving?

“I am seeking a position with higher pay and career progression. I am contemplating whether to move to another company and begin searching for a new job or to stay for one more year,” they shared.

They also offered a candid snapshot of their work history, admitting their resume may not stand out. Much of their experience has been across small and medium enterprises, with relatively short stints. 

“My work history includes:

* SME: 1 year as a contract employee

* SME: 1 year, which I left due to a toxic work environment

* SME: 7 months, which I left because the job required working on weekends and Sundays, negatively impacting my mental health

* Current Employer: 1 year, where the work is straightforward and not stressful. I have a private degree in accounting and am currently employed as an executive.”

“Your current flight risk is way too high.”

In the comments, Singaporean Redditors were pretty blunt with the post author, saying their resume might not be strong enough to warrant a higher pay grade. 

They also pointed out that even if they do land a higher-paying job, it would likely come with a lot more responsibilities, which could be a downside given their situation as a single parent. 

“I suggest you should stay between 3-5 years in this current job for more experience,” one user advised. “This is to show future employers that you have some staying power. And then perhaps in that space of time, see if you can upgrade your accounting skills, that might cause future employers to look upon your CV favourably. Good luck.”

Another chimed in, “In my opinion, it’s better to take on the higher-level responsibilities first internally since your role is currently not stressful and gain that experience, then jump to another higher role, such as an accountant. Then consider getting your CPA license to open more doors.” 

A third added, “You can try applying here and there, but realistically, it’s too tough if you don’t distinguish your resume. Your current flight risk is way too high, given you have 4 jobs with at most 1 year of experience each. The ‘job hop to increase pay’ route doesn’t exist for low experience.”

In other news, a frustrated software engineer took to social media to share that the firm he works for, which he hinted is an “infamous three-letter local IT company,” has been assigning him non-technical work for the past two years.

“I have not learned ANYTHING technical; every project I’m put on is just me doing PowerPoint and admin work,” he wrote on the r/singaporejobs forum. “Yet, I am expected to OT on weekends and even till midnight due to the sheer amount of work there is to do. It seems like the horror stories about this company are true.”

Read more: ‘I’m just doing powerpoints and admin work’: Software engineer frustrated over non-technical workload at company

This article (Single parent says stable, low-stress job no longer feels enough as pay and growth remain limited) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Are long working hours and rigid schedules leaving parents with little time to raise their own children?

In a recent online post, one working mum shared how her daily routine leaves her feeling like she barely gets to be there for her toddler, a situation many parents here may find all too familiar.

She described her typical day, saying, “We drop our toddler at childcare at 8 a.m. every day, and on the days I go to the office, I only get home at 7 p.m. My parents, God bless them, fetch him from childcare and care for him after that. By the time I come home, we have about 1.5 hours together before he sleeps.”

According to her, it has been quite tough emotionally. She spends around 11 hours a day away from a child she deeply wanted, and even when she is working from home, she is busy with calls and deadlines. While weekends give her more time with her child, she feels that two days out of seven are simply not enough.

Her worries go beyond just the day-to-day. She said she is concerned about whether she will still be able to build a strong bond with her child over time, especially when he grows older and enters primary school.

“I wonder how this is going to work, especially when he grows older and enters preschool. How does one successfully parent a child when you are not around most of the time? Would that child even confide in you? How are you supposed to nurture and support them when most of their care is outsourced?” she wrote.

She added that she knows this arrangement is actually very common in Singapore, with many families relying on grandparents, helpers, or student care. Still, she could not help but question it.

“What’s the point of having a child if you don’t even spend time with them in their growing years?” she wonders. 

At the same time, she feels like there is no real way out. “There’s just zero flexibility in working hours. I can’t even leave early to fetch him if I wanted to. I once listened to a podcast where a politician said she made it a point to stop all meetings at 5 p.m., so she could pick up her kid. I scoffed at that.” 

“Like hello, not everyone is a high flyer who can set their own timings. Anyway, I digress. Quitting is not an easy decision due to financial reasons. The economy is so bad,” she shared.

Ending her post on a more vulnerable note, she asked if anyone had advice, writing, “Does anyone have words of wisdom?”

“You cannot have your cake and eat it too, so something has to give.”

Under the Reddit post, many users said they could relate to what the mother was going through and shared similar experiences from their own lives.

One commented, “I’m in the same boat. Except I get home at 8 every day, by which time my toddler is very tired. We have about 1 waking hour daily together, which is spent on getting ready for school or bed. I feel guilty and bittersweet when I see how much he grows day to day, and I wasn’t there to see the growing process.”

Another wrote, “The working culture is indeed not forgiving. I switched to part-time to care for my newborn and 3 y/o. When the finances got tight, I tried to look for a full-time job when my kids were 3 and 5; it was hard. They’d ask about my career gap, if I have kids, who would be caring for my kids besides me, if I would consider hiring a helper, etc.”

Several others suggested she consider switching to a less demanding role, even if it comes with a pay cut.

One said, “You cannot have your cake and eat it too, so something has to give. If spending time with your child is most important, then you have to sacrifice your career.”

Another shared, “I felt the same when my firstborn arrived. So I quit my job when I was due for promotion and my career was going smoothly. I figured I can always earn money in the future, one way or another, but I will never get my children’s childhood back, and 99% of the time, I didn’t regret my decision. Went from 2 incomes to 1. Best decision of my life.”

In other news, a female employee shared on Reddit that she was unexpectedly placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) without any concrete reason.

The 27-year-old said she had been in her role for four years, during which no major issues or performance concerns were raised.

Read more: SG employee placed on PIP after 4 years: ‘Is this just a step before getting fired?’

This article (‘What’s the point of having a child if you don’t even spend time with them?’: Singapore working mum says she only gets 1.5 hours daily with toddler after 11-hour workdays) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.