SINGAPORE: Getting laid off may have become increasingly normalised in today’s job market, but that does not make the experience any less painful for those affected.

Recently, a Singaporean took to Reddit to open up about how being laid off has deeply affected the way they see themselves.

In their post, they shared that they have been carrying a persistent sense of being “useless,” describing it as a feeling that refuses to go away no matter how hard they try to stay occupied or push forward.

The Singaporean said they have been unemployed for a few months now, and while they have been consistently sending out applications and going for interviews, they still have not managed to land a job.

“An inner voice keeps telling me that the problem is me. That I’m never getting a job because I’m not good enough,” they wrote, adding that it’s been especially tough seeing others around them move on and land new roles. “My partner thinks it’s because their roles are not as niche as mine.”

In an effort to keep themselves grounded, they said they have been trying to build structure into their days. This includes continuing job applications, going to the gym, and shifting towards more intentional, role-specific applications instead of mass applying. They have also been meeting friends and professional contacts over coffee.

“This is what I have done so far, [but] at the end of the day, especially before I sleep, these negative thoughts creep in.”

Realising they had run out of ways to manage things on their own, they eventually reached out to others for advice, asking, “Fellow job hunters, how do you cope?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s just insanely hard to get hired now.”

The Singaporean’s post sparked a wave of responses from Reddit users who had also struggled with despair after being laid off.

One said, “I’m in the same boat as you. My job scope is quite niche, and I’ve been jobless due to a company-wide layoff last November. I feel the same despair—mainly because I’ve 2 young kids and a mortgage to pay off.”

“My wife has also quit her job to take care of our 2nd kid while I try to find work. I got a decent severance but the uncertainty in not knowing when I’m getting a new job and my wife quitting makes me worry. I try to distract myself with gym and caring for my daughter during the day while my wife serves her notice.”

Another shared, “I went through the same after getting laid off last year; that voice in your head is a liar. What helped me was treating the job search like a part-time gig and giving myself permission to exist outside work. There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s just insanely hard to get hired now.”

A third commented, “This happened to me too. Volunteering made me feel like I was contributing something every day and offering myself in service to others. It was a big confidence boost, and I made a lot of friends. I even ended up finding work through one of the connections I made.”

A fourth user added, “Hey bro. I got the same feeling as you before. I tried to keep myself occupied with the SkillsFuture courses while applying for jobs.”

In other news, a woman who has been married for 20 years confessed on social media that her husband has “never contributed financially to the household” and instead spends his money on pets such as “hamster cages, parrots, fish, and dogs.”

In an anonymous post on the NUSWhispers Facebook page, she said she married him “for love” and truly believed they “would build a life together.”

Read more: Singapore mum of three says she paid for the family for 20 years while husband spent on pets

This article (Laid-off Singaporean says he feels ‘useless’ as relentless job search yields no results) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.