12/16/2006

plight of the unwanted talents

The unwanted talents I was talking to a cab driver last week. He was only 46, a NUS business graduate. Lost his job and could not find any and was resigned to driving a cab for $3k a month. He knew that no one will want to employ him anymore as he had tried and tried to be reemployed. In the Straits Times today, several pages were devoted to the issues of the unwanted talents. These are highly qualified, highly experienced and matured professionals, all ended unemployed or underemployed, disenchanted, disgrunted, ego deflated and life shattered. And yes, our country is crying for more foreign talents to replace them, that we have no talents and no experienced professionals and managers. And yes, our qualified people are leaving our shores and we need to replace them with foreigners. What is the problem? No problem at all. Can't see any problem. It is all globalisation's fault and nothing can be done about it. It is so pathetic and depressing to see these once high flyers who are now willing to earn half or one third of their income, maybe less, begging to be employed. We don't have jobs for them? Bullshit! There are many jobs waiting to be filled or filled by people who don't need them or did not have the time for them. We have a few super talents hogging on many jobs and pretending to be working and effective, but in reality, going through the motion as the multiple jobs they are handling are beyond them. That's why shits are piling up everywhere. Just take the occupation of company independent directors will do. There are something like 700 companies listed in the Stock Exchange and each requires the services of at least 2 independent directors. But many of these positions are filled by duplicates or people who either cannot do the job or do not have the time to do it. Indepedent directors can be a profession by itself for the lost talents who have acquired a wealth of experience through their working life. Then the multi tasking that have gone crazy and people ended up with 10 or 20 hats. This is another bullshit in our system. 2 or 3 hats may be just the maximum that an able person can handle, and still stressing him out. More than that, I can only think of one person being capable of doing it. He must be omnipresence, omni conscience and untiring and undying. If there is conscious effort to create more decent and highly qualified jobs for the experienced professionals, there are many ways. Manage the appointments of independent directorship and cut down on multi tasking, and we will have created some extra jobs to go around. Provided those with a big fat pension are not allowed to say I want also. I almost forgot that this multi tasking thing went down to the middle or lower professional level too, making people doing several jobs at the same time without understanding that at the lower level they are definitely not super talents and would not have the talent to do them. One man or woman only has 8 or 10 hours a day to work. Beyond that he/she is working to his own death unless he/she is cheating all the way, without doing his/her fair share of the load.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Get real, redbean. If you were in their position would you want to give up those plum director's posts with all the perks that come with it ? If these unwanted talent are really worth their salt, they'd be exploring opportunities beyond the red stinkhole. Many others including myself have done that. If they choose to stay within their own comfort zone but can only land a taxi driver's job, then they shouldn't complain. That's the price they pay for being in their comfort zone.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

you are right. if i am in their position, i will hang on tightly come what may and grab as much as i can.

i too am human and i don't profess to be otherwise. that is looking at it from a personal angle.

but managing a country, one has to look at the overall good of country and nation. decisions that can eventually destroy the nation have to be highlighted. not everyone can battle out there in foreign land. if one is having trouble battling at local tuft, the chances of success out there is going to be less.

and battling at local tuft with chips stacked against them will weaken our social fabric and the rationale to be a people of a nation. the citizens standing together will form a strong foundation to hold the nation together. when the bond is weak, the glue as they called it, then it will disintegrated at the slightest pressure or a small crisis.

Anonymous said...

Everyone is born with the same God-given brain. The only differentiating factor is one's drive and determination to succeed. Many of the over-40s un or under employed Singaporeans have successfully found a new lease of life in other booming economies overseas. If we can do it, so can others. It may be tough trying to fight on a foreign turf, but between that and continue being un or under employed in Singapore, with mounting bills to pay by the day, don't you think the choice is pretty clear ?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i really wish someone like shu min could reply to this. i think she would be able to put her ideas across more sharply and clearer.

Anonymous said...

In other words, you don't have an answer. I rest my case.