6/28/2016

Poor Singaporeans - Another sad tale to cry about

Below are some thoughts of a Singaporean driven to despair by a thoughtless nation that don’t believe in looking after its own citizens. Why would they, would they know the pathetic tales of Singaporeans being ousted by heartless policies, regardless of nationality in employment? Why would they have time for daft Singaporeans when they are all busily counting their millions?  It makes one wonders what the fuck is a country and nation all about when citizens are sacrificed in favour of foreigners.

Those people in MOM must think responsibly, that every employment pass they issued there is one sad Singaporeans begging to be employed. Maybe the MOM is run by foreigners or new citizens who believed that foreigners deserved the jobs as they are better, regardless of nationality? How can a country, a nation, degenerate to such a state when citizens no longer matters and foreigners come first? At least half a million foreigners having better jobs not the they were better but through the stupidity of fools in charge.

And after spending a small fortune to get a university degree, hoping to give the parents a better life as a filial chlld, one ends up earning $9 a day as a temp staff, with a degree to boot.

Ask who you voted for and why you voted for them and what are they doing for you or against you. Read on. This article is in Gilbert’s www.transitioning .org blog.


Dear Counselor,

Please pardon me for my incoherent thoughts. I have just recovered from a bout of crying. I have been sleeping late and waking up late the past few weeks. If I remain unemployed… Who knows? I don’t dare to imagine my ending. To cut a long story short, I hate myself for being so STUPID. I have always been the type highly likely to end up unemployable. Now, thanks to my own stupidity, I have made myself unemployable.

I have sent out so many cover letters (customized) plus CV to various companies and job agencies so far. No news!

Thought #1: Why should I work? I want to live a meaningful life by contributing whatever God-given skills/talents/abilities that I possess to society. I want to 孝顺 my parents. I must accumulate  $$$$$ in my CPF account, otherwise I will be penniless when I am old and ill. Even if I get rid of all my expenses, I still have to pay insurance premiums. Now then I realize that earning $9/hr beats earning nothing.

Thought #2:After my A Levels, the only temp job that I managed to secure was fast food crew member. I performed so badly that I received lots of screaming/scolding and not even one single compliment. I quit after three weeks and spent the rest of my post-A Levels break volunteering every Saturday at BLAHBLAHBLAH. I love BLAHBLAHBLAH so much that I told myself that I won’t quit it unless it asks me to leave. (Yup, I’m still volunteering at BLAHBLAHBLAH.) You might be wondering why I haven’t asked any of my fellow volunteers for job opportunities and so on. Reason #1: I doubt that they are able to help. We are acquaintances, not friends. Reason #2: Pride. They are highly likely to view me as stupid and incompetent if I tell them that I’m currently unemployed.

Thought #3: During my 1st uni break, I secured a temp job through 100% luck, although my preferred explanation is that God had answered my prayers. My dad’s colleague quit her job so my dad brought me into the company as a temp while the company was busy searching for a permanent replacement. However, soon after I left, the boss revised company policy—no more 裙带关系. By the way, this company is now struggling to survive. My dad’s own rice bowl is at risk, therefore I ought to work!

Thought #4: Oh, please don’t ask me which uni I graduated from. I don’t feel like blaming my joblessness on it. Let me give you a clue… In 2011 (the year I entered uni), a girl committed suicide allegedly because she was sad that the only uni acceptance letter that she received was from this particular uni. I feel sad whenever people say that my uni teaches useless stuff. Sometimes my dad discusses work-related stuff with me. He says that my insights are good. I always tell him those good insights aren’t from me, I’m merely parroting what my uni modules have taught me.

Thought #5: During my 2nd uni break, I secured a temp job through a job agency and yet another temp job through “cold e-mailing”. I can only secure jobs through the abovementioned means because I have NO friends. I’m bullied/hated/ostracized from kindergarten till JC, no wonder I’m friendless. I 独来独往-ed in uni. (To be fair, I do have seniors/peers/juniors who were nice towards me and teachers who doted on me. My JC classmates who hated me throughout JC 1 softened their stance towards me in JC 2 without rhyme or reason and started treating me very nicely. However, I’m so traumatized by my experiences that I deleted all teachers’ and schoolmates’ contact numbers. I almost committed bullycide in primary sch and later in JC.) I have lost count of sources stating that most jobs (at least 80%) are secured through friends. I have no friends, how to secure anything good?!

Thought #6: I slacked throughout uni while slipping in and out of depression. I recovered from depression in my 3rd year, but I still slacked. Stupid me.

Thought #7: I have lots of horror stories involving counselors. However, several years ago, a call that I made to SAMH hotline restored my faith in counseling. I forgot everything that the SAMH hotline counselor told me, I only remembered that she saved me from losing my sanity completely.

Thought #8: When I was studying in uni, I was very sure that I would pursue WSQ PDECCE (Childcare) upon graduation. Stupid me. I can’t sing or dance or play sports, how to educate children in these aspects? Oh, when I applied through ABC Institute, somehow I managed to receive SMSes about job interviews but not e-mails containing the details. I found out from its staff that my e-mail address always bounces its e-mails back. Hmm, maybe God is stopping me from becoming a childcare teacher. Anyway, I was already working at XXX when this Institute contacted me. When I was temping (illegally) as a childcare assistant at one particular childcare center after “cold e-mailing” various childcare centers in my neighborhood, the most senior teacher there (plus every member of her clique) hated me to the core. The childcare center fired me for losing my temper at some of the children. You see lah, I don’t even have the aptitude to become a childcare teacher lah, so stupid.

Thought #9: I fantasize about working as an Admin Executive But I lack relevant experience, so I ought to secure an Admin Assistant position first before working my way up, right? Why no news? I suspect that one reason is that when employers see my degree, they wonder why this particular person is applying for a position that she is over-qualified for—she must be blindly spamming CVs. (I happily accepted my $9/hr six-months temp job at XXX after uni graduation because I wrongly assumed that I will be converted to perm one day and then I can start working my way up.)

Thought #10: My responsibilities at XXX were so niche that I doubt that my job there involves any transferable skill.

Thought #11: I’m very stupid. I made many mistakes at every single job that I have ever held. Let us take XXX as an example. On the surface, I exceeded targets for Quality, Productivity and Attendance every month. I was 100% punctual, lol. In reality, I was a slow learner (my OJT spanned three weeks whereas my predecessors’ OJT spanned two weeks at most) and careless. I’m so slow that the only way for me to finish my tasks within SLA (service level agreement) is to stay behind and work for free. My colleagues (especially my IC) urged me to seek clarification whenever possible to avoid more mistakes. I took their advice. My dad told me that my IC was probably secretly annoyed with me because I sought clarification from her so frequently. OMG, I want to be employed, but it seems that I’m doing society a greater favor by remaining unemployed. Why my weaknesses outnumber my strengths? For example, my handwriting sucks. It is babyish when I write slowly and illegible when I speed up.

Thought #12: I started job-hunting after my final uni exams. Two weeks later, I secured my XXX job through a job agency. ABC Institute was dreadfully slow in contacting me (as previously mentioned in Thought #8.) Several days after I accepted XXX’s offer, I declined a $1.6k offer from a 三人 (two men and one woman) company that interviewed me before XXX did. Its location was very far-flung. I was supposed to replace the woman. Once the woman has finished serving her notice period, I will be left alone with the two men. Quite dangerous. (Wow, I digressed.)

Thought #13: Even though I’m UNDER-EMPLOYED, I appreciated everything that XXX offered except the low pay. As far as I know, I think that I managed to get along with everybody in my dept. (What an achievement! I think that I even managed to get along with my fellow trainees who were subsequently deployed to various depts.) My parents urged (and my “shifu” who gave me OJT) hinted that I should job-hunt while serving my six-month contract at XXX, but I ignored them. I wrongly assumed that even if XXX doesn’t want to convert me to perm, at least it will renew my contract as a temp.

Thought #14.1: Due to automation, my dept’s workload was reduced by 66.6%. When my contract expired, I told my boss that I was interested in staying on. According to her, her boss instructed that I will continue working in my dept (and receive my $9/hr pay from the job agency) while waiting for my temp contract to be renewed three weeks from the original contract’s expiry date. I verbally accepted XXX’s decision to transfer me to some other dept (the dept having the highest turnover) once the new contract is signed.

Depressed

22 comments:

  1. U kpkb olso no use one Lah...70% dafts Sinkies had voted for the Miws..blame the 70% olso no use cos no opposition party willing to take up ownership to form a new government..that's make the 30% pathetic & can't do anything but complain..this tiny red dot had degenerate into selfish, self-centered & self-petty..more will be this shores to settle for a greener pastures..a Sexit is unlikely in SinkieLand under the Leegime..

    ReplyDelete

  2. I heard.....many many sad stories, many many are struggling day-to-day,
    many many are crying, many many are "begging" for jobs, etc etc etc....

    But..........

    Very very sorry, in 2015, 70% said OK and thank you very much sirs and madams!

    So..........

    What can you do now? You say! You say! You say!

    Sad.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Vote more new citizens into power and they will all say, regardless of nationality, jobs go to the best man. What Singaporeans? So special meh? this island belongs to everyone here, citizens or not?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Million dollar #...."y no body help 2yr old danial"

    (2yr old boy beaten to death by caregiver at blk 19

    Telok blangah HDB rental flat.gov property)

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ "hard luck" via RB:

    >> Depressed <<

    Seek medical help/ intervention immediately.

    You can't proceed until you're under some treatment regimen and on the way to recovery or at least make your condition more manageable.

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete

  6. no point crying......

    no point kpkb......

    living in this "you-die-your-business" city state is like that lah ........

    no choice no choice.........

    ReplyDelete
  7. Time for PAP-exit in GE 2020.

    ReplyDelete
  8. we r only counting down when

    To get stroke or meet car accident

    Dats all.this is a fact.

    ReplyDelete
  9. About 5-6% (which is also close to the whole world measurement) of all Singaporeans will experience DEPRESSION in their lifetimes.

    Infographic

    SOURCE---NTU Survey 2015The study was conducted by students from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information in NTU.

    FACT: Depression is highly correlated with EMPLOYMENT STATUS i.e. if you are suffering depression, chances are you will be unemployed or under-employed, which will make you more depressed, and less employable...and then you go deeper into depression...which leads to...and so on.

    So anyone who is feeling that they are "depressed", seek medical treatment immediately. At least, if for nothing else, find out for sure. Do not "self diagnose" or try and treat it yourself, or think that your pastor can "pray away" a serious mental condition which could have a chemical basis, which means you need REAL medicine and REAL medical treatment.

    Unfortunately, in Singapore childish culture, mental conditions are highly stigmatised. People suffering from a condition that could be a readily treatable chemical imbalance are "ashamed" to seek treatment because they may be judged by others to be "kookoo" or "crazy" or whatever.

    ReplyDelete
  10. "How can a country, a nation, degenerate to such a state when citizens no longer matters and foreigners come first?"
    RB

    Ya lor, and some more how can the ruling party even got 70% votes in a general election from citizens who no longer matters? How can?

    ReplyDelete
  11. @matilah

    Nothing some diazepam and Xanax cannot solve. I'll have mine with a bottle of whisky. =p

    ReplyDelete
  12. The letter of the job seeker deserved deep thoughts of how a graduate job seeker was earning temp to live for life. It will be for life if she continues to blame herself being stupid making mistakes. That was unjustified as part of the job is to make mistake.

    Anyone in hiring will tell citizen job seeker s chance is slim. . In the first few days after advertisement, there are at least hundreds of emails from pinoys, india indians, and some prc responded to the advertisement. There are offers from employment agencies.

    Then the selected mails will e redirected to the user department for evaluation.

    Why citizens are no selected? The user department are headed by foreigners. A Malaysian superior will insist to hire a malaysian, even there are NUS better choices. An india indians will insist to hire from mumbai famous unis, NUS is not famous to them.

    Can the job seeker understand the process? There are so many foreigners heading the individual departments in admin, accounts, hr marketing, and they are living with PR, or some new citizenship. Will they want to risk hiring a citizen and not Kakinan own country man?
    Then the argument comes. Male: NS. Foreigner do not need to vacate for Incamp training that needs weeks and months. No time off for ippt. Female: the foreigners heads will insist the selected can cope and foreigners will not resign so easily.

    There is no quota for Employment passes in Singapore. The cost is minimum. So the jobs for a citizen to get hire is very slim. Do not think she lives in Singapore. Think she is looking for job in a city of India or Philippines is more realistic. Supply for Employment passes is unlimited from mom, just print lah.

    What can the NUS graduates do? Keep applying may hit one out of 200 to 300 letters sent out for 1 interview. Do not expect good job in Singapore if not well connected. Whoever, priority for jobs hiring are cheaper No CPF (no trick of returning salary), No NS, and foreigners are safer for foreigner heads to hire them.

    ReplyDelete
  13. In God You trust.

    You shall never fail
    under his guidance.

    Your God will bring
    You solace.
    Let him be your saviour.

    Do not depend on other
    humans, they are
    unwholesome beings.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dun understand why one keep mentioning God when feeling depress.Likely he is here to promote his imaginary God instead.
    God help those who help themselves.
    In order to stay employable,forget about God.
    If God is powerful ,even if one is jobless ,He will bless him with striking Toto or 4D jackpot..
    If not,it could possibly be karma..likely one who betray his friends,replaces his countrymen by foreign slaves and sold out his country in his previous life.
    If not karma,the only logic could be one is choosy ,lazy with EM.
    There are many lowly botartcheh who work as cleaners,cardboard collectors but are successful business men today.
    Garmen never promise you a job just becos your are a graduate.
    9 dollar an hour very good oredi.
    Have a positive attitude.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Believing in the Imaginary to get comfort is not wrong.

      Pragmatically and practically, it is better to take Agongkia's Wisdom.
      Comfort alone does not fill the stomach.

      Delete
  15. 新国长恨诗:
    国不是国 (因为国以经是'大家'的)
    家不是家 (HDB屋子99年期满交给政府)
    人不是人 (有些人妖 LGBT)
    民不是民 (PR也算是人民?)
    主不是主 (多少人想逃国民服役)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I am not surprised by this person's inability to find a permanent job. She/he has no drive, no self respect, very insecure and very very kiasi. I wonder who she/he voted for during the last GE.

    In the kiasu/kiasi Singaporean environment which has the dog-eat-dog culture, a temp job would be the maximum this person can hope for.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Until Singaporean graduates learn to vote Opposition.
    - they will just have to expect to stay unemployed

    ReplyDelete
  18. Many in south and east europe will want to be in those whiners position. Many are temping at 2euro per hour in some countries 1000 kms away from home. They have to leave behind their families, kids, spouses in search of low paid jobs in other countries far away from home. WHining is useless, may as well invest in a skill visa and get out when it is time.

    ReplyDelete
  19. If sinkies are so cocky and so devoid of empathy for another sinkie, they deserved to be slaughter one by one. Wait for your turn to come.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Nigel Farage tells MEPs: You're not laughing now

    http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36651406
    ----------------------------

    Dear daft Singaporeans
    This is what a real democratic parliament sounds like.

    Fark Yew!

    ReplyDelete
  21. The two political rivals over Brexit
    - Jean-Claude Juncker and Nigel Farage embrace at EU parliament
    - 25 second video

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2016/jun/28/jean-claude-juncker-and-nigel-farage-embrace-at-eu-parliament-video
    ---------------------------------------
    This is how a proper democracy works.
    Nigel Farage was not jailed or sued into bankruptcy for his political views.

    ReplyDelete