TWO friends who know first-hand what it's like to be unemployed, now want to help others in the same boat.
Mr Terence Tay, in his late 40s, has not held a full-time job since 2002. And certified counsellor Gilbert Goh, 47, was previously unemployed for about 20 months between 2003 and 2005.
The two men have recently started a website - www.transitioning.org - to help the unemployed network, find emotional support and get work.
Said Mr Goh, now a teacher at a private school: 'The unemployment situation seems set to get worse, and there will be many people who will be hit with morale and psychological problems, on top of financial woes.
'We hope to form a support group through the site, offer online counselling to those going through difficult times, and eventually get employers to publicise job openings online.'
The site, which was started only last week, will be officially launched in late February, said Mr Goh. It cost the two friends a few hundred dollars each to set up.
For both men, surviving unemployment had not been easy. Mr Tay quit his job as a bank officer in 2002 because he was then facing 'personal family problems'. He was then taking home more than $100,000 a year.
For the next five years, he survived by trading in the stock market and other investments, but his ventures eventually failed when the market crashed.
Mr Tay, who is an engineer by training, has been spending the past six months looking for full-time jobs in engineering and banking.
Said Mr Tay, who has three children below 15: 'I'm willing to settle for less than half of what I was earning in the finance sector previously, but it's still difficult and demoralising.
'Employers in engineering say I don't have sufficient experience in the field, while those in banking say I've been unemployed for too long.'
Mr Tay said he has been surviving on his savings. His wife has also been working part-time as an administrative officer.
He got to know Mr Goh through an online forum when he was looking for a job in December last year.
Said Mr Goh: 'We started chatting online and realised we had similar experiences. That was when the idea for the website started.'
Mr Goh was previously an insurance agent, earning up to $6,000 a month. He left his job for further studies, and returned in 2003, but could not find a job for almost two years.
He recalled: 'Back then, my expectations were too high. I was looking for work that would pay me the same as what I was previously earning. That's why it was tough.'
For six months, Mr Goh, who is married with a 15-year-old daughter, was depressed and refused to leave his home. He was irritable and often argued with his family members.
It was through the support of friends and family that he eventually snapped out of his depression.
He decided to make a career switch. He got a diploma in psychology at a private school, and became a certified counsellor. He settled for about half of his last-drawn salary, and joined a voluntary welfare organisation here in 2005.
He left the social service sector in 2007 for a teaching position in China.
He returned to Singapore last year for a teaching position at a private school. He now earns about $4,000 a month.
Said Mr Goh: 'People who are unemployed for long periods will face morale and esteem problems.
'And in these hard times, there will be an increasing number of white collar workers who will be hit.'
The website currently offers the latest economic news, tips on how to manage finances and interview skills, and a forum to network.
Those facing emotional problems can also e-mail a volunteer counsellor for advice. The site's founders hope to eventually get employers onboard to publicise job openings.
Said Mr Goh: 'We want people who lose their jobs to know that they are not alone. There are people out there who can help them, and get them back on their feet.'
- The New Paper
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