Jobless and glum? Talk to us

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

Jobs top the agenda for MPs

THE job-saving measures spelt out in the Budget will draw the most attention today as the debate on the Statement begins in Parliament.

Around 50 MPs are expected to speak during the debate, with most taking their cue from the Statement delivered just over a week ago.

On Jan 22, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam had unveiled a Budget that was dominated by moves designed to save jobs by helping companies cut costs.

Mr Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio GRC), chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Finance and Trade and Industry, will likely kick off the debate.

He told The Straits Times he will focus on jobs and call for even more to be done to cut costs. 'Generally, I will come up with some suggestions of things we can do in the shorter term.'

These will include steps to enhance the lending scheme under the Special Risk-sharing Initiative to help firms get access to financing, and to make sure property tax rebates are channelled to tenants. He will also speak about the unprecedented move to dip into the reserves, but only when the Committee of Supply session begins.

The first two days of the Parliamentary sitting will focus on the Budget Statement. On Thursday, Parliament evolves into what is called a Committee of Supply to scrutinise each ministry's budget and policies. The debate is scheduled to end on Feb 13.

To get to speak on a ministry's plans, an MP tables a token cut to the Ministry's budget, which he withdraws after the minister responds to his queries. The number of cuts filed - which gives an indication of how intense the debate will be - will be made known by Wednesday.

Other MPs said they would also be raising points related to the job measures. Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC) will be asking for some ways to measure the effectiveness of the schemes unveiled. While pointing out that general feedback has been positive, she said she wanted to 'sharpen some of the bluntness' of the Budget.

'How do we ensure that effects of the various initiatives cascade down to the workers? There needs to be some assessment down the line. How do we ensure the Jobs Credit scheme will save jobs?'

Madam Ho Geok Choo (West Coast GRC) said she would raise points on how the Government could introduce schemes that impact workers more directly: for example, a temporary subsidy to help those who have lost their jobs but are saddled with medical bills.

- The Straits Times

Use government aid to save jobs

GARMENT manufacturers in Singapore have laid off about 700 workers in the past two months, as orders from the United States and Europe slow to a trickle.

With more government help on the way for businesses, officials of the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union (Siseu) have approached and urged several of them to make use of this assistance and put off shedding more workers.

Two other sectors - aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, as well as printing and publishing - are also on their radar screen.

These sectors are seeing a drop in business too, but employers are keen on investing in training or finding other ways to keep their staff, said labour MP Josephine Teo, an adviser to Siseu. She was speaking to reporters yesterday after meeting a group of workers retrenched by Chin Heng Garments Factory in Kallang Bahru.

They were attending a workshop at the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) in Bukit Merah, to prepare them mentally for training and finding a new job. The 45 workers were among about 600 employees laid off by the factory on Jan 22.

Mrs Teo said that until this downturn, garment factories had thrived on orders for small batches of clothing that clients needed to have made quickly. Many companies have also, since the 1990s, moved production to countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia where labour is cheaper, but kept an office here to handle buyers from the United States and Europe.

In this downturn, garment factories with production lines here are being forced to reassess their viability, said Mrs Teo. Four garment-makers have shed workers so far. The bulk came from Chin Heng, which shut its production line.

Commenting on ongoing discussions with one company, whose name she declined to disclose, Mrs Teo said: 'Perhaps the Jobs Credit Scheme might cause them to redo their numbers.'

She was referring to the $4.5 billion scheme that gives bosses 12 per cent on the first $2,500 of each month's wages for every resident worker on their Central Provident Fund (CPF) payroll.

The union has also been in talks with aircraft maintenance companies since the third quarter of last year, Mrs Teo said.

'They have reassured us they intend to use this period to invest in training. When they heard of Spur funding, they were very happy,' she said, referring to a government-sponsored scheme that pays part of workers' wages while they are on training as well as subsidises their training fees. It was launched last December.

One company, Turbine Overhaul Services, is sending all its workers for training. Another is looking at equipping its technicians with skills to service more types of aircraft.

Some employers in printing and publishing are thinking along the same lines, said Mrs Teo, citing a printing company that invested in machinery with many features that have not been fully exploited. It intends to train its workers to use these features to produce work of better quality than its competitors, she added.

For those who are retrenched, e2i has more than 6,000 immediate vacancies, Mrs Teo noted. But workers may lack the requisite skills for these jobs, or they may reject these jobs for not paying enough.

The recent move to top up the incomes of low-wage workers with a special Workfare payout will make such jobs more attractive, she said.

She noted that the jobs may also be contract jobs for which bosses may not pay their CPF contribution: 'Through the Jobs Credit scheme, we hope to encourage employers to view these jobs in a different light, pay CPF so that they can gain the cash grant provided by the Government.'

Ms Lee Sow Leng, a former seamstress at Chin Heng, said she would be glad to land a job that pays about $1,000.

Said Ms Lee, 53, in Mandarin: 'I've been tailoring clothes for 23 years and haven't done much else. I hope to learn some English and work as a cashier.'

- The Straits Times

Union leaders say retrenched workers need to manage job expectations

With more retrenchments expected after the post-festive period, union leaders said they will do their best to help those affected. But they stressed that workers need to approach the job market with an open mind to increase their chances of getting hired.

Some workers who lost their jobs last month attended their first day of a week-long retraining course, from February 2 to 9, which will prepare them for jobs in other industries.

The customised course is fully subsidised by the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and will provide these workers with career advice as well.

However, unionists said that workers must also learn to manage their expectations in the new job.

Josephine Teo, executive secretary, SISEU, said: "There is the expectations gap, which means that the workers can do the job but they find that the terms and conditions of those jobs may not be acceptable to them.

"For example, the pay could be too low and after deducting their expenses, they may find that it's not possible for them to take those jobs."

Although unionists are expecting a slump in the number of manufacturing jobs available, they are predicting an increase in job opportunities in the service sector.

The e2i currently has more than 6,000 immediate vacancies available in their jobs database.

Despite more retrenchments expected after the Lunar New Year, workers can look forward to more help. The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) will be doubling the number of training places from 110,000 to 220,000 under the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) to retrain workers.

- Channel News Asia

Paper qualifications may not be all to landing a job

SHE turned up for a job interview with a GI Jane haircut. Others wore tops with plunging necklines or mini-skirts. Worse, some have overslept and shown up late for an interview.

Given the current volatile job market, possessing the right paper qualifications may not be enough to get that job.

Human resource consulting firms told The New Paper on Sunday that while many young Singaporeans possess some of the best qualifications, some are clueless about basic etiquette during interviews.

Indeed, as many as eight out of 10 commit some form of gaffe during their interviews, said job consultants.

Ms Agnes Koh, 38, an etiquette and image consultant, said she has had clients with first class honours who have no idea on how to present themselves at interviews.

One woman with a degree in business marketing showed up with a crew cut.

Not suitable

Said Ms Koh: 'I told her the GI Jane hairstyle was not suitable at job interviews.

'She wasn't upset, but said it was her personal style. However, she agreed to grow her hair a bit longer and project a more feminine appearance.'

Added Ms Koh: 'Some of them are academically inclined and studious to the point that they overlook aspects of their dressing and lack social skills.'

Miss Claris Liew, a personnel consultant in her 20s, recalled one candidate who showed up for an interview in 2007 with his eyes red and bleary.

'I asked him a question and to my surprise, he had fallen asleep right in front of me,' she said.

'I called him a few of times but he did not wake up until I raised my voice.'

He apologised and explained that he was moving house and it went on late into the night.

An area manager in a recruitment firm, Miss Joyce Lim, also in her 20s, remembered one woman with an 'out of this world and truly unforgettable' dress sense.

Miss Lim recalled: 'Her blouse had all sorts of buttons and safety pins, each in a different design. Worse, her skirt was torn. It was a very weird and mismatched interview outfit.'

Miss Yue Yin Mun, 42, a strategic accounts director with Adecco Personnel Pte Ltd, said that she has seen all sorts of job seekers in her 19 years in the recruitment industry.

Said Miss Lim: 'Some show up for their screening interview at our company dressed in denim mini-shorts and tank-tops. Others turn up with big shopping bags.'

She revealed that often the assessment of the candidate may not begin in the interview room, but from the moment he or she steps into the office.

'We do check with our receptionist on the behaviour of the job candidate. Some are rude to the receptionist, but treat the interviewer differently,' she said.

'But in hiring personnel, especially in the service industry, we are looking for candidates who treat everyone with equal respect.'

Going overboard

Miss Lim noted that while more candidates these days do prepare for their interviews, some go overboard by using 'model answers'.

She said: 'I have come across candidates who often describe themselves as 'friendly', 'enthusiastic' and 'lively'. These are common answers to questions on their personality.

'But when you see them in person, their personalities do not reflect these qualities.

'While it is important to be yourself, you should not appear too relaxed.'

She also recalled how a candidate kept swinging in a swivel chair throughout the interview.

'When my colleague asked her if she was nervous, she replied 'No, the chair is very nice', and continued to swing from side to side,' said Miss Yin.

Cover letters and resumes also matter in making an impression.

Said Mr Josh Tan, a senior manager with recruitment firm The GMP Group: 'The most common mistake by most job seekers is sending the same resume to all employers regardless of the job positions.'

Not tailoring resumes to the requirements of the advertised job shows that the candidate either has a lack of understanding of what is required for the job or could not be bothered to put in the extra effort, he said.

Tips for Job Seekers

1. Dress appropriately. Wear dark or neutral colours. For women, do wear light neutral makeup and dress in office attire with knee-length skirts. For men, invest in a good white shirt and dark-coloured tie. Do not wear white socks.

2. Do read up about the company and position you are applying for.

3. Do give a firm handshake, and do not slouch in the chair.

4. Be at least 15 minutes early for the job interview. This will give you time to fill in any forms and familiarise yourself with the surroundings.

5. Do make copies of your relevant certificates and documents to hand to the interviewer.

- The New Paper

Layoffs acceptable when...

IF COMPANIES are at risk of collapsing even after taking cost-cutting measures and getting grants from the Government to keep workers, the labour movement will accept retrenchment as a last resort, said labour chief Lim Swee Say yesterday.
Losing two or three jobs out of 10 was preferable to losing all the jobs should a company be forced to close, the secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) added.

Mr Lim, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, said: 'It's not possible for us to convince every company not to retrench, we have to be realistic...We accept that for some companies, retrenchment is inevitable.'

These would be companies that had first taken steps to cut non-wage costs before moving on to wage cuts, and then, despite new Budget measures, still remain in dire straits, he said.

Mr Lim cited Chartered Semiconductor as an example of such a company. It had already cut wages by 5 to 20 per cent, and last week, announced it would lay off 600 workers.

Madam Halimah Yacob, executive secretary of the United Workers of Electronic and Electrical Industries, had disclosed last Saturday that five other semiconductor companies planned to retrench a total of 1,000 workers after Feb 9, the last day of the Chinese New Year period.

Yesterday, Mr Lim said: 'We have been working with these companies since November, to cut costs and save jobs, and we have come to the same conclusion as these companies, that some level of retrenchment is unavoidable.'

However, with the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or Spur, the companies have agreed to train the workers first before laying them off so that they have a a better chance of getting another job, he said.

But other companies should not take advantage of these cases and use retrenchment as an easy way out to cut costs, Mr Lim cautioned.

'Globally, so many companies are retrenching workers. My own sense is, many are cutting jobs to save costs.

'But this is not the Singapore approach. We cut costs to save jobs,' Mr Lim told reporters after a dinner to mark the end of the nine-day River Hongbao Festival at the Marina Bay Floating Platform.

- The Straits Times

How trust saved 30 jobs in two companies

ABOUT 30 jobs were at risk two weeks ago when two plastic manufacturers, facing reduced demand, wanted to retrench their workers.

Officials of the Chemical Industries Employees' Union (CIEU) got wind of it and suggested they opt for a shorter work-week as a cost-cutting measure instead.

Initially, they made no headway with the companies' human resource officers. But when the unionists went to the bosses, they were pleasantly surprised.

The union's suggestion was accepted.

CIEU president Rajendran Govindarajoo related this story to The Straits Times yesterday, to show how unions and management need to work and communicate even more closely in this recession.

He was reinforcing a point labour chief Lim Swee Say made in his speech during the National Trades Union Congress' annual Workplan Seminar.

Mr Lim, NTUC's secretary-general, urged companies and unions to be more pro-active in engaging one another and not to jeopardise the existing mutual trust which would take years to rebuild.

He recounted how he had to intervene in one negotiation because the company's management did not want a meeting with the unionists to discuss its performance and ways to tackle the slump.

Said Mr Lim, who did not name the company and union involved: 'The management told the union: 'Sorry, the situation is changing so fast that anything I tell you today will be outdated tomorrow, so no point talking'.'

Mr Lim spoke to its chairman, who said his management should have kept the union in the loop. But such behaviour is inevitable, the labour chief added, as some would 'get it wrong', because they fear what they tell the union now would be held against them later.

'But hopefully many companies and unions will get it right. We must talk to each other, uphold trust and make sure that tripartism here remains the most united tripartism model in the world.'

Agreeing, managing director Lee Wee Koon, 55, said his company, Hitachi Chemical Singapore, updates unionists weekly on its performance.

The firm makes printer circuit boards and employs 1,100 workers, who are members of the United Workers of Electronic and Electrical Industries union.

Mr Lee also meets union officials every month, encourages them to call him on urgent matters and tells them in advance of any measure to be introduced. He said: 'With such regular communication, even when business is changing rapidly, if the union officials are in tune with our situation, they will be very supportive.'

While most of the 1,000 unionised companies here have frequent dialogues with union leaders, the non-unionised sector remains an area of concern, Mr Lim told reporters later.

He urged their human resource department to step up communication so that their workers have a clear understanding of the companies' performance and management, of the workers' anxieties.

The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI), however, does not think there is a communication problem between bosses and workers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the non-unionised sector.

Up to 80 per cent of its 4,000 members are SMEs, mostly non-unionised.

Said the SCCCI's secretary-general, Mr Lim Sah Soon: 'If there is no business, the employees can immediately feel it...it's also difficult for these SME bosses to hide information.'

He also said Chinese companies tend to treat their workers well, with some even looking after their staff's family.

'That's why a lot of their workers stick with them their whole life, unlike in big companies.'

- The Straits Times