Nobody likes to be unemployed. However, in these uncertain times, the news of losing one’s job always takes us by surprise. When that happens, take a deep breath and start preparing for the new life (and challenges) ahead!
Take a Break
If you had been working hard for many years before being laid off, you really deserve a break! This could be one of the rare times when you can rest well without phone calls from panicky colleagues who just can’t do without you for a day!
During that time, you can spend quality time with your family and do stuff that you enjoyed, but didn’t have time to spare. Who knows, you might find a new passion that you can work on?
Do a Self Assessment
During your break, log on to https://www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/content/portal/en/assessment/landing.html and take a self assessment to see how you stand in the industry.
The portal will then show you what opportunities there are according to your self assessment results, as well as provide the latest industry insights to help you understand the environment for your upcoming career.
Additionally, based on your career aspirations, the portal will also recommend courses that you can take to prepare for your next job. As expected, these courses are all SSG approved, so Singaporeans and PRs will receive up to 90% course fee subsidies depending on your age and the sector the course belongs to.
The career assessment is part of the MySkillsFuture online portal. Find out how you can tap on MySkillsFuture to chart the next steps of you career with the article below.
Career Management Services
When you feel like you’re ready to restart, take half a day to drop by the nearest career coaching centre, where you can:
- Explore future career options;
- Obtain updated insights into the industry you want to continue your career;
- Get coaching on how to draft your resume and prepare for the job interview;
- Develop a career plan;
- Access to other career matching services, etc
There are 2 established and credible agencies when it comes to providing holistic career management services:
- Careers Connect by WSG
- NTUC e2i
Careers Connect by WSG
WSG is the leading agency to ensure that the local workforce and industry can adapt to the economic challenges now and in the future. It provides a suite of services like career fairs (which are now held virtually due to the current pandemic situation), training and career guidance.
One of the highlights of WSG’s services are Careers Connect. These are one-stop career management centres for Singaporeans to get career related advice and assistance. WSG’s Careers Connect are located at:
- Paya Lebar (Lifelong Learning Institute)
- Tampines (Our Tampines Hub)
- Woodlands (Woodlands Civic Centre)
For introverted job seekers, Careers Connect’s services can also be accessed via their online resource portal that is available anywhere, anytime.
WSG’s Careers Connect WSG’s Career Ambassadors are also available at the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centre (SGUJSC), which are located at 24 community clubs around Singapore.
NTUC-e2i
NTUC-e2i has 2 career centres – in Jurong and Toa Payoh – that also help job seekers enhance their employability, find a job and receive guidance on how to put together everything for a coordinated approach towards snagging a job.
e2i’s users would also be able to access NTUC’s wide range of training and assistance, which is an added advantage over WSQ’s Careers Connect.
Research on industry
Finding out more about the industry of the job that you are interested in will come in handy for the career planning and job interview process.
Imagine being a hiring manager who has a pool of over 100 candidates for the position he’s hiring, and all of these candidates have similar skills and work experience. What will set him/her apart from the competition? Well, will you be more impressed with someone who took the effort to research the latest developments in the industry and the company?
In this day and age, having a positive attitude is one of the key aspects that the hiring manager look out for. Being well-researched in the sector you are interested in will place you in a more favourable position.
Similarly, knowing what skills you need to acquire (and comparing that with what you already have) will help you pace your job search process. Attending upskilling courses will be a more effective use of time compared to mindlessly searching and applying for jobs.
Upskilling & Networking
Other than keeping your skills up to date, attending training also exposes you to your competition (find out what kind of people are fighting with you for the same position). You also get to engage with experts in the field, a.k.a your trainer, and expand your network. You’ll never know what referrals or job insights your professional network might get you!
Upskilling is also easy on the wallet. Other than the SSG subsidies mentioned above, NTUC members also get to defray their training cost further with UTAP.
Industry associations, like the IBF, also fund courses to help workers in their sectors keep their capabilities on the cutting edge. This is also where maintaining a good network will come in handy!
The best way to start searching for courses to take will be SSG’s Training Exchange portal: https://www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/content/portal/en/training-exchange/course-landing.html
Build Your Resume – LinkedIn & Skills Passport
Though most career coaches would cover this, it is better to start working on crafting your resume as soon as possible. LinkedIn is an online and “flexible” resume that the modern jobseeker must build and maintain.
Traditional resumes are still relied heavily upon by Singapore companies, but it still has its limitations. For one, the exposure is low – only companies that you apply for may see your resume, and that is if your application get through the Applicants Tracking System (ATS).
Secondly, you would have included a personal contact number or email in your traditional resume, which means that you can’t be circulating your resume indiscriminately without running the risk of being bombarded by unscrupulous telemarketers (who have many means to get those personal info, including setting up fake hiring adverts). This makes LinkedIn an ideal alternative to traditional resumes.
90% of employers research on hiring candidates. Maintaining a good online presence through LinkedIn should be your priority.
Granted, Singapore companies aren’t that active by recruiting through LinkedIn, but it is still one of the best places to showcase your past work experience and skills. Interested employers can – and will – research on you and LinkedIn is one of those places they will look at. Additionally, employers who are actively hiring may also send an invite in your LinkedIn inbox to apply for their job vacancies. This means job searching is now working both ways and you get to put yourself out there without risking your privacy.
LinkedIn also has the ability to showcase the digital badges of courses that you completed. However, you can also maintain your skills history through SSG’s MySkillsFuture Skills Passport. Not only are your educational certificates (think: GCE “O” levels and polytechnic diplomas) already loaded there complete with blockchain technology, you can also upload other course certificates that you have obtained throughout your career.
Skills Passport is also linked to MyCareersFuture, which is a job search portal managed by WSG. This means that employers of jobs you applied to will be able to view your skills history as updated in your Skills Passport. Read more about how you can unlock your job possibilities with Skills Passport through the article:
Don’t Burn the Bridge
Sometimes, being asked to leave a job may be a sudden and shocking event. That does not give you the right to hurl insults at your previous employer. Burning bridges is especially taboo in a small, intimate country like Singapore.
More importantly, many companies are letting go of employees due to the tough business climate. When conditions improve, companies will prefer to hire back ex-employees who are familiar with the company culture and processes. The chances of them re-hiring those who left on bad terms will be close to zero!
Parting Words
Receiving a notice to leave the company is devastating. This is especially so if you have devoted a great part of your life to the job! Instead of drowning yourself in sorrow, give yourself a deserved break while looking within and around you to plan for your next steps.
There are many career guidance services in Singapore, the most notable ones being from WSG’s Careers Connect and NTUC-e2i, both of which are established agencies with a strong portfolio of complementary services and resources.
Of course, any external help will be fruitless without building oneself from within. Making sure your skills are up-to-date and building a professional network is a crucial link in regaining employability.
Till then, stay optimistic!
References & Sources:
WSG (Career Matching Services): https://www.wsg.gov.sg/career-services.html
SSG (MySkillsFuture): https://www.myskillsfuture.gov.sg/
NTUC-e2i: https://e2i.com.sg/
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