'$50K in debt, no job yet, and scared I'll get rejected again cos of my credit' — 25 y/o Singaporean cries out for help
SINGAPORE: A 25-year-old Singaporean took to social media to express his worry that his poor credit score might once again stand in the way of landing a job.
Posting on the r/askSingapore forum, he shared that he has accumulated about S$50,000 in debt, largely from credit cards and personal loans. And while he has consistently made minimum payments and never defaulted, his credit score has still dropped to 'EE.'
'I've got another job interview lined up (not banking, more IT side) and not gonna lie, I'm scared. Scared they'll check my credit and reject me again,' he said. 'It's eating me up. I haven't even started work, and I already feel like it's slipping away,' he added.
The man added that ever since he was laid off in February, 'everything has been rough'—he lost his source of income, his mental health took a hit, and the debt continued to pile up.
In an effort to turn things around, he said he made several lifestyle changes.'I've been trying to fix myself, quit smoking, hit the gym again, cut off distractions, just trying to get back on my feet.' See also Confusion clouds China's social credit system
Despite these efforts, he admitted that the weight of his financial situation remains a constant source of stress.
'I just wanna know, do non-finance companies even check credit reports? Like gov, IT, healthcare sector roles? Or am I just overthinking?' he asked. 'If you've been through this or know how it works, please let me know. I just wanna make it out of this. Appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this.' 'Focus on doing well in your interview…'
In the comments, one Singaporean Redditor advised, 'Solve the root cause of your debt issue first… Bought many luxury things? Time to sell them at a small loss and get some cash back. S$50K is not a huge sum, not life-changing. Can make it back one.'
Another wrote, 'I think you worry too much, my friend. Focus on doing well in your interview. Most companies do not check credit scores except for financial institutions, especially for junior entry roles.'
A third assured him, stating, 'Private companies have no access to your credit score. You're fine. It's only a concern if you are or were bankrupt. Not sure how they would even get that info either.'
In other news, a woman was shocked to find a group of neighbours had entered her newly renovated BTO flat without her knowledge or consent. Among them were two children, a domestic helper, an elderly woman, and two other women.
According to the woman's colleague, who shared the incident on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit on Wednesday (May 28), the flat had just been fully renovated and professionally cleaned, ready for move-in. The woman and her husband had been eagerly anticipating starting their new life there, but were caught completely off guard when they turned up to find unfamiliar faces inside their home.
Read more: 'The reno worker just let them in': Woman horrified as neighbours invade her new BTO unit
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
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