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Independent Singapore
6 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
'You get to decide if you stay down or try again' — Laid off SG woman once earning S$10K/month, finds fresh start in the gig economy
SINGAPORE: After a near-death experience from a ruptured appendix in 2015 and being laid off from her corporate job of 10 years shortly after, 43-year-old Yang Baoli Florence struggled to find a job for six months. Previously, earning a monthly salary of S$10,000 even made her job search more difficult. Despite actively applying for roles across the public, government, and private sectors and her willingness to take a pay cut, she only received blunt responses that they couldn't match her previous salary and implied she wouldn't stay long. She told The Independent Singapore that HRs would tell her to 'look elsewhere' instead of 'wasting their time'. 'It was a deeply challenging period, not just professionally but personally,' Ms Yang said, sharing how she had to juggle mortgage payments and bills while feeling lost and discouraged. With few options left, she decided to get a taxi licence and is now working as a TADA driver. Ms Yang said the biggest blessing she got from entering the gig economy was the flexibility to look after her elderly parents. While she's not earning as much as her previous job, she said she makes enough to support her family, enjoys working at her pace, and doesn't need to work long hours. She also shared that simple conversations she had with her passengers allowed her to sometimes share her story and encourage them as well. Many Singaporeans have been turning to the gig economy to fill long periods of unemployment, some taking on delivery gigs or giving tuition . While many tapped into upskilling through their SkillsFuture credits, many still reported difficulty landing a job . In May, Jobstreet reported that 42% of Singapore employers are planning to expand their permanent headcount in the first half of 2025 . However, a recent report from Indeed stated that job postings fell for the fourth straight month in April —though levels remain above pre-pandemic figures. Ms Yang advised those facing similar struggles: 'Never stop learning and never be afraid to start again.' She said, 'Take a new licence, take a new course. Sometimes, it's in the trying and even failing to discover your true strengths and passions.' To her, success is defined not by title or salary, but by how far one has come. 'No matter how high you once were, life can knock you down but you get to decide if you will continue to stay down or to get back up and try again,' she added. /TISG Read also: 53-year-old retrenched Singaporean dad launches indoor air quality company after his toddler kept falling sick
CTV News
7 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Better Business Bureau warns of rising employment scams in Atlantic Canada
As many students dust off their resumes and begin searching for summer jobs or their first career positions, the Better Business Bureau in Atlantic Canada is warning them about a rise in employment scams. A 2024 risk report by the Better Business Bureau found that employment scams are the second riskiest in Canada, with a median dollar loss of $2,500. Employment scams are riskiest for people aged 18 to 44. 'Many of the employment scam victims were seeking work-from-home opportunities,' said Julia Lewis, CEO of the Better Business Bureau in Atlantic Canada, in a news release. 'As people search for flexible employment options, they need to keep in mind that not all the jobs being posted are legitimate, and remember to do their research before submitting resumes with all their personal information.' The Better Business Bureau says some employment scammers will send fake cheques with extra funds in the hope the victims will deposit the cheques and send back the excess amount before realizing the cheque has bounced. To guard against scams, the Better Business Bureau recommends: doing research on the company and the job before applying getting all details and contracts in writing not rushing into accepting job offers not providing social insurance numbers, direct deposit banking information or any private information as part of the application process More to come…
