Latest news with #rAskSingapore
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
'$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)
Independent Singapore
5 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Singapore jobseeker plans to pause job hunt after 6 months of rejections
SINGAPORE: After nearly six months of sending out résumés and sitting through dead-end interviews, one mid-level finance manager in Singapore is planning to hit pause on his job hunt for the rest of the year. Posting on the r/askSingapore forum on Friday (May 30), the man shared that he had sent out 'lots of applications' since January but received very few interviews in return. Those that he did get, he said, 'led nowhere.' 'I thought I was gonna land a job… and for the amount of applications I sent, I don't think I got a lot of interviews even,' he wrote. Frustrated, he said, 'I'm going to stop looking for a new job if I can't find one by (the) end of June and start again next year. Who else has also given up job hunting this year?' 'Keep going and keep trying; that's the only way to get out of the tunnel…' Under his post, many users expressed that they understood where his frustration was coming from, having been in similar situations themselves. Despite that, they still encouraged him to keep applying and not give up entirely. See also How Exactly Is Entrepreneurship Changing The Workforce? To motivate him, one user shared, 'Don't give up. Last December, after four to five months of searching, I landed what I thought was my dream job. However, I didn't pass probation due to a company restructuring. After a short break, I started a three-month part-time contract in April through my network. Amazingly, just two weeks into that, I received another job offer!' Another commented, 'Got terminated in January. Landed a new job this week. Sent roughly 150 applications on MCF, five interviews, and three offers. Keep trying; don't give up. The job market isn't great, not gonna lie.' A third said, 'I got retrenched in mid-March. Started spamming job applications from the moment I got escorted out of my former office. Lost count of how many applications I submitted or how many interviews I attended, but I got my first offer (a decent one) in late April, accepted it, and started work in mid-May.' A fourth user added, 'This job market is tough; it really takes a toll on one's mental health. Keep going and keep trying; that's the only way to get out of the tunnel.' See also Filipino K-pop fans accuse Shopee of scam over girl group meeting In other news, a man turned to Reddit on Thursday (May 22) to ask Singaporeans whether financial independence and early retirement, also known as FIRE, is realistically achievable without drawing a monthly income of S$10,000. In his post on the r/singaporefi forum, the man explained that he had recently been exploring FIRE-related content and was feeling increasingly discouraged. He observed that many of the examples and advice came from the U.S., where home prices tend to be lower and average incomes are significantly higher compared to Singapore. Read more: Man asks if FIRE is possible in Singapore without earning S$10k/month Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Independent Singapore
22-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Woman claims company pressured staff into faking feedback for anonymous survey
SINGAPORE: A woman has raised concerns about whether some workplaces in Singapore are indirectly pressuring employees to give only positive feedback, even during so-called 'anonymous' surveys. On Wednesday (May 21), she shared her experience on the r/askSingapore forum. According to her post, staff were asked to participate in an organisation-wide feedback survey, which was promoted as being anonymous. Initially, she thought it was a genuine effort by management to hear employees' voices. However, several weeks after the survey was completed, the head of her unit told the team that their department's director had been singled out for receiving the most negative feedback across the organisation. Following that, staff were instructed to redo the survey. This time, although management still claimed it was anonymous, the woman said the atmosphere had already shifted—many felt like their responses were being tracked. Then came another surprise: they were told to complete the survey a third time, but now with their full names written clearly on the form. 'We had to redo it yet again, but with our names clearly written. The excuse, if I remember it correctly, was that if anyone was unhappy about it, then they should talk it out.' Understandably, the woman shared that no one felt comfortable being honest anymore. She admitted that she, along with her colleagues, ended up giving overly positive responses just to avoid being singled out or seen as a troublemaker. Curious if this was normal in other companies, she asked the community, 'Does your workplace indirectly force you to feedback nice things?' 'If you give bad news, you will be fired.' Surprisingly, many Singaporean Redditors jumped into the conversation to share that they had gone through similar experiences at their own workplaces. While their companies often emphasised the importance of honest and constructive feedback, several users felt there was always a subtle pressure to only say positive things, especially when it came to reviewing higher-ups. See also A bootstrapped startup's guide to hiring a digital marketing pro One Redditor commented, 'All corporate feedback is the same, whether it is in SG or overseas. It's only for show. If you disagree with the ExCO leadership and direction, please look for another company that is more aligned with your values. It's wayang just to say they are a progressive and transparent company. PS, they also know who the troublemakers are, who constantly question their direction. Good luck, slaves.' Another shared a more extreme example: 'We were locked in a room and forced to admit who gave the director a below-average review. Everyone knows these anonymous feedback forms are IQ tests.' A third simply said, 'If you give bad news, you will be fired.' A fourth added, 'The rice bowl is only iron when you polish your boss's one till it's shiny and rustproof.' In other news, a desk-bound employee took to social media to share her confusion and frustration after facing backlash from upper management for taking leave on a Friday and travelling over the weekend, despite not being officially scheduled to work. See also M17 Entertainment raises US$25M for R&D and more In her detailed post on a local forum, the employee explained that she holds a standard 9-to-5 weekday job that does not involve shift work or regular weekend duties. However, due to the nature of the role, the team often works a few hours during the final weekend of each month to meet deadlines. Read more: Employee gets 'heat from the higher management' for travelling on her weekend day off Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Independent Singapore
13-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Singaporean asks why he still feels ‘empty' despite having a well-paying job with decent working conditions
- Advertisement - SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man shared on social media that despite finally landing a well-paying job with decent working conditions, he continues to feel an overwhelming sense of emptiness and disconnection from his career. In a post on the r/askSingapore forum, he reflected on his past work experiences, explaining that he had never managed to stay in one job for very long. For years, he believed it was simply because none of the roles were the right fit, comparing the process to searching for a life partner — something he hoped to eventually find and 'commit to for the long term.' Now, he has secured a job that seems ideal on the surface. His salary is the highest he has ever received, his work environment is supportive, and his colleagues treat him with kindness and respect. The only downside is the occasional unpredictable late-night call due to the company's global operations, with meetings sometimes scheduled as late as midnight. Still, he considers this a minor inconvenience and says he has already adapted to the irregular hours. Yet despite everything appearing to fall into place, he admits that a lingering void remains. - Advertisement - 'It feels like there's been a really deep void I've never filled. I don't think a perfect job will cut it either, but I don't know how everyone else copes with it. Friends, I ask, tell me a job is a means to an end so we can travel, go to events overseas, and make memories; but the thing is, I don't really care about those either,' he wrote. 'Other colleagues advise me to reflect on my goals or things I want to achieve personally, which are aligned with the place I work at. Gave it a good thought; the crossover isn't huge. I'm just not meant for the corporate world either, which is a huge embarrassment to the definition of ambition. In the end, I don't know where this is going, but it's kind of the point of a void. For me, I'm in a dark and senseless place without a glimpse of light,' he continued. At the end of his post, the man asked the local community, 'Does everyone have a void your career can't fill? I only want to ask if this is quite the reality for more people than I realise. Am I supposed to grow up?' 'Your career isn't supposed to fill everything.' In the discussion thread, many Singaporeans empathised with the man's situation, sharing that they, too, have experienced feeling this 'unexplainable void' at some point in their lives. - Advertisement - One individual wrote, 'This is a problem a lot of people face. I think especially Singaporeans face. My sister faced the same problem. Then she started drinking every day. She's well off in her 30s. But she's unemployed, looking for the perfect role. My advice is to start volunteering if you can. Travel out of Singapore more. Discover different ways of living and cultures. Find old or new hobbies. Football, tennis, badminton, or rock climbing. Stop saving as much money. Spend a bit more.' Another commented, 'This was exactly how I used to feel from when I was a fresh grad up till maybe late 20s. I don't have such thoughts these days, probably because I managed to switch into a different work function, and I enjoy it a lot more than my previous work function. Maybe try and see if you can make some changes vs what you're doing right now so it's not too big a change and you have something to fall back on just in case things don't work out.' A third said, 'Your career isn't supposed to fill everything. It just became more stark to me as I grew older and out of some relationships, and I'm grappling with the void, too. For me, I am taking some time to rest and while I have a demanding job, I tell myself that the world is not going to end if I don't meet expectations and I need to anchor myself back to what's important – i.e. me, what I need, what I want and look forward to.' - Advertisement - Why work can feel unfulfilling According to career experts, these could be some of the reasons you're feeling unfulfilled at work: Every day feels the same. For one, your role may lack intellectual or creative stimulation. When every day feels like a loop of repetitive tasks, it's easy for the mind to drift into autopilot and the spirit to disengage. A job that doesn't challenge you can quietly wear you down over time. There's no room to grow. Without a clear path forward or meaningful development opportunities, even a good job can start to feel like a dead end. You feel unseen. You might be giving your all, but if no one notices, it can feel like shouting into a void. Many people lose enthusiasm when their ideas or efforts aren't acknowledged. You don't get a say. A rigid work environment can also contribute to the problem. Having little say over your schedule, tasks, or methods can leave you feeling trapped, even when the job itself seems manageable. You feel alone. Humans thrive on connection, and when work offers little room for meaningful interaction or camaraderie, the resulting isolation can leave a significant emotional void. Career experts say that when you reflect on these reasons, it may help you better understand your own experience and decide whether a shift in role, environment or mindset could make a meaningful difference. Read also: 'Do you check your helper's luggage on her last day of employment?' — Maid's employer seeks advice Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
