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Independent Singapore
04-08-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
‘Don't skimp on soft skills': Singaporean highlights key to staying competitive in today's job market
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man recently shared his views on why many young job seekers are struggling in today's competitive job market. In his post on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit, he said that a lot of locals nowadays focus too much on developing their hard skills while completely ignoring their soft skills. This, he believes, is costing them valuable professional opportunities. 'If you are currently a developer, for example, being technically skilled and kicking ass at LeetCode is, frankly speaking, going to get you nowhere,' he said. 'Let's be honest, you are never going to outbid the foreigner with your technical abilities if what both of you generate is a static output.' He then encouraged young locals to improve their communication skills by speaking more clearly, softening strong or unclear accents, and strengthening their bilingual abilities. Picking up a third language, he said, could also give them a competitive edge, especially in client-facing roles or global companies. He added, 'Learning how to hold a conversation and being good with people will reward you far better with regard to your future career path.' See also 8 soft skills that can make you rich — for life '[And] present yourself more confidently, even if you have to fake it. Do these things well and target more client-facing-oriented jobs. Since these roles essentially represent the face of the company, they are much less incentivized to let a foreigner do them. Don't skimp on soft skills.' 'Singaporeans should not be forced to compete with the entire world for jobs in their own country.' His post sparked a lively discussion among Reddit users, many of whom agreed that soft skills remain undervalued in both Singapore's education system and its professional landscape. One user, who shared that they've worked for over 20 years across small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and multinational corporations (MNCs), said, 'I totally agree with you. The problem, unfortunately, is that soft skills aren't something that is easily and readily learnable in a pinch,' they wrote. 'Sure, if you make a conscious effort, you can get better at it, but the best way to cultivate it is from young, while children are at school and learning to interact with their peers and teachers. Too bad MOE (Ministry of Education) only chooses to focus on technical skills, which, as you pointed out, will always be a race to the bottom when comparing with our other Asian neighbours.' Another commented, 'Yup—there's always someone who can do hard skills for less money in Vietnam or India. Yes, people may argue that it may likely be of less quality, but that doesn't matter—if a company can hire five people in country X for the same price as one person in SG, then they'll go with the five.' However, not everyone was on board with this line of thinking. Some users pushed back against the idea that Singaporeans need to constantly adapt just to keep up. One wrote, 'Sorry, but Singaporeans should not be forced to compete with the entire world for jobs in their own country. I am against the current trend of cheapening labour (and hence people) and voted accordingly in the recent election.' In other news, a local employer took to social media to express her frustration after discovering that her domestic helper had been spending most of her time on social media instead of fulfilling her duties at home. Posting anonymously in the Facebook group 'Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid/Domestic Helper' on Tuesday (July 29), the woman shared that she had reviewed footage from her home's CCTV system and was shocked by what she saw. Read more: 'What to do? Please help' — Employer frustrated after learning maid spends 80% of her time on social media
Independent Singapore
23-06-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
Singaporean says he's not having kids due to high cost of living and climate change: 'Don't see much hope for this world'
SINGAPORE: With climate change worsening and the cost of living rising, some young Singaporeans are starting to question whether having children still makes sense. One man recently shared his personal reasons for choosing to stay child-free, sparking a wider conversation online. Posting on the r/SingaporeRaw subreddit on Sunday (June 22), he explained that he has been leaning towards not having children due to various concerns, including climate change, financial pressures, and the rapid rise of AI and automation. He noted that each year brings new temperature records, and the effects of global warming are becoming more obvious. At the same time, advancements in technology have made job security feel less certain, even for skilled workers. 'Basically don't see much hope for this world. Those people who keep saying environmental factor is not a concern you are too shallow. Don't you experience rising temps every year?' he continued. He also pointed out that getting around with kids has become more difficult. Cars have become a 'luxury' for many families, and public transport isn't much better. The MRT, he said, is often 'jam-packed like sardines'. Beyond the practical concerns, he added that the emotional rewards of parenthood often come with a reality check. While children may be adorable and 'cute' in their early years, he felt that this stage is short-lived, and the demands of parenting only grow over time. See also Jamus Lim Discusses Residents' Concerns Over Jobs and Rising Costs Seeking more insights, he invited others in the online community to share their reasons for choosing to have children or remain child-free. 'Ultimately there's no right or wrong in this and both sides are respected for making their decisions,' he said. 'I still have many friends choosing to have kids. Whenever I talked about these issues, they agree to the problems and they have no answers to them as well. Would like to discuss more here and hear more of the other side of the story as well.' 'I don't think everyone needs to have kids. It's a choice.' In the thread, quite a few Redditors agreed that raising kids in today's economy is tough. One even pointed out the upside of staying child-free, saying, 'You will save S$300-500k from costs of bringing up a kid. Think people kinda figured out kids are expensive not only in terms of cost but also time. I love kids though and it's easy to be a godparent or hand out with friends who have kids.' Another added, 'In Singapore, best not to have kids. Because parents and system are too competitive. From 3 yo start to enrichment and whatnot all the way to university.' Others approached the topic from a more philosophical or emotional angle. A few noted that if you really strip it down, there isn't a purely logical reason to have children. One commented, 'It's just pure instinct and selfishness, if you really break it down. I want kids so that they can take care of me when I'm old. I want more kids so that they have each other when I'm gone. I can pass my legacy down to them, and not donate to some randos. I like the idea of a happy family. I want kids so that the grandparents will be happy. Etc etc.' That said, not everyone agreed with the decision to skip parenthood. Some parents in the thread shared their own reflections, acknowledging that while having children doesn't always make sense, especially given the rising costs and pressures, it can still be one of life's most meaningful experiences. One shared, 'As a parent, all I can say is: if you overthink all the possible rational reasons not to have kids, no amount of argument and reasoning will change your mind. To put it crudely, there is no logical reason to have kids at all in our current world as it is.' They continued, 'Parenting is a special stage/side-quest in life. For the record, I'm not against living your whole life without experiencing parenting, nothing wrong with that, and I don't think everyone needs to have kids. It's a choice. If you have them, enjoy it for all it's worth, all the pains and joys.' See also Chaos during Khloe Kardashian's 36th birthday party More married Singaporeans are remaining child-free compared to 20 years ago Singaporeans these days have become increasingly cautious about starting a family, and the numbers reflect this growing trend. According to the Department of Statistics, 15 per cent of resident ever-married women (currently married, divorced, or widowed) aged between 40 and 49 had no children in 2024. This figure is more than twice the 7.1 per cent documented back in 2004. A report by Yahoo! also pointed out that this shift is largely driven by concerns about affordability. Many young Singaporeans feel that the rising cost of living and skyrocketing property prices make it difficult to start a family. On top of that, emotional readiness is also a growing concern. More young adults are aware of the time, responsibility, and long-term commitment that come with raising a child, and so they're now thinking more carefully before taking that step. Read also: 'I'm still her child and I have feelings too': Daughter says her mum favours siblings who give more money, even though she covers most family expenses Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)
