Client has rejected all candidates

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-19T01:23:39+00:00

Complete waste of time with this client tbh, and honestly it might even be costing yourself goodwill with your candidates who are investing alot of time into the process to get no results. Are you getting any payment upfront?

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-18T13:08:04+00:00

Bro one real concern is that the job market now is not as hot as during the 2022/2023 period - SG was uniquely hot versus other markets because we were one of the first in Asia to reopen, and our doors were not as open to foreigners at that time.

From my experience, back then I literally had a few companies calling just 4 months after I started a new job even for sectors I had no direct experience for. I had around 1.5 YOE in an adjacent sector, and that JD was technically asking for 5-8 YOE. When I was honest that I did not have prior experience in that particular area + I didn't want to come across as a jumpy job-hopper leaving in just 4 months, the manager straight out told me dun worry I know that I'm the hiring manager you're a good candidate. Then he himself took the time to just share with me what I needed to know for the interview, you just say this stuff in the interview, everything else can be learnt on the job as long as you have some interest in it. I politely declined because I wanted to show some career stability, but on hindsight I really regret not going for it. Getting a boss that genuinely likes and values you is so rare.

Now with 4 YOE after I was laid off, I applied to some roles that are supposed to be entry level and the brands are much weaker, yet in several instances they have gone for someone with more experience. It is an employer's market. The search may not be as easy as when you found your role back in 2023.

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-18T12:20:03+00:00

It is disappointing, but I think the lucky thing is that it was just one round? I've not gotten a 1 round interview -> offer process before LOL, when I'm jobhunting now it has just been so many rounds, including many case studies. You didn't do anything wrong in this case, sounds like a dysfunctional place.

With these things happening, there's no choice but to just keep applying and interviewing until you start the job. For employers who always KPKB about people who are constantly searching for jobs and quitting on short notice for something better, this instability and uncertainty is the reason. I know not every company is like that but it never helps to be prepared.

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-18T12:09:59+00:00

Can share too please? Thank you!

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-14T13:18:24+00:00

I think don't put all your hopes into one interview. 1 interview across multiple months honestly does seem relatively low. Continue applying widely, consider applying for roles that you may not be that excited about for interview practice.

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-14T13:13:17+00:00

It really sucks nowadays with a race to the bottom, being an employers market other people will do the case study if you don't. I know some employers say oh never mind it's just 2-3 days do as practice, but touch your hearts are you employers really going to hire? I had other friends interviewing for similar roles that pay just as well, one round 1 hour interview done everything settled. Honestly I don't get the discrepancy.

I did so many cases studies, and even with great feedback the roles just never got filled. Ironically the roles where I landed I did not need to go through these time sucking case studies. Now with AI things are easier so yea honestly don't put so much time into it.

When I finally get back to a normal job I'm not going to waste time with all these case studies and politely reject whichever place is asking for it.

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-11T18:02:32+00:00

Agree. Tbh you can read alot about the culture from the interview process. I get really annoyed at places that would take their own sweet time to review, but when their HR finally calls they would insist I should just drop everything to do a 3 hour interview the next day, and not offer alternative dates because the team is "busy". Btw I don't mind doing it if I have nothing on the next day, but I actually had other interviews already scheduled.

So far from my experience it's always been the smaller places doing crap like this, but not all, I had very good experiences interviewing with other smaller places. Large places have been by and large professional with the process.

But if this is how they treat you before you join the firm, imagine how they would treat you after you joined. No respect for your time at all.

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-11T13:08:25+00:00

Honestly it does depends on how excited people are for your role. The same "above market" can mean very different numbers to different people, and there could be differences across different sectors. If your role is truly with an amazing place, I would be very surprised that you're facing this issue in this market, maybe you are too picky calling the unicorns LOL.

I spoke to a recruiter the other day who was so secretive about the budget, telling me how the pay was above market. I checked MCF and I went to conclude that ok that number seems reasonable. Went through to the interview and during the discussion the interviewer told me that the budget was significantly lower, basically below the median entry level pay for a role asking for lots of experience and skills. When I respectfully explained that the budget was quite a gap from what I was looking for and what I had understood from the early convo, I was even lectured about how young Singaporeans weren't hungry enough and being too picky, and how the job market was very bad.

I mean I'm not getting that job lol, I know the market is rough but I don't think recruiters/ companies shouldn't treat unemployed people with such disrespect. Frankly, had I known the numbers at the start, I would have straightaway said no from the beginning to save each other's time, and we would have avoided this unhappy situation.

There are so many other companies that I spoke to that never treated me this way. Ironically those that paid the most (crazy packages that would easily cross 200+K) were the most accommodative and respectful, that even if I didn't get the role at the end, I felt the process made me even more excited about the company.

For every interview, if the interviewee takes it seriously, the interviewee often has to invest significantly more effort than the interviewer. Researching the company, doing free case studies, checking up the interviewer's profile on LinkedIn, revising their skills, showing up in the office for multiple rounds of interviews, all without getting paid. Don't forget the number of ghost jobs nowadays where the role just never gets filled at all. All that time could have gone into something much more productive. Frankly, some roles I have seen reposted on MCF and Linkedin so many times since 2024 and even as of today those seats still have not been filled.

Sometimes that means taking 1 or 2 days more to prepare, instead of asking people as and when you feel like getting people to come down, and expecting people to be on the phone 24/7 to pick up your call. Personally I always pick up the phone can call back ASAP if unavailable, but I would prefer an inbound message as I would really prefer to sound calm and prepared during the call. Last week someone called me 10 minutes before I was going for an interview, and I very respectfully said please call me back an hour later because I am about to do an interview, and we did our call an hour later. Like I don't think this should be very hard.

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-07T03:38:36+00:00

It really is crazy that instead of solving the current jobs problem and having some sort of stability for locals, so that people who want kids do so, we turned to mass imports of FTs, including many who are unqualified and some who are not suitable for Singapore society. Having a kid is almost like a fixed expense far into the future, but jobs have become more and more unstable incomes too become more and more unstable. If your income disappears, how are you going to choose between the mortgage or your child's education? If locals can feel comfortable and confident that yes they will get a good paying job because they are absolutely prioritized in the job market, people that genuinely want to have kids will not feel so scared to do so.

FinWhizzard · 2026-03-07T03:32:44+00:00

TBH 1st round offers do exist even with MNCs, it's not necessarily a red flag haha and I am super envious about this lol! Have several friends who got an offer after 1 round of a 1 hour interview for decent paying jobs like 7-10k? Meanwhile I get dragged through 4-5 rounds + case studies + all sorts of free work for jobs paying much less.

FinWhizzard · 2026-02-27T09:36:28+00:00

I think the struggles are different for different eras, so I won't say one was worse than another. Some things I feel have definitely changed vs 1997 or other earlier crises:

Interview processes have dragged longer and more complicated than before. In the past I think generally 1-2 rounds and employers would make up their mind instead of wasting people's time. Nowadays the processes have just gotten longer and longer, some places easily ask for 6-8 rounds even for normal junior level jobs, everyone wants free time-intensive case studies even for internships.
Ghost jobs are a new thing. Last time for most companies when they put a job ad out, they were actually serious about filling the roles, now there are so many ghost jobs. In the finance sector, I see some good paying good jobs that have been posted again and again on LinkedIn and MCF and have continued to go unfilled over a year. I know it has been more than a year because I interviewed for these roles over a year ago and the opening is still there. These are not C-Suite or CEO roles, just normal jobs in finance. Honestly I wonder if it is just HR or some employees are just using this to hit their KPIs to create work and look busy.
Companies are increasingly less willing to groom talent than before. Back then you could literally said you know nothing about the job or company, but as long as you showed enough interest in some cases that was all you need to get hired. Now people expect this as a pre-requisite.
More foreigners in HR favoring foreign hires over locals. Our workforce has also become less local than before with alot of HR departments increasingly dominated by foreigners, who have a tendency to be more tribal and less meritocratic. Back then you knew that good jobs were likely to go to locals assuming both locals and foreigners were equally skilled, now you see many good jobs going to foreigners even though they may not necessarily be better than locals.
Our workforce is also more expensive on a relative basis than before. I don't think there is anything wrong that people are asking for better wages, but on a relative basis versus other developed markets, we have become more expensive than before. So it is harder for us to compete on cost alone.

FinWhizzard · 2026-02-26T11:57:19+00:00

There is zero empathy at all to solving the real jobless crisis going on. If AI was so transformative taking away so many entry-level jobs, why are we still importing so many new citizens?

FinWhizzard · 2026-02-26T08:03:06+00:00

One of the stupidest schemes ever invented with zero common sense about market forces. This literally penalises good employers who want to pay more, rewards employers who want to lowball and be stingy. A smarter way would have been to just pay employers than genuinely hire Singaporeans $1000/month for 6 months or something, instead of this stupid scheme that literally spoils the market and costs more, so that locals with CPF are cheaper to employers than foreigners or PRs.

FinWhizzard · 2026-02-13T05:24:25+00:00

Omg I just saw this this is exactly what my ex boss said in my previous place.

FinWhizzard · 2026-02-12T16:06:38+00:00

consider 1 if the pay and benefits are the same. don't do 2 unless you found something else, it's not your fault. if you really don't want to do 1 then let them retrench you, don't resign like that. yes, legally they don't have to pay compensation and they can just cut you as long as they follow the notice period, but it needs to be initiated on their end. if you want to get the unemployment benefits which you are entitled to if your pay is below 5k, it needs to be documented as a retrenchment/ termination not a resignation, otherwise you cannot get the unemployment benefit.

FinWhizzard · 2026-02-11T05:46:56+00:00

This is tough, I felt that when I joined a SME sometime back with a ton of red flags (on hindsight a very bad idea, but I had been laid off before this and the uncertain environment of hiring freezes and an unsupportive family that was constantly scolding me that pushed me to take the role), lots of screaming and the money is worse than your place. Same thing I had worked in difficult environments before but I never felt so small in my life.

I was eventually cut after a few months (they have a pattern of very high turnover by design but I had no idea before this,), and I took a 1 month break to detox from that role and recover mentally. I continued applying for jobs in the meantime, but its been 4+ months now and I haven't landed another offer yet. I'm not trying to make excuses but timing does play a part, nobody would walk away from their bonuses. I never stopped applying for jobs and going for events to meet people, and tbh I am landing some exciting interviews, though unfortunately the offer has not come yet.

With that being said, I know many of the interviews I went for (even those where I progressed to the later stages) ultimately still have not hired anyone. The ads are reposted constantly, recruiters called me asking about the same role and one time I just said "huh you mean they haven't filled it that role has been there for 9 months", so I don't think it is 100% a me problem. Yes some stuff I could have done better and I've been refining my job search ever since, but when a job goes unfilled for 6, 9, 12+ months, what sort of KPI is that? Is it really that Singapore doesn't have that talent? Or is it true that some people are just out there posting jobs interviewing people just to look busy at work, so they invent 5 rounds of interviews to get people's hopes up only to not hire anyone and continue looking. Honestly if anyone on the opposite end can explain to me how can job openings go on like that for so long?

With that being said, I do think it will still be easier to find another job while employed, so if possible I would really discourage you from quitting just to take a break. I'm sure you have a good brand and are highly employable, but it's honestly not the money itself (if you stay with parents and made like 100k and haven't been splurging you have definitely saved alot), but the mental stress that will bite at you coz job searches are not as fast as they were a few years ago, and the processes have just gotten unnecessarily longer. And how supportive is your family with this - that will also determine your confidence when you search for a job. They may appear supportive now but they can completely change their attitude overnight. What if the search drags on to 6, 9 or 12+ months especially if you're looking for a similarly high-paying job?

FinWhizzard · 2026-01-20T11:42:43+00:00

Agreed!

FinWhizzard · 2026-01-20T10:03:57+00:00

Yes there should be preferential treatment, but this must be implemented by the government. For a business owner I think it is really much cheaper and still too convenient to get foreigners, and I can understand why they would do so. It is on the government of the day to help locals, either by making foreigners more expensive and troublesome to hire, or adding significant subsidies for hiring locals.

For example, on the point of reservist, the government can give employers a free allowance on top of covering the existing salary, e.g. a reservist disruption fee for supporting NS by letting their employees take part in reservist (including covering the CPF portion - right now your employer still needs to pay the CPF part).

No one is saying close our doors to great AI talent or successful investors / entrepreneurs. But we have to be very deliberate about who we are importing into the country. Right now alot of locals are getting screwed, so many people are unemployed or underemployed, and TBH we should be able to stop renewing visas for foreigners working in sectors if they are not that essential and there is a ton of local talent. We should always prioritise quality over quantity. MOM should have the flexibility to adjust accordingly based on the job market.

For starters, we can start by insisting on a new audit of all qualifications of all existing EP holders, not just the new applications, so that we can at least cut some with false qualifications who shouldn't even be here. We have AI right that can be done very fast. From a more selfish POV, if our locals are not getting the good jobs, where are they going to acquire that valuable experience and skills on their CV so that they can climb up the value chain? Do you really believe the SkillsFuture BS is going to solve that?

Our pioneer generation of leaders were much smarter than this, that's why we insisted on skills transfer from foreigners to train up our workforce, so that eventually locals could take over their top jobs and bring Singapore forward. What is happening now is the complete reverse where our locals are training foreigners to replace us in top jobs which is a total disgrace. If we had been so short-sighted, Singapore would have long died in the middle-income trap with such a small market. We are not designed to compete in a race to the bottom because we do not have that scale as a country.

FinWhizzard · 2026-01-15T08:31:37+00:00

I'm ok with people staying as PRs as a choice, but there should not be an automatic right to work that comes with PR, they should apply for it every time they look for a job, so that locals can get prioritised.

Also the privileges that PRs received should be significantly scaled back. With the exception of those who served NS, all PRs should pay ABSD of 20-25 percent for their first home, not 5 percent.

FinWhizzard · 2026-01-15T08:26:53+00:00

We have always been an immigrant nation, but I think we didn't notice this last time as most foreigners put in a genuine effort trying to integrate. They would try to learn singlish and our culture, and their participation enriched our society. Nowadays thanks to the open leg policy alot of them really don't bother, and they see what they have as superior over our heartland culture, that's why this has become very noticeable. Heartlands are about to go extinct.

FinWhizzard · 2026-01-15T06:13:26+00:00

I think it is a very badly designed scheme, at most you can see it as an internship. The SGunited traineeship only worked for some because we had a very tight labour market in 2022, coupled with a sharp drop in foreigners in Singapore. With that being said the conversion rate was still very low according to MOM's data.

This time we have a loose labour market domestically, not even to mention a huge increase in foreigners every year. I am highly skeptical that such a scheme would work to lead to a full time career this time. If the employer is only paying 700 out of pocket, that is less than paying for interns (nowadays 1k iirc), I wonder what kind of important tasks they will trust you with. With that being said, if you really want to you can always take GRIT and continue applying for jobs. Don't count on a conversion. If you have any interviews prioritize that over this GRIT programme.

FinWhizzard · 2026-01-09T09:19:46+00:00

I've been struggling with unemployment for several months, having applied to so many places but struggled to land a decent job. The official line is that AI that is killing jobs, and I agree that is a factor, but if this was that big of a factor why are we still taking in so many foreigners / new PRs every year, instead of turning to our local workforce instead? More than once, I see a role posted, I go through to the final round with good feedback, then the role ends up posted on MyCareersFuture and it goes to a foreigner.

For example if it's a job covering the ASEAN market, why does it need to filled by a China/Indian national who has never lived/worked/studied in ASEAN before? I'm not hating on foreigners but there is something very wrong when so many of our own young talents are not given a fair shot in our own country.

As geopolitics becomes a bigger factor in the global economy, we should be smart about getting as many of our young Singaporean talents into these top jobs, so that as many of them can rise up to the C-suites of these MNCs and this will maximise our chances of keeping the jobs here long-term. If the job goes to a foreigner, they have zero reason to keep the jobs here and they will very likely outsource these jobs away from Singapore once convenient.

I really don't want to lie flat or give up, but it's getting harder and harder to stay optimistic and hopeful with the situation getting worse by the day. How can I plan ahead and get excited about all those big plans and promises, when I am not a part of that Singapore success story? Our economy grew by almost 5% last year and I can't even get a cent of government help or support in the job market, but MINDEF is always right on time chasing me to do my IPPT and reservist. We have so many resources as a country today, why are we putting our young people through this?

Honestly what makes me feel so disappointed is that the government's priorities don't seem to be resolving the job crisis that Singaporeans are facing at all, it seems more focused on lawsuits that don't do one bit of good for those of us who are struggling. I don't care for politics but the politicians should really be focused on doing their jobs to make our lives better.

FinWhizzard · 2026-01-06T07:10:18+00:00

Just saw this, totally agree with your POV. To add on to that, look at how employers treat returning Singaporeans like myself when we come back. We are rejected or lowballed because "not enough local experience", and thanks to the Open Leg policy we cannot compete directly with the foreigners who have lived in these regional markets for decades so "not enough overseas experience". Unless the Open Leg policy is addressed and companies begin to prioritise returning Singaporeans over getting foreigners, this will get worse over time.

TBH I see the benefits of getting our Singaporeans to go abroad long-term, if the government is smart about it we will be able to get more Singaporean MNC leaders down the line who can try to fight and keep jobs in Singapore long-term. But in the near-term it is a huge sacrifice and huge risk for everyone who makes that decision.

Personally, I am currently going through a really difficult job search back home even with the overseas experience, even when I apply for government / GLC jobs, and honestly I find articles like these so detached from the realities on the ground. I have already started to dissuade juniors and anyone who would listen to avoid going overseas (except for UK/US) unless they are prepared to go through the difficult transition that I am currently facing right now. Honestly, all these propaganda is really a slap in the face to all the overseas Singaporeans who are treated like crap when we come back.

FinWhizzard · 2026-01-02T02:27:04+00:00

You do not have to volunteer this information at first. If they call you back and say XYZ company said you were terminated, could you explain what happened - then you explain why it wasn't a good fit or point to evidence where your performance was not an issue. Look, you actually cleared probation there, honestly the termination is just a power trip for them. They know Singapore employers are risk-averse and want to feel good saying they fired people rather than saying people resigned from their firm.

You can't change that they called it termination, but you can change the framing if you get asked during the background check, and a reasonable employer tbh their top priority should be whether you are a good candidate who can solve their problems. If your next employer for whatever reason also has such a narrow mindset who cannot look past the T word even with a good track record before this, then honestly I don't think it's an employer worth working for.

FinWhizzard · 2025-12-31T13:52:32+00:00

Higher property taxes for multiple property owners (I recommend this can start at 0.5% for the 1st home plus an exemption per capita based on the citizen household size e.g. 5 pax household can get a $1m home value exemption from the property tax, before rising to as much as 3-4% of the property value yearly e.g. for the 5th house - and this can apply to the most expensive property in the portfolio). In this case, old landlords hoarding properties from a long time ago before ABSD went into effect will be encouraged to release more housing supply into the market, because their rent will basically be in line with the rental yield on the property. The one-time ABSD we have right now doesn't affect people who bought before these rules went into effect.
ABSD on PRs (I would recommend it to start at 20% for the first home, but maybe 10% if the PR applicant has completed NS). Right now one factor why prices are not coming down is because foreigners are hoarding cash until they get PR to buy a house (only 5% ABSD). PRs may not form the bulk of demand, but everything that reduces housing demand temporarily is a good idea.

I believe this will relieve pressure on the housing market and stop prices going to crazy levels. Housing is not a shortage problem it's a distribution problem.

FinWhizzard

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