SINGAPORE: A Singaporean jobseeker has set off a discussion on the r/singaporejobs subreddit community forum after sharing his struggle to secure interviews, despite years of work experience.
He said he applied for over 100 roles, including admin and library jobs, but received just one interview. The experience has now left him questioning whether the job market in Singapore is even open as it claims to be.
The jobseeker listed a wide range of work he has done over several years. He spent two years setting up e-commerce for a family business, which doubled revenue and reached seven figures. He also clocked two years in project management at a real estate developer and family office.
Another year was spent as a real estate agent, alongside other short ventures. He later ran a two-year venture with contacts in the investment space. Despite this, interviews were rare. “I don’t get it, because admin roles I’m obviously not highballing,” he wrote, expressing his confusion.
The Singaporean then traced part of the problem, as he opined, to his educational route. He said he studied in a neighbourhood school, then Republic Polytechnic, and later completed a private business degree through Kaplan while working full-time.
He believes that not attending a local university hurt his chances, even for entry-level roles. “Throughout this period, I have had literally zilch opportunity,” he wrote, adding that he often had to create work for himself.
In his current situation, though somewhat employed, he earns about S$1,400 a month from personal training while living with his parents, and manages his own investment portfolio. He said his situation is “not as bad as some.” Still, the wider picture worries him.
“Opportunities are as good as nothing despite all the job postings out there,” he shared his opinion. He also questioned official employment figures, saying they felt disconnected from what he sees on the ground.
The post reflected shared worries among Singaporeans because it touches a widely felt frustration.
Many Singaporeans worry that hiring still favours school names over skills. Others feel job listings look plentiful but lead nowhere. This gap between effort and outcome fuels doubt, even among those who are coping financially.
The post does not claim the system is broken beyond repair. It just reflects something quieter: a loss of trust in how opportunity is measured and offered.
