Stand out during these trying times

Increase your chances of getting a job amidst the economic turmoil


More and more people are finding themselves jobless since the advent of the global economic crisis. Here in Singapore alone, there are more than 11,000 cases of retrenchment in 2008. This current situation makes the competition in the employment market tougher than ever before. So how does one stand out among the thousands of jobseekers on the lookout for employment?

Here are some tips that can help you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of landing a job in the current economic state:

Stay positive and focused. Don’t let the crisis break your spirit. In times like this, only those who remain positive and make every minute count survive. You need to plan, act on it and grab the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.

Upgrade your skills. Improve yourself by elevating your skills and expertise. Employers prefer people who can offer more talent and skills in the organisation and show continuous interest in learning new things. Enrol yourself in workshops and self-development programs. It may not even cost you too much as the government offers some of these programs as well. Visit www.wda.gov.sg and learn more about the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR).

Market yourself. Advertising yourself opens doors for more employment opportunities. Come up with a list of your strengths & skills. Revise your resumes and customise cover letters for the position you’re vying for. Make sure that your resume is impressive, because it’s your key to getting an interview with your potential employer. If you think you need to, consult with a professional resume writer, or just search for the resume template for your desired field/position and tailor it for your own use.

Practice for interviews. Be prepared for every interview so that you impress the interviewer with your confidence and communication skills. Since most interviewers ask the same questions, make a list of these common questions beforehand. Then, ask someone reliable to help you practice and get their sound advice on how you can improve your answers. It would also help if you research about the company you’re going to, so that you can customise your answers with reference to their values and business focus.

Be proactive. At times like this, you need to be more active, resourceful and productive. It’s not enough to just send out a handful of applications via snail mail. Send out as much as you can to get the results you want. Aside from checking the newspapers and agency listings, learn how to send out applications via email, which can help you send out more applications with just simple clicks at the comforts of your home. Check out websites that allow users to search for jobs, and get relevant job alerts, such as Jobs Global, which offers new innovations when it comes to online job hunting services.

To stand out in the job market, you need more than luck and a great resume. Always keep your eyes peeled for the latest in recruitment to be in the know of the hottest opportunities up for grabs in your industry.

More job hunting tips to come...

Still here!

It's been a while since we last updated this blog. Our team's been very busy lately, because we're making some changes on the site (thanks for the survey responses, keep your comments coming, ok?)

I'll give you an update as to when these changes will take effect very soon. For now, here are some recruitment and job hunting tips.

Hope you get some insights from them.

ta-tah!