SINGAPORE: A local jobseeker who previously worked overseas took to Reddit to share that some interviewers actually “mocked” him for coming back to Singapore and made him feel as though he had failed.
In an anonymous post on the r/singapore forum, the jobseeker wrote that these interviewers looked down on him and even suggested that he had only left Singapore because he was unable to succeed locally.
“They were insinuating that I went abroad because I could not make it in Singapore, and seemed to take pleasure in mocking how I came ‘crawling back home,’ when many know how difficult it was to get the opportunity in the first place,” he wrote.
“It didn’t seem to be a nationality thing necessarily; I was getting these attitudes from both native Singaporeans and foreign hiring managers alike.”
Why he chose to leave Singapore
The man went on to share why he chose to work abroad.
“I left my once-stable Singapore job for an opportunity abroad that I knew would be challenging and risky. I bought into the narrative about how young people needed to be hungry and take risks.”
“I felt that taking these risks was the right decision when I was young because I felt this was the moment where I could afford to take these risks and grow no matter how difficult things were. And I did grow a lot professionally and personally, even though things were really difficult and I didn’t come back with any big success.”
However, when he eventually returned to Singapore, he said he was completely unprepared for how difficult the job market would be.
“I went for so many interviews, and it just never got to an offer. I know that rejection happens in life, and I am mentally prepared for that, but beyond a certain point, it really starts to hurt badly,” he wrote, adding that it has now been almost a year since he returned home.
‘I did everything’
He added that in the past several months, he did everything he could to secure a role.
He reached out to former colleagues and professional contacts, attended networking events and openly told people he was looking for work.
While many were kind and supportive, and some even passed his CV on to friends and contacts, nothing ultimately materialised.
“Some were very empathetic and supportive, even sending my CV over to their friends, but at the end of the day, there were zero interviews from there. All my interviews still only came through direct applications. But it really doesn’t mean anything to me if no offer comes through.”
As pressure mounted, he began applying for entry-level roles as well.
In several cases, he said employers showed interest but later rejected him for being “overqualified.” He also mentioned he was willing to accept lower pay just to get a foot in the door, but still received no offer.
“I know no one owes me a job, and in life, dealing with rejections is normal and common, but it is almost coming to a point where I feel really worthless.”
“I’m just so frustrated. How can it be so hard to just land a normal job? I’m not obsessed with the super high-paying jobs, just trying to stay somewhere adjacent to my sector. Time is slipping by, and I feel like a complete failure.”
‘I should have prioritised safety’
After being humiliated by interviewers and getting multiple rejections, he confessed that he’s now regretting his decision to work abroad.
“I know staying in Singapore all this time would have made my life so much easier. I would save so much more money towards getting a house, I’d almost certainly be readily employed.”
“Instead, I have fallen so far behind on all my peers because of the risks I took. I’m from a normal middle-class family with no huge safety net. I should have just been less hungry and more prioritised safety.”
“I am feeling very burnt out. I used to be a very optimistic person who was very hopeful. I don’t want to hurt the people I love and the people who love me.”
“I know I am not alone given the current situation, but I just really wanted to get this off my chest, and I thought writing about it might help me feel a bit better. I don’t want pity, I want an opportunity. I don’t want to give up, but I really want to get out of this [bad] situation so I can move on with my life.”
Right now, he said, the only thing that’s keeping him sane is “going to the gym.” In his free time, he has also been trying to learn AI.
“I have been using this time to play around with AI a lot too, which I believe the progress there has been both exciting and frightening, especially with the improvements over the past few months.”
‘Mate, don’t give up’
In the comments, many people encouraged the jobseeker to stay positive and keep pushing forward despite the setbacks.
One individual shared their own experience, saying, “It took me more than a year to get a job. You’ll be fine. Keep your chin up and apply.”
Another wrote, “Stay positive. You have both times shown grit that a lot of Singaporeans have never even been exposed to. Aggressively sell your work experience overseas. Change the narrative any way you need to (came back cause of family, etc.). If you grew a lot personally and professionally, you should be ready to put that experience to good use over here and show it.”
A third commented, “Mate, don’t give up. I spent the first 4ish early years of my career doing random stuff, startups, underpaid roles, even lost money on a few businesses that didn’t work out. You need to continue to put yourself out there and get a lucky break. It might take months. Might take years. But you’ll get there eventually.”
Meanwhile, others pointed out that the fact he was consistently getting interviews was actually a good sign. To them, it suggested that employers saw value in his resume and experience.
One user said the issue may lie in interview performance rather than employability.
“The problem lies in how you perform during the interview. I would recommend that you have someone practice a mock interview session with you and have them give feedback to you on what you could have done better.”
“Also you need to give better reasons and context why you return back to Singapore and have an explanation why you have a 1 year gap in your resume.”/TISG
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