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Independent Singapore
6 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
‘Why did HR ghost me after my job interview?' — Jobseeker asks and gets advice from career coach, who also advises HR to stop ghosting interviewees
SINGAPORE: You prepped hard. You nailed the interview. You smiled, thanked everyone, and walked out with hope in your heart. Then… nothing. Radio silence. Not even the courtesy of a 'thanks, but no, thanks.' Welcome to modern job-seeking purgatory—otherwise known as being ghosted by HR. On Channel NewsAsia (CNA)'s Work It podcast, host Tiffany Ang and career counsellor Gerald Tan dissected the all-too-familiar agony of job interview limbo. In particular, they addressed an email letter from a listener, 'Gary' (not his real name), who poured out his frustrations about being ghosted after going through multiple rounds of interviews. So why are job seekers getting ghosted? Gerald Tan didn't mince his words: 'You're certainly not the only one that's haunted by this ghost.' Many job seekers, he says, 'send in tons of applications, and they really don't know where the applications go.' Platforms may show your application as 'under review' for weeks or months, with no follow-up, and even after multiple interview rounds, many companies go quiet. 'The most common reason this happens,' Gerald explains, 'is very simply—sometimes HR forgets to close the loop with the candidates.' That's right. Forget. While they're busy pushing successful candidates through to the next round, others are quietly shelved and left to refresh their inbox in vain. Some companies even state outright: 'We'll only contact you if you're shortlisted,' which, let's face it, is corporate speak for 'Don't call us. We'll call you, or rather… We'll ghost you.' However, ghosting has consequences. 'I think he [Gary] probably has a very bad impression of the company right now,' Gerald says, and he's not wrong—job seekers do talk. And tweet. And leave company reviews on Glassdoor . So here's Gerald's plea to HR professionals everywhere: 'Please, please, please close off the loop with all your candidates… also tell them what areas they may have been unsuccessful. Where did they lose out, so that they have some closure?' How long should you wait before following up? Gerald's rule of thumb is two weeks. However, 'there's no hard and fast rule about this,' he clarifies, 'but I would recommend not waiting anything longer than two weeks.' That said, don't assume rejection just yet. Hiring can be a sluggish beast, especially during peak travel or holiday seasons. 'The hiring manager might go overseas… and that's where some of the recruitment gets hung in the midst of the air,' Gerald explains. 'Good recruiters will keep the candidates warm… they will tell them, 'Hey, we need a bit more time.'' In fact, some candidates have received callbacks two months later. Yes—two months. 'I heard of cases where people thought that the job is done and dusted… two months later, ding ding, they get a call.' One such delayed offer came from a major multinational tech company. So, patience may pay off—just don't bet the house on it. Don't put all your interview eggs in one job basket Gerald's advice to Gary and every jobseeker out there stuck in limbo: Keep the momentum going. 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket or one job row just because you've gone through several rounds,' he advises. 'Keep interviewing so that you get multiple offers and can properly evaluate which is best for you.' In other words: Don't let one ghost stop your hustle. Move on, apply elsewhere, and keep your options open. That next interview might just be the one that sticks. Should I drop a follow-up note? Tiffany then posed the million-dollar question on behalf of all ghosted job seekers: 'What happens if I don't hear back after two weeks? Should I drop a note?' 'Yeah, you should most definitely drop a note,' Gerald affirms. 'Politely inquire about the status… whether you made it through the next round.' The keyword here is 'politely' because 'Many jobseekers, out of anxiety… send multiple emails,' Gerald cautions. 'Then it gets irritating for the HR person.' One email is enough. Maybe two, max. Don't cross over into 'Hey, just following up for the 5th time this week' territory. Nobody likes a clingy candidate. Can I mention I have other job offers? What if you're on a ticking clock and need to make a decision? Tiffany asked, 'Should I be honest and say, 'Hey, I'm considering something else, so it would be good to know if I'm still on the KIV list'?' Gerald's take: It depends—just don't sound like you're issuing ultimatums. 'It's okay for you to say that if that's really the case,' he replied, 'but don't say that as a threat… they might think you're trying to push them and call you out on your bluff.' Honesty is still the best policy. Just keep it humble and sincere. You want to be remembered as the one who followed up gracefully, not as the one who strong-armed a decision. Don't take it personally: Ghosting isn't about you As personal as it feels, ghosting often isn't a personal attack. Sometimes it's bureaucracy, sometimes it's disorganisation, sometimes it's just plain neglect. Either way, don't take it to heart. Stay professional. Stay persistent. Most importantly, stay sane. Because in the unpredictable jungle of modern job-hunting, ghosting is unfortunately part of the terrain, but with good strategy and resilience, you'll come out on the other side—with a job that actually values you enough to write back. Meanwhile, in a time when layoffs are becoming the new normal and artificial intelligence (AI) is the new office colleague who never takes a coffee break, Singaporean millennial Jeraldine Phneah has a story to share — one that's equal parts sobering, sincere, and surprisingly uplifting for those who are facing the terrible fate of retrenchment like she did. You can read Jeraldine's full story here: 'How I coped facing layoffs as a millennial' — Singaporean shares her 'retrenchment story' as a reminder that even in 'difficult seasons — growth and renewal are possible'
Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Straits Times
What interns can do about bosses behaving badly
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The TL;DR: Student interns can seek help from their school and the authorities when they face unreasonable bosses who do not give them lunch breaks or dock their pay for mistakes. This is the first of a three-part series on surviving unpleasant internships. Many Singaporean young people pursue internships to gain relevant industry exposure, but not all have positive experiences. Polytechnic student Sarah (not her real name) is doing her final-year internship at a media company that had her cleaning the toilet and picking up trash. Things took a turn for the worse when she and her fellow interns were made to work about nine hours daily for a week-long event without any lunch or dinner breaks. The 21-year-old also said when one of the interns made mistakes that she felt were 'minor', such as forgetting to amend specific data in document submissions, that intern had up to $100 docked from the salary for each mistake made. 'I've had my fair share of internship experiences and by far, this has got to be the worst,' Sarah said. Many Singaporean young people pursue internships to gain relevant industry exposure and fulfil academic requirements, but not all have positive experiences. 'Any employer who crosses the company's employee policies and violates (the student's) internship contract can be deemed to have crossed the line,' said career counsellor Gerald Tan from Avodah People Solutions, which offers career guidance and job transitioning support to individuals and organisation employees. While some interns do encounter harsher superiors, he said bosses should not be allowed to hurl vulgarities at their interns. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Other experts The Straits Times spoke to said the wage deductions Sarah's fellow intern experienced are 'potentially illegal', but this depends on each situation. In response to queries from ST, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Manpower said students under school-arranged internships are typically not covered for employee protections under the Employment Act, and they should seek help from their schools if they face unfair treatment. In the case of those pursuing internships outside of their curriculum, an employer can legally make deductions from the intern's salary only if it can be shown that the loss of money to the employer is 'directly attributable' to the intern's 'neglect or default'. Deductions are limited to no more than 25 per cent of the intern's salary or the cost of damages, whichever is lower. When asked if she tried to speak to her bosses, Sarah said: 'Any attempts to have a mature conversation (with them) regarding any unfair treatments often led to vulgarities and raised voices.' Ms Clarice Chan, director of Aureus Consulting, a firm providing education, career and life coaching services, believes that interns should take action to protect themselves in such 'toxic' situations. 'Interns (in such circumstances) should keep a log of the dates and times of (pay) deductions, the reasons given and the amounts, as well as note the dates and times of verbal abuse and what was said,' she said. With this documentation, interns can seek resolution through external channels. 'Students (under school-coordinated internships) can talk to school supervisors who can advise on school policies, potentially intervene, or guide them on official complaints. Those pursuing their own internships can file a complaint with the Ministry of Manpower,' Ms Chan said. Mr Jeremiah Wong, lead career developer in career counselling and coaching at Avodah People Solutions, said schools have several 'fail-safe mechanisms' to help students deconflict such situations. 'In such situations, students can ask their school supervisors to come down to the job site itself to inspect the situation, or at least give a call to the company to hear the employer's perspective. In the worst case, (schools) can blacklist the company,' said Mr Wong. In May, Sarah approached her school internship advisers for help, and the school swiftly took action by blacklisting the company for future internship programmes. Currently, she intends to 'mentally push through' and continue her internship at the company until August, to fulfil her polytechnic graduation requirements. Mr Wong, who is also an associate lecturer at Republic Polytechnic and the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said that for most polytechnics, students who drop out of their final-year internships typically need to 'remodule' their internship, as it is a mandatory module for graduation. But this should not stop student interns from seeking help should they face troubles during their internship, he said. 'Internships are (supposed to be) a safe learning environment for students to learn before they work in their first job in the future. If they feel threatened in the workplace, they should seek help from their school supervisors immediately,' he said.
CNA
15-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Work It Podcast: Forget retirement - your most meaningful work can start in your 50s
For many professionals, retirement is far from their mind and they want seek work that is fulfilling. Lim Kai Ning, co-founder of The Courage Chapter, shares how they help seniors return to the workforce, and why age can be a big asset. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Gerald Tan, host: I've seen so many of such examples of people not having work, and struggling to find that identity. They lose something. It's not just the salary. I think they lose themselves. Tiffany Ang, host: With the people that you work with, Kai Ning, what is the top reason that they say motivates them to keep working? Lim Kai Ning, co-founder of The Courage Chapter: So it depends on where they are in their stage of life. People in their early 50s would have a different requirement from people in their mid-60s or late 60s. Due to the nature of what we put out to the market, the people that we attract are people who are looking to contribute in their second chapter. But they are really here to say: "I have so much experience. I don't want to sit at home and do nothing ... Since I have the knowledge in my brain, don't let it go to waste." Gerald: Many of the seniors, as Kai Ning mentioned, want that next chapter of their lives to fulfil what they didn't get to fulfil. It's a question of legacy. Did I leave behind something for the next generation? It's also a question of purpose. Did I fulfil what I needed to do as a person? I spent my whole life listening to somebody in the workplace, fulfilling a job responsibility, but what is the thing that I need to do (now)? I think a lot of these questions are coming up ... Tiffany: I'm thinking that some of these seniors who are coming to you, probably left their last job either in upper management, even in a C-suite level. So with the jobs that you are trying to match them to, are they overqualified for these roles? Kai Ning: That's a very interesting point. I would say that (in) Singapore and the rest of the world, the market is still very new to this concept. Right now, I think the people are moving towards this space where they say they will still want to contribute, but the market hasn't fully warmed up. So if you were to leave it to free market forces, you will realise that it actually spirals to blue-collar or food and beverage (or) admin (jobs). And that's the struggle. There's this huge chasm between what people want to do and what organisations think they can do. So then, how do we bridge the gap? ... We call it skill-based, project-based arrangements. In the past, (senior professionals) will be considered overqualified because they have this huge 20, 30 years of experience, while the role is just small.
Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Singapore regain Asia Oceania Floorball Confederation Cup with last-gasp win over Thailand
The Singapore men's floorball team lifting their trophy after winning the Asia Oceania Floorball Confederation Cup on June 5. PHOTO: AOFC SINGAPORE – Maintaining a zero-zero mindset made heroes of the Singapore men's floorball team, as they reclaimed the Asia Oceania Floorball Confederation (AOFC) Cup with a last-gasp 8-7 win over archrivals Thailand in the final on June 5. Now the young outfit are hoping that success at the fourth edition of the tournament in Jiangxi, China, will be a springboard to more silverware at the Dec 9-20 SEA Games in Thailand. Singapore coach Sonia Chia was heartened by the spirit of the squad, whose average age is 23, as they clawed their way back from a four-goal deficit in the final at the Yudu Sports Centre. The 41-year-old said: 'We had a good start, and then it didn't go as well, but we managed to come back. 'The more important thing is how we actually played in the match, given that this is one of the youngest teams that we've ever sent.' World No. 17 Singapore had led 2-0 in three minutes through goals from defenders Gerald Tan and Thaddeus Tan. But a hat-trick from Pheeraphong Khambanlue helped the 13th-ranked Thais turn the tables, as they led 7-4 in the second period, during which forwards Ethan Teoh and Foo Jun Wei narrowed the deficit for the Republic. Adopting the mentality that the score is always 0-0 whether leading or trailing, Singapore continued the comeback in the final period. Defender Keanen Poon, centre Dzafir Ilhan Nizam and Foo made it 7-7, before defender Ethan Wong slotted home the winner with only seconds left to spark wild celebrations. This was Singapore's first competitive win over Thailand since the second AOFC Cup in 2019, when they beat an experimental Thai side 17-1 in the final. Their last competitive win before that was a 5-2 victory in the world championship qualifiers in 2016, when Chia was also the head coach. The Thais had defeated the Republic several times since, including the third AOFC Cup in 2023 in Singapore, where they won 4-2 in the final. They had also beaten Singapore 9-1 and 11-7 in 2022, 4-3 en route to winning the 2023 SEA Games and 10-1 at the world championship qualifiers in 2024. At the 2025 AOFC Cup, they beat Singapore 6-4 in their opening game on May 31. But Singapore won their remaining four matches (35-1 against Macau, 6-1 over China, 6-3 against South Korea, 30-1 over Hong Kong) to finish second, setting up the final against Thailand, who topped the six-team pool with a perfect record. Captain Tan, 26, believes that their mentality had given them the edge in the final. He said: 'We started really well, even better than our first game... but this time around, we were the ones who took the upper hand. It was really exciting... and kudos to the boys for giving their all and never giving up. 'We were all very prepared for this scenario. 'At the airport before we left for the tournament, we came together and went through the objectives, one of it being a 0-0 mindset all the way until the final whistle. 'That means whether we are trailing or leading, we will not be complacent or defeated before the game even ends.' Singapore defender Foo Jun Wei helping to launch an attack against Thailand. PHOTO: AOFC Both coach and captain noted that some of the Thais are playing for Swedish clubs. They include forwards Lukas Huebinette, Arwid Per Makinen, Pawat Thaidit and Oscar Snell. While some of them may not be in the top division, Tan added: 'The difference in level is very, very evident when you compare it to the Singapore league.' Turning his sights to the SEA Games, Tan noted that there will be another strong contender for gold in world No. 12 Philippines, who did not compete in the AOFC Cup as they are preparing for the World Games in Chengdu in August. The last two times that floorball was contested at the SEA Games, the Singapore men's team won a silver (2019) and a bronze (2023). He added: '(The Philippines are) one of our toughest opponents that we will face at the SEA Games, among the other opponents that we'll be facing. 'But at the end of the day, at least for Singapore, we want to have the heart of a lion and go for the win. A win is possible, but most importantly, we have to overcome our previous defeats.' While Thailand coach Kenneth Koh said some of the refereeing calls during the final were 'dubious', the Singaporean congratulated his compatriots on the victory. He said: 'It was an exciting and intense final for both the young teams that was otherwise marred by some dubious refereeing calls very, very late into the game. 'Singapore took full advantage of this and managed to score the deciding goal with less than a minute remaining.' He added that a 10-day training camp in Sweden in July has been planned and a couple more are on the cards ahead of the SEA Games, as the Thais seek to win a third gold on the trot. Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - 'That's not me!' Can a LinkedIn gaffe hurt your career?
CNA938 Rewind A woman has gone viral for a LinkedIn post tagging former DBS CEO Piyush Gupta, claiming they'd met in Bali – except it wasn't him. How might habits relating to publishing on LinkedIn hurt your career and reputation, instead of helping it? And how can you recover from such gaffes? Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman speak with Gerald Tan, Projects Director, Avodah People Solutions, to find out.
