logo
#

Latest news with #TiffanyAng

‘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
‘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

Independent Singapore

time3 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'

Work It Podcast: Spot the red flags in job listings
Work It Podcast: Spot the red flags in job listings

CNA

time08-06-2025

  • Business
  • CNA

Work It Podcast: Spot the red flags in job listings

Unrealistic job postings, misleading jargon and inflated demands may deter qualified job seekers. Han Lee, director at executive search firm Lico Resources, offers tips on identifying genuine opportunities and how to apply confidently, without ticking every box. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Tiffany Ang, host: (They ask for) things like five or seven plus years of experience. Tell me ... Do I really need exactly what they say? Han Lee, director at Lico Resources: The short answer is no. You don't really have to be a 100 per cent (candidate). And if you talk to any headhunters out there, the first thing that we do when we talk to the (recruiting) client is to take the job description and then strip it bare. My question to my clients would be: 'What is absolutely necessary here? What is good to have?' … Because everybody knows that the job description is a wish list. There is no 100 per cent perfect candidate. If you look at the job description and you see that you have about 60 or 70 per cent that can fit into this job ... just apply. Go ahead. Chances are the rest of the 30 per cent or 40 per cent that you don't have, it's just a "good to have". And I can say, for most of the companies, they will be willing to train and guide certain people … But I also think most of the clients are not ready to just take on anyone without the essential skill set that they need for that particular job. So the short answer is yes, just go and apply if you think that you are 70 per cent or 60 per cent matching the job description. You are fine to go. Gerald Tan, host: What about job descriptions that aren't sincere about hiring? The ones that are just there to collect information. I've heard this from many individuals and clients - they apply for a job and they don't even know if it's real. They say: 'I applied, but there was no reply.' And they keep seeing the same job posted over and over again. So there's a possibility that they haven't found the perfect candidate or that they're just collecting information, right? Tiffany: I don't understand this - collecting resumes. What does that mean? Why do companies do that? Han: Well, I think there are many reasons why the company would want to collect resumes. One, it's probably because the headcount is not there yet, but they want to start collecting now, and when the headcount is ready, they can start interviewing.

Work It Podcast: How to write a standout resume
Work It Podcast: How to write a standout resume

CNA

time01-06-2025

  • Business
  • CNA

Work It Podcast: How to write a standout resume

It is possible that your job application may be buried in a sea of others. So how do you catch the hiring manager's eye. Lim Zhirong, master professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, walks us through the dos and don'ts to get you to the top of the pile. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Tiffany Ang, host: I read that it takes a hiring manager, on average, 10 seconds to decide if the resume is in the accept pile or the reject stash. What would you first look at if I were to put an eye tracking software into your eyes? Which content would take up most of your eye time? Lim Zhirong, master professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals: I will say your last two recent jobs and your time in the role. But first of all, it depends on the hiring company and the nature of the industry. If you're a startup looking to hire, you probably wouldn't be so obsessed with the staying power of an individual. Rather, you'd be more obsessed (if the candidate has) the ability to do something from scratch and scale it up. On the other hand, if you are applying for a more traditional company, the recruiter might value things like: Did you spend four years in your most recent gig? And was your second most recent gig at least three years? So, I wouldn't say this is what I look for, but depending on the nature of the industry, recruiters may look at it this way. Tiffany: They will still look at the first two jobs, it's just that maybe someone from a startup company might look at what you have achieved, whereas somebody who is in a bigger company, a legacy company, might value longevity, so they might be looking at the duration. Zhirong: Anyway, the first page is usually your last two gigs. Tiffany: Exactly. But there's always the top part where you write a short little bio of yourself. Zhirong: Personally, I don't think it is necessary, but if you still want to include it, I recommend keeping it to two to three sentences. I've seen resumes where the personal bio was almost one third of the first page, and this personal bio is just a self-description of the individual, not substantiated by your achievements or impact at work. Depending on the interviewer or screener who picks up your resume, they may or may not believe it, right? Gerald Tan, host: I think Zhirong mentioned a very important principle, which is that you need to create a resume that is reader-friendly. You need to put yourself in the shoes of the reader: What are they looking for? What will appeal to them in terms of keywords and important information about you? That way, it makes the whole reading, the whole 10 seconds, more worthwhile.

Work It Podcast: Why unfinished tasks at work linger in your mind – and what to do about them
Work It Podcast: Why unfinished tasks at work linger in your mind – and what to do about them

CNA

time25-05-2025

  • General
  • CNA

Work It Podcast: Why unfinished tasks at work linger in your mind – and what to do about them

Unresolved tasks can quietly build up, creating mental clutter that affects focus and well-being. CNA TODAY journalist Amanda Yeap shares what she has learnt about the science behind the Zeigarnik Effect and practical tips on how to regain control over your work life. Here is an excerpt from the conversation: Tiffany Ang, host: We talked about writing lists. I think that has been very helpful for me, because I almost 'list-dump" my thoughts out of my head. I have an ideas list, I have a task list. Basically, the idea is that I just want my brain to be as free as possible. Besides lists, are there any other ways that we can use to cope with the Zeigarnik Effect? Amanda Yeap, CNA TODAY journalist: One expert broke it down like this. Once you have your list, you can decide what you want to do with each item. You either throw it out if it's no longer relevant, (or keep it) because you realise that after listing it out, not everything actually needs to be done straight away. When it's all in your mind, you just feel, 'Oh no, there are so many things.' Tiffany: Yeah, that is good point. I always thought that if it's on the list, it needs to be done. But it doesn't have to be ... Amanda: So throwing it out, outsourcing, asking for help or delegating (tasks), or even just doing it. At least you've already kickstarted the process. Maybe some tasks are so huge that it's impossible to get them done in a single step. Tiffany: That's why breaking it down into different steps helps, right? Because you know, 'Okay, at least I have completed two out of three steps, and the last step is just this.' And I can maybe move (other tasks) to the next month, or I can do this tomorrow. I don't have to do it today, but at least you kind of break it down and set goals. Otherwise, you get caught in this incessant loop of, 'Oh my goodness, am I in a matrix? It's coming back!' Amanda: Yeah, it's actually quite common that some tabs are just there in your mind, but you don't act on them, or you just procrastinate, even though it would do you some good to get the task done. To trick yourself into doing that, really, is to just start that first step ... You can also assign a timeline to yourself. Because sometimes if the to-do item is not specific, in the sense of (having a) deadline, then saying something like 'I'll do this by Friday,' is definitely more effective than, 'I need to do this sometime.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store