Tag: Singapore

ITE Graduate Looked Down By Interviewer Because Of Poor Qualifications

Dear All Singapore Stuff,

I’m going to share my thoughts regarding an interview with a certain company for the position of Test Technician and after the interview, I left feeling horrible, depressed and really upset. The interviewer was rude and unprofessional. I found this job opening through jobstreet.

First of all, I waited for almost an hour before the interview commenced because the HR recruitment specialist had an appointment and forgot about the interview. How convenient. That is unprofessional and they should have told me beforehand. The interviewer didn’t introduce his name, what his position was or which department here was from. So we’ll call him Mr Nice guy.

So Mr Nice guy asked me regarding my last drawn salary, from two previous companies. He asked “why is your salary low?”. I explained that I worked only for a few days during the course of the employment and probably that’s the reason why it’s not that high. Mr Nice guy wasn’t satisfied with my answer and raised his voice and said “NO NO YOU’RE NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION”. At this point of time, I felt that this interview had gone sideways. Mr Nice guy critiqued how could I possibly work with the company if I couldn’t answer a simple question.

In the first place, is this question even relevant? You employ someone based on merit and skills, not on previous pay and I did give an answer. I’m sorry if you are not satisfied with my answer.

Mr Nice guy proceeded with the interview and I answered as best as I could, in a polite manner even though I felt like walking out the door. He was rude throughout the interview and asked me questions that are not related to the job scope. All the while he behaved in a condescending manner and constantly undermined my credibility. Mr Nice Guy kept hinting that the company is looking for “highly educated people” He seem to have a prejudice against ITE graduates like me.

The ad that they posted is misleading to future applicants on what are the required qualifications. I have met the necessary requirements. I have a Nitec in the relevant course and I have the relevant experience. The interviewer looked down on me just because I was an ITE graduate. He also continously undermined my capabilities throughout the interview and he was hinting that ITE graduates have no place in the company.

Education is very important in Singapore. But it is wrong to stereotype someone just based on his/her qualifications. Even if you are from ITE, it doesn’t make you less of a person. What does it matter if you have a PhD but you’re an asshole. Is someone deemed highly educated just based on his qualifications? Everyone should be treated equally regardless of their education. There should be no prejudice against people who has less education than you. What’s important is the attitude of someone and I believe that is what you should look for in an employee.

Mr Nice guy concluded the interview by bluntly saying that according to him, I had failed the interview because of my attitude and I wouldn’t ever get a good job in Singapore and that the way I answered his first question was unreasonable and unprofessional.

I believe he was the one who was rude and treated me with no respect. If i wanted to be interrogated I would’ve just gone to a police station. Where did he learn his interviewing skills from? He was rude and inconsiderate from the start and he didn’t even know that he was rude. He spoiled my day with his attitude. I dont have any background in human resource but i doubt that that is a how an interview should be held.

I have lodged a report with TAFEP and am currently awaiting a personal apology from the interviewer itself for being rude to me. I hope other people don’t go through what I have been through.

PS: Interviewer is a foreigner. At first I didn’t want to mention it for fear of readers having clouded judgements but due to recent cases, i thought this factor should be taken into consideration.

Disgruntled Applicant
A.S.S. Contributor

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

April 16, 2015
Muslim Customers Also Have The Right To Eat And Shop In A Dog-Free Environment

Aiseyman! Just because someone is visually impaired, does it gives her the right to demand access for herself and her guide dog to wherever? And when she is denied access to a shop because of her anjing she plays the victim by using her handicap status to call out the shop for discriminating her. If like that also can, then can Muslims walk into a bar and demand that they are served halal food and drinks, and when they are denied that, call the bar out on religious discrimination? If we really did that, many people will not be sympathetic to us, but they will criticise us and say that we are difficult to integrate with.

This is not the first time that the guide dog and its owner have made a big fuss over denied entries into shops and eateries. She has complained about and shamed the staff at Macdonalds, Haagen Daz, Forever 21 and now Zara. Yet her sense of entitlement is so huge that she forgets that in every transaction, there is both a buyer and a seller, and that both players have the right to accept or refuse each other. She may think that she has a right to be in the shop with her dog, but so do the Muslims who also have the right to patronise the shop. If the shop allows her dog in, what about Muslims who are averse to any contact with dogs? What about people with allergies who cannot be in contact with animal fur and dander? Can they also say that they are being discriminated against if guide dogs are allowed on their premises?

It is the shop’s perogative to control the human traffic that flows into their premises, and staff they should not be shamed for doing so in order to protect their other customers. To give another relevant example, many people don’t scream discrimination when a club bouncer refuses entry of a drunk person (to protect the drunk and others in the club) or a person who is underdressed (to maintain the club’s image).

This is not to say that people should totally turn a blind eye to those with handicap, but there should be mutual respect and give and take also right? If she really wanted to be in the shops so badly, why couldn’t she park her dog with the friend outside or use a walking stick to help her get around? Like that, I think the shops will be more than happy to serve her. But no, it seems she only wants everyone to accomodate her and her dog without sparing a thought for anyone else.

Source: www.aiseyman.com

April 16, 2015
Reasons Why Foreigners Get Jobs Over Singaporeans
Another new initiative to help Singaporean workers?

According to the Channel NewsAsia news report “New portal to prepare students for future jobs” (Apr 7) – “The one-stop portal for education, training and career information, is a key plank of the SkillsFuture initiative that seeks to help Singaporeans take ownership of their job search.”

What do employers want?

All these new initiatives to help Singaporeans find jobs and career development may not work because we do not think through what is it that most employers want?

Employers want …
- workers who are experienced, highly skilled, highly educated and intelligent
When you allow the whole world to come to Singapore as tourists to look for jobs – you don’t need to be a genius to figure out that the odds will continue to be stacked against Singaporeans – when you are competing with the best (or the worse who fake their credentials) in the world
- workers who cost less
Foreigners don’t have to contribute CPF. So, employers save up to 20 per cent on wages. And of course, foreigners may be willing to work for lesser pay than Singaporeans
- workers who do not have turnover problems
Since most foreigners are on 2-year contracts – they are mostly stuck with the same employer for at least 2 years
- less work disruption
Foreigners on work permits cannot get pregnant. So, no “4 months’ maternity leave” problems. Those on employment pass also typically come to Singapore as “singles” and so are less likely to have maternity leave

Male foreigners do not have National Service reservist training “disruptions” to work
- workers who can do very long hours of shift work
Foreigners have no choice and are more willing to accept jobs which are 12 hours or longer a day for 6 days a week

Make yourself valuable to employers?

As to the article “Make yourself valuable, even after getting your degree: Indranee Rajah” (CNA, Apr 7), which said ”The forum focused on whether a degree still matters when it comes to employment, and saw some students sharing their views on pursuing a job that is not relevant to their degree.

Ms Indranee said having skills to adapt to the changing job market will be important and it is one of the objectives of the Government’s SkillsFuture initiative.

Odds stacked against Singaporeans?

She added that the Government is hoping to change mind sets by getting people to find out what they really want to do and to get the relevant qualifications”
- how do Singaporeans make themselves more valuable to employers, when the odds are so stacked against them in favour of foreigner?
Real pay increase?

So, is it any wonder that the real starting pay of graduates has hardly increased in the last 8 years or so, and real basic, gross and total wages (excluding employer CPF contribution) have also hardly increased in the last 15 years or so?

Employ Singaporeans first?

Finally, the most telling “wayang” is perhaps that the national jobs portal under the Fair Consideration Framework to employ Singaporeans First, cannot give any statistics at all as to how many of the jobs actually went to Singaporeans!

Win battles lose war
* Submitted by TRE reader

Half the workforce not “true-blue” Singaporeans?

P.S. I went to a bank, hospital and food basement of a shopping mall one day, and almost every worker was not a Singaporean!

Source: www.tremeritus.com
April 16, 2015
SEA Games Organising Committe Chairman Calls Singapore Football Fans Fair Weather Fans

Recent results for Singapore’s SEA Games football team have made for grim reading. But the Republic’s top sports executive called on fans to “show your mettle and come out in force” to support the struggling national Under-23 squad.

SEA Games Organising Committee (Singsoc) exco chairman Lim Teck Yin, who is also Sport Singapore’s CEO, admitted that Aide Iskandar’s charges are under “a lot of pressure” following a 1-8 mauling by Japan’s Olympic team, a 1-2 defeat by Syria’s U-23s and a 1-3 loss to regional minnows Cambodia’s U-22 side this year. Coupled with poor displays from the senior Lions and their U-22 counterparts, Singapore’s national teams are still searching for their first win this year.

Yet Lim, a former national water polo player, is urging true fans of Singapore football to back the Young Lions. He told The Straits Times on Wednesday: “Our SEA Games team is training hard and trying to do their best. For fans, it’s your turn now to step up.

“For a fan to say ‘you perform then I come’, it’s sort of saying you’re not quite a fan. Fans are there for the highs and lows – they lift the team when they are low.

“Singapore’s pride is at stake and regardless of how good or bad they are, this is our team.”

Lim was speaking after leading President Tony Tan Keng Yam on his first tour of the Sports Hub in Kallang, where they met national athletes who are training for the Games.

The Young Lions have been grouped with Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia and Philippines for the June 5-16 extravaganza. The football tournament will kick off on May 29, with tickets going on sale on May 6.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

April 16, 2015
Lions Gold Medal Hunt Begins

There is no doubt Aide Iskandar’s job is a tough one. His SEA Games-bound squad have been handed an easier group for the Under-23 football competition but the irony is that expectations will be higher for them to deliver a better result than their bronze medal performance in 2013.

Singapore will host the 28th edition of the Games from June 5 to 16 and playing on home soil in front of a partisan crowd, the pressure will be massive.

During today’s (April 15) draw for the competition at the Sports Hub, Aide’s under-23 side were placed in Group A with 2013 silver medallists Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia and the Philippines.

The tougher Group B consists of defending champions Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei and Timor-Leste. The top two teams of each group will advance to the semi-finals but Singapore’s passage to the last four is anything but assured.

In six friendly matches they played from January to March in their preparation for the Games, they lost five and drew one. Two of the losses were during a training stint in Turkey, including a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan’s Under-21 side.

On their return they were handed an 8-1 drubbing by Japan’s under-22 team, and they suffered a 3-1 defeat by Cambodia’s Under-22 side last month.

With Indonesia a perennial threat and Myanmar also in the mix, Aide has his work cut out to whip the team into shape.

He will only be able to assemble the entire team in May because the squad, made up of players from LionsXII and Courts Young Lions, have Malaysian Super League and S-League commitments.

“As hosts we want to do well and we have to challenge ourselves to qualify for the semi-final,” said Aide. “But our final phase of training will only kick off from May 1, which is an important and critical period when we can work on team bonding and cohesiveness.”

Team unity is an issue for the national Under-23 coach, particularly with talk among the fraternity that the poor attitude of some players is disrupting the team. Aide has engaged the help of former fellow Lions defender Kadir Yahaya, a reputed task master who steered Singapore’s Youth Olympics side to bronze in 2010.

“He is a no-nonsense guy who is focused on results and won’t stand for prima donnas,” said former international Lim Tong Hai. “The team needs to be consolidated before the Games and between Aide and Kadir, they could probably do it.”

Added former Lions midfielder Malek Awab: “The performance of the team during pre-Games matches in the last few months has not been encouraging.

“We had stars like Fandi Ahmad and Sundram (ex-striker V Sundramoorthy) during my time in the national team and none of them were prima donnas. if they want to make anything of themselves, they must follow the instructions of the coaches. If not, it is going to be tough for them.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

April 16, 2015