The Job Hunt

STEP 1: RESEARCH YOUR JOB SEARCH

Put on your detective hat, you’re going on a research mission! All good job searches start with a solid research phase, so you can get clarity on possible career paths and companies.

Be proactive on LinkedIn

Often our skills can be transferred to another industry we may not have considered, so use LinkedIn to create a target list of these. (Use the search and filter functions to go through all available industries from A-Z.) I recommend targeting two industries to begin with. Next, look at companies within them that excite you. Place the leads into Excel so you can keep track of who you’re approaching. You should end up with a list of companies you’ve never heard of.

Play “I Spy”

Search for contacts at companies who are at a more senior level than your target job. Then, go through their employment histories to see where they worked before, and what career path they took. You’ll end up with powerful market intel. And your creative juices may start flowing when you see possible career paths and companies you hadn’t considered before.

STEP 2: LINKEDIN PROFILE AND CV FIXES LinkedIn

Your LinkedIn profile is a key tool, but did you know it could be more important than your actual resume? The profile is like a marketing advertisement for you – and marketing ads need to ooze appeal. So, upload that professional image and use the banner space to add images or quotes that enhance your personal branding. Work on your profile description and show your sparkly personality. (Don’t be shy, be memorable!) Finally, fill in your work history and skills. No skipping this – leave out information and your profile will easily be missed by recruiters or hiring managers.

The big tip? Carefully consider keywords that HR or recruiters may use when searching for candidates in your space. Use these in your text, so the search algorithms capture your profile.

Here’s a five-step strategy to supercharge your job search in Singapore – straight from the playbook of a former headhunter, DEE KHANDUJA.

CV crafting

Keep your CV simple, without fancy typography – ideally two to three pages, with short paragraphs and succinct bullet points. Again, scatter keywords in the text, particularly near the beginning of your resume, to make it algorithm-friendly. The bots love keywords, so feed it to them to increase your chances of being shortlisted!

STEP 3: FINDING JOB OPPORTUNITIES Broadly speaking, you can use a reactive job-search method, a proactive job-search method or a hybrid. Each has pros and cons. However, a proactive method is more likely to land you a role that is aligned to what you want, while a hybrid method may jump you a few rungs above the shortlist.

Reactive job searching

This is the most common way job seekers look for work: they search for online or print adverts, then email a CV across, and wish for (hopefully) a response. Then rinse and repeat.

Proactive job searching

If you want to lose the competition (or leapfrog them), use a proactive push instead. This involves directly targeting key decisionmakers and hiring managers. Start by using your personal and online network to get an introduction into your target company/ contact. Make LinkedIn and Excel (to track your leads and conversations) your new BFFs. Find companies you want to work with, locate their key decision-makers, and start to connect and engage them in conversation.

STEP 4: MAKING CONTACT

The key here is to make connections with the right people, ideally decision-makers. (Avoid messaging a stranger asking them for a job outright – that’s a no-no.) Start by introducing yourself and cite a shared interest, skill, shared group, PR, or other genuine reason for reaching out. Once the conversation is warmish, ask them for help in directing your enquiry or CV to the right person. Voilà! – you now have a person you can name-drop when you reach out to the right contact.

Headhunters often use LinkedIn to get a contact and then make a phone call (or send a warm-up message on LinkedIn first). Don’t be shy about phoning a decision-maker or hiring manager. Have your reason for calling and your CV in front of you. Speak with confidence and state that you’re interested in exploring openings at their company. Then ask for advice on how to progress your application.

STEP 5: ORGANISING YOURSELF

If the above steps are done correctly and you’re constantly networking online and offline, your diary should fill with scheduled calls, Zoom chats, interviews and follow-ups. Stay organised and follow up with a thank-you email or physical card depending on how much time a contact has given you.

This conveyor belt of repetitive actions – research, networking, contact, follow-up – will result in leads, contacts and job opportunities. Good luck!

STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Many expats come to Singapore with a fresh business idea; others discover an entrepreneurial streak once they’re here. If you do have a great business idea, how do you turn it into a real-life proposition?

One option is to apply for an EntrePass through the MOM (Ministry of Manpower; mom.gov.sg). This involves writing a detailed business plan and financial projections; plus, your business needs to meet certain requirements (see mom.gov.sg/passes-andpermits/entrepass/eligibility). The application fee is $105, and successful applicants are issued an Approval-in-Principle letter within eight weeks.

The business must also be registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA; acra.gov.sg) as a private limited company and be less than six months old on the date of application. This can be done simply online using a SingPass (apply at singpass.gov.sg).

Fees for registering a company are $15 for the name application and $300 to incorporate the company. The registration is usually approved within 15 minutes for online applications.

Finally, don’t forget to take advantage of the many organisations and online tools available to help you in your quest to start a business.

VISAS & PASSES

You’ll need a work pass (commonly referred to as a work visa) before you can get on the payroll in Singapore, and 2021 has seen some changes made by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) that have added extra complexity around this for expats.

The Fair Consideration Framework allows affirmative discrimination and employers are required to consider Singaporeans fairly before hiring Employment Pass (EP) holders. In fact, a quota system regulates the ratio of foreign and local workers in the workplace.

Dependant’s Pass holders used to be entitled to work after obtaining a Letter of Consent (LOC), which their employer applied for – a relatively easy process. However, LOCs are no longer available from 1 May 2021. (For those who currently hold an LOC, it will only be valid until their DP expires.)

So, if you’re an expat staying in Singapore on a DP, you’ll now need a work pass instead. This new ruling is likely to have affected approximately 11,000 people.

The alternative is applying for an EP or a S Pass – and it’s more complicated. For one thing, there are qualifying salaries and other constraints, perhaps the biggest of which is the requirement to work full-time hours. Since 2014, the MOM has also placed a strong emphasis on the quality of the educational qualifications and institutions that the applicant has attended.

For a preliminary indication of the likelihood of obtaining an EP or S Pass, use the Ministry of Manpower’s online Self-Assessment Tool prior to submitting the application.

Some useful resources

Career Resource Center for Expatriates (CRCE) | aasingapore.com/about-crce The Athena Network | theathenanetwork.com.sg

PrimeTime | primetime.org.sg

Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) | scwo.org.sg Mums@Work | fb.com/mumsatworksingapore

Careermums | careermums.com.sg

ANZA Career Centre | anza.org.sg