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[h=2]My struggle as a degree holder[/h]
March 4th, 2013 |
Author: Contributions
In 2005, I applied to study life sciences at the National University of Singapore, my father vehemently objected. He quoted me a statistic: ‘Every year, university graduate compete for limited places in the job market.’ Against his advice, I went on to be enrolled. He actually wanted me to stop at diploma as he knows that degree holders are more expensive to hire and most employers prefer to hire diplomas. This strained our relationship. In the two years following, we exchanged less than a hundred phrases in conversation.
Some months later, when I graduated, I came to comprehend my father’s concern. It was nearly unheard of for fresh graduate to be unemployed for more than six months. Initially, I wanted to apply to be a teacher or National Parks Board but the jobs were scarce and extremely competitive. Unless you had first class honours, getting a good job was out of the equation.
Beginning in 2009, I struggled through receiving red warning letters from CPF, warning me to repay back my father’s CPF monies that I used to fund my university studies. After months of agonizing, hopeless uncertainty, I accepted a job offer of a SME.
=> While Free Scholarships with Living Expenses thrown in are given to Foreigners without having to serve a single day of NS! And who now turn around to insult Sporeans!
It offered very limited growth potential as the work involved selling cloud computing courses. The boss was an Indian male, very controlling, very tyrannical and very egomaniacal. He hired 10 of us but half of us were Singaporeans while the other 5 were Pinoys.
Obviously, most of us didn’t really like him but had to pretend to get along. Even though the company was a few years old, the turnover rate was high. The longest serving employee was only 1 year. The rest were asked to resign for failing to sell and hit the quota.
Much of the time, I was doing cold calls and it was really crazy to be heard cold-calling people. My most painful experience involved shopping cloud computing courses at more than thirty companies, and being met with harsh rejection each time.
Though cloud computing was popular, nobody wanted to even learn more as it meant that their work was piled up. Our boss definitely preferred the Pinoys who were more hardworking and willing to stay back late. He had this nasty habit of staying until 9pm so many of us had to pretend to act busy until he left. Even if we were to go on medical leave, he sometimes would force us to come back to work. Having maternity or child care leave was a no-no. What a temper he had. Due to his ego, he would scream and yell at us if he couldn’t meet his quota.
That year, I turned 30. There’s an old Chinese saying: ‘At 30, one stands firm.’ Yet, I couldn’t even support myself. What could I do? Keep waiting, or give up finding my dream job? My mother gave me invaluable support.
My mother went back behind my back to pray at Kwan Im Thong Temple, praying to whatever Gods To appease my own feelings of guilt, I took on all housework – cooking, cleaning. Initially, I was livid as she had osteoarthritis and to travel all the way to Bugis to pray, it made my heart break.
Every evening after preparing dinner, I would sit and try to submit at least 10 job applications to get a job.
This kind of life felt rather undignified for a man. At one point, my father gave my mother a sum of money, intended as a way to pay off the CPF which was sending me the final last warning letter.
When I found out about this exchange, I stayed up several nights and finally decided: This dream of mine is not meant to be. I must face reality.
The next morning, I tendered my resignation. It was only meant to be. I was unable to hit the quota after a few months and I was unable to withstand the constant harping from the boss.
I remember that I went to International Plaza to see a doctor to get some medication to relieve the stress that I had endured. I teared in the doctor’s office. After getting out, when the admin executive saw that I had a referral letter to see a psychiatrist, she said, “Take Care”. She was a Pinoy. How ironic. If only her job was mine but I understood that Parkway Shenton only hires Pinoys.
I can never forget that day that the humiliation I felt will paid back to the “powers that be” come GE 2016.
.
Cheng Juan
Some months later, when I graduated, I came to comprehend my father’s concern. It was nearly unheard of for fresh graduate to be unemployed for more than six months. Initially, I wanted to apply to be a teacher or National Parks Board but the jobs were scarce and extremely competitive. Unless you had first class honours, getting a good job was out of the equation.
Beginning in 2009, I struggled through receiving red warning letters from CPF, warning me to repay back my father’s CPF monies that I used to fund my university studies. After months of agonizing, hopeless uncertainty, I accepted a job offer of a SME.
=> While Free Scholarships with Living Expenses thrown in are given to Foreigners without having to serve a single day of NS! And who now turn around to insult Sporeans!
It offered very limited growth potential as the work involved selling cloud computing courses. The boss was an Indian male, very controlling, very tyrannical and very egomaniacal. He hired 10 of us but half of us were Singaporeans while the other 5 were Pinoys.
Obviously, most of us didn’t really like him but had to pretend to get along. Even though the company was a few years old, the turnover rate was high. The longest serving employee was only 1 year. The rest were asked to resign for failing to sell and hit the quota.
Much of the time, I was doing cold calls and it was really crazy to be heard cold-calling people. My most painful experience involved shopping cloud computing courses at more than thirty companies, and being met with harsh rejection each time.
Though cloud computing was popular, nobody wanted to even learn more as it meant that their work was piled up. Our boss definitely preferred the Pinoys who were more hardworking and willing to stay back late. He had this nasty habit of staying until 9pm so many of us had to pretend to act busy until he left. Even if we were to go on medical leave, he sometimes would force us to come back to work. Having maternity or child care leave was a no-no. What a temper he had. Due to his ego, he would scream and yell at us if he couldn’t meet his quota.
That year, I turned 30. There’s an old Chinese saying: ‘At 30, one stands firm.’ Yet, I couldn’t even support myself. What could I do? Keep waiting, or give up finding my dream job? My mother gave me invaluable support.
My mother went back behind my back to pray at Kwan Im Thong Temple, praying to whatever Gods To appease my own feelings of guilt, I took on all housework – cooking, cleaning. Initially, I was livid as she had osteoarthritis and to travel all the way to Bugis to pray, it made my heart break.
Every evening after preparing dinner, I would sit and try to submit at least 10 job applications to get a job.
This kind of life felt rather undignified for a man. At one point, my father gave my mother a sum of money, intended as a way to pay off the CPF which was sending me the final last warning letter.
When I found out about this exchange, I stayed up several nights and finally decided: This dream of mine is not meant to be. I must face reality.
The next morning, I tendered my resignation. It was only meant to be. I was unable to hit the quota after a few months and I was unable to withstand the constant harping from the boss.
I remember that I went to International Plaza to see a doctor to get some medication to relieve the stress that I had endured. I teared in the doctor’s office. After getting out, when the admin executive saw that I had a referral letter to see a psychiatrist, she said, “Take Care”. She was a Pinoy. How ironic. If only her job was mine but I understood that Parkway Shenton only hires Pinoys.
I can never forget that day that the humiliation I felt will paid back to the “powers that be” come GE 2016.
.
Cheng Juan
