Thursday 15 September 2016

Rants of a jobless fresh graduate

Hi there.

Here I am, still jobless. Doing This and That everyday. 
When I say this and that, I meant getting stressed with unemployment, scrolling social media and be jealous of my fellow peers that has a job, doing nothing and wasting my day, getting fat being a couch potato.

Yesterday, during my usual facebook scroll, I chanced upon two posts by The Straits Times singapore which explains my situation.

Nearly 3 in 4 Singapore employers have zero plans to hire more staff in Q4: Survey


With the local papers having news about the poor economy and that some companies have ZERO plans to hire. I am at a disadvantage. Being a fresh grad, with little industry experience I am at disadvantage as compared to those with work experience. In addition. finding my dream job was my dream during my paper qualification pursue. During the entire time as a student, all I was dreaming about was having a job, having money to buy what I want, doing something important at work and that studying hard was the first step to helping me achieve my goals. 

However, this dream is a dream. Reality is not as perfect as what I dreamt. I have been unemployed and this tiring search of the dream first job is not glamorous.  

On a daily basis, 
  • I wake up at 10am in hopes of HR to call me during the office hours. 
  • Submit my applications to multiple positions on a weekly basis on various job portals and emailing to various companies directly. 
  • Text my friends (who have 1 year contract jobs) on how stressed I am doing nothing and not working
  • Stressing myself for not working or not being able to find work while comparing myself to my peers or acquaintances comparing myself to their success.
  • Doing some random shit that has zero relevance to my future job which includes typing this blog post. 
Also on a social get together setting (eg family dinners, dinner with friends),
  • I get the taboo question of "do you have a job yet, when do you start work"
  • People asking if it is hard to find a job
  • People saying that they are afraid of their future after seeing me being unemployed for so long after graduation
  • Also, there are people that tell me to take my time to search, opportunities do not arrive after the first interview, first application, and that it is normal to go for multiple interviews before landing myself in a job. 
  • There are also people that tell me to take my time to search, as once I enter the work force, its my life and I would not have any other chances to rest like now, while I am young
Through meeting up with so many people, talking to so many people with different points of views and being unemployed for so long. I am a changed person. 
I am no longer the same person I was when I was a student. 
I am not longer the same person I was when I just finished my degree. 
I am no longer the same person I was when I was just a 1 week old fresh graduate. 

At the end of the day, I want to add that I am still on a hunt for a job, for employment but this hunt is making me a better person, stronger person. As the song lyrics say: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

To those readers that are on the same page as me right now, or maybe in the future to anyone who reads this, press on. Finding a job is a process, it may or may not be easy but it will change you and help you rediscover yourself.

-end of rant, bye. I need to prepare for an interview that I have tomorrow. and if I am not wrong, its the 10th interview I have attended this year, 5th since graduation.- 

Tuesday 13 September 2016

no title

Hi.

I am still unemployed, been to multiple interviews but have yet to receive offers.
I went for a family lunch over the weekend and I saw my mum texting my aunt not to ask me about jobs.

Wednesday 7 September 2016

11 random things

Hi.

Just a random post
  1. people are shocked by my unemployment.
  2. people like me don't like to READ blog posts. (i prefer images like instagram)
  3. random grab bags sold are a waste of money (you dont know what you will get. so basically you are just throwing money to the seller to give whatever she wants) 
  4. i just spent 5 minutes digging my ears because it was suddenly so itchy.
  5. i picture myself being an OL (office lady)
  6. sometimes i don't feel like replying to certain people.
  7. with unemployment, i am getting back into calligraphy.
  8. i realised, to have a beautifully instagram-worthy calligraphy work requires a lot of behind-the-scenes doodles and trial-and-errors.
  9. my sitting posture is so bad recently that i get headaches
  10. i need to do a facial
  11. i did consider doing youtube or like to be an influencer on social media. but my photo editing skills sucks and i cant take nice pictures.

end. 

Wednesday 3 August 2016

Graduation

Hi!

I have officially graduated from my University and have officially obtained my degree on the 1st of August!

However, because I have done internship instead of Final Year Project, I officially completed my degree on a later date than those whom have done FYP. Resulting in my degree certificate to not be ready for collection during my convocation and I was emailed today (2 days after my convocation) that my certificate is ready for collection. Thanks NTU, whats the purpose of convocation when I can't get all the relevant certificates on that day and that I needed to make an extra trip down to collect it. 

But anyhow, the lame-ness of the issue is not the purpose of this post.

While I made the extra trip down to school to collect my certificate, it hit me that I have worked so hard in the past 3 years for this piece of paper I am holding. A piece of paper.

There are definitely memories, photos, friendships, good times, bad times and last but not least the piece of paper.

At that moment, I am like WOW this is the end huh. The end of the legendary paper chase.


-end of random reflection-

Friday 22 July 2016

Author Recommendation

Hi all,

As my hunt for my career continues, I have resumed to reading during my free time and recently, through a facebook post by a friend of an article 53 books you will not be able to put down , I went to the library to hunt them down.


Unfortunately, most of the books in the list were either not available in the library I went to or have been borrowed out. But one of the authors in the list was Octavia Butler. Which reminded me that she is a "not bad" author and that I liked her writing.

28. Kindred by Octavia Butler

Beacon Press
Leslie Howle
In the midst of her 26th birthday celebration, Dana, a black woman living in 1976 L.A., finds herself abruptly transported to a slave plantation in the antebellum South. She continues to be rocketed between the time periods and left to reckon with her place in both. Butler’s trademark realism makes this a gripping and unforgettable read.
—Mariella G.
- extracted from buzzfeed.
Previously, during my university times ( T.T, I feel so old now that I have completed my official graduation) I did a module on Monsters in Literature and Film. One of the literature we were required to read for the module was Fledging by Octavia Bulter
Through the module, I discovered Octavia and liked her style of writing and found it unique that it is from a perspective of a black woman. Not that I am racist, but I believe that Octavia may have experienced some racism growing up or being around and it was reflected in her writing. Which was really interesting as it touches on some topics of how we treat people of colour and how people of colour would feel and though about in some of her writings. Which I find quite relevant as I am living in Singapore, a multiracial country with people from all ethnicity and religion living harmoniously.
In Fledging, it is about a genetically modified black vampire girl whom is immune to sunlight due to her skin colour. In the story, her family was hunted down and destroyed due to their attempts in unconventional vampire creation, where by some of the communities in the book, is a threat and repulsive as it degrades the vampire's "purity" and "superiority". In the story, the girl has to prove to the people whom hunted her family down that she is a "better version" of their community and that it is not a derogatory of their kind. 
What I liked about Octavia was it her stories are quite unconventional (a different kind of vampire in Fledging as compared to the "conventional" pale skin handsome vampire in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series) also, it touches on racism. I felt that for a person to write stories like Fledging, she must have been through quite a bit to come up with that perspective where the young girl have to prove to all the adults and officials that she is of no harm and that she is just like them. Which makes me ponder about how we and the society are treating people now. And how a general misconception may affect the recipients. 
So far, I have only read Fledging. Seeing that her other books were recommended by buzzfeed, I am certain that her writings are worth a read. 

Tuesday 19 July 2016

Quote of the week

Hi again,

I just want to share with you a quote that i read off instagram which I find it really meaningful.

Do not compare someone else's chapter 20 to your chapter 1. 
All the best to everyone in whatever you do. ^^

Saturday 16 July 2016

Troubles of a job hunter

Hi.

It has been 1 full month of my official unemployment.

I have ended my internship on the 10th June. Went on a holiday for 1 week and returned on the 18th June.

I started sending applications immediately after I got back to Singapore.
The total number of applications I sent till this day is probably 30 applications? Mostly through online portals such as jobstreet and jobsDB. 

But I've not received any calls for interviews yet.

This month has been a never ending cycle of waking up at 10 in the morning, having lunch, sometimes going out with friends, doing some calligraphy work in the night till 2 in the morning and restarting the cycle again.

It is mundane, aimless, but with lots of freedom

But this freedom is not for everyone and should not continue long term.
If I am not wrong, this is the first time that I  had so much freedom.

In the past, on every holiday, I would work part time. or participate in some school activities to fill up my days. This is the first where my main objective of waking up daily is to do whatever I want.
It was nice and enjoyable when this freedom persists for one or two weeks.

However, its has been almost a month now.

The stress and reality of not working, not having something to look forward to daily hits.

I mean like, why is it so hard to find a job?
- Poor economy
- Hiring managers need time to review the resumes
- My resume sucks
- I do not have the relevant skills
- Too many fresh graduates out there
- Everybody has a degree, employers want someone with 10 years of experience
- My job expections are too high, --> I want a good environment, decent pay, good learning experience.

I do not know who can I turn to for help. Approaching the staff in my school's career office may not help much. They will most probably just vet my resume, tell me sites where I can send my resumes.
Which, to be honest, does not help much.

Nevertheless,

I am really really glad that I have supportive parents that does not give me additional stress to my unemployment and still give my pocket money. I am also glad that I worked part time previously and have enough savings to last me for quite sometime. 

For now, I guess all I can do is to just wish myself luck in my job hunt and hope for the best.


good luck to all job hunters out there as well. 

Tuesday 12 July 2016

dating, a life mission?

Hi readers,

I am pondering about life again, while watching my korean dramas, fantasizing about a those korean-drama-like-romance that will never occur in real life.

I was just thinking and realised that other than being unemployed, I am actually VERY single. I haven't gotten attached for years. Looking at my peers having someone to text everyday all day, someone to hang out with during the weekends, I am honestly jealous.

A little about me, I only had one past relationship in my secondary school. After secondary school, I went to Polytechnic, and university. Through these years, I have not gotten into a relationship. I have been to several first dates, but none went on to the second.

Am I that weird that no one wants to date me? 
Or is it just that I am not putting in any effort? 

Couple of weeks back, I met up with my uni friend and we were just chatting about random stuff. One of the topics we talked about was relationships and my friend was saying "why isn't *male friend's name* in a relationship?". Where she meant that our friend was quite decent looking, and nice too, why wasn't he dating someone. My friend also mentioned that I am "the dating kind". I don't really know what she meant by that. 

But seriously, why ain't I dating? 

I am single and available for probably 5 years already? since my last relationship and there are so many people that I know that can get into relationships within months. 

Then why is my success rate so low? 

Honestly, I really want to date, and meet someone special. Get married, have kids, while having a good job. Is that too much to ask for? 

I seriously think that it is the education system that I am in where academics are of high importance where I am so successful is abandoning all my other life missions and focus on my academics. 

What's the use of a nice bachelor's degree when I am a failure in life! 
- No job
- No partner
- No social life


I think the "traditional" asian culture also has a part to play in my failure in life. 

Where I guess I am old fashioned in a way where I tend to let the males take the first step in relationship. Like comeon! We are in 2016, why am I so old fashioned? hahaha. 

But there isn't someone around me that I consider dating to the point where I will take initiative to ask him out. Or may be I am not ready?

I just don't know. My life is a mess. 

Unemployed, no life, no nothing. 


*end of rant*

Saturday 9 July 2016

Hi everyone!

I thought I would write something different today.
While waiting for potential employers to contact me, I have been reading quite a bit, watching quite a bit of drama and stuff. And I have a webtoon that I would like to recommend my readers to read!


The webtoon is... ...

ORANGE MARMALADE!!

Image result for orange marmalade manga


I have been reading this webtoon via the WEBTOON app.

The app is free on app store and google play. ^^


Well, actually to be honest, I am extremely budget or "cheapskate" . I will go for anything free. :X
and you know what's the best part? 

You can download it at home and read it offline!!
Also, the app allows you to download the whole series all at once. So you can read 1, 10 or even 100 episodes at once! 
I feel that it is a major advantage especially if you have a small data plan. You can read it on the train, or while waiting for whoever.  Or even read it on the plane!! You know, we students or cheapskate people, we will try to save our money by taking budget airlines. but the major downside is that you don't have in flight entertainment, and webtoon can solve it for you! As you can download all the episodes and read them even when your phone is on airplane mode! 


So anyways, back to the webtoon I want to recommend. 

ORANGE MARMALADE. 
Overview
It is about a female vampire high school student that has fallen in love with a human boy who is OBSESSED with her till he found out her true identify as a vampire. As the human boy hates vampires as his mum ran away with a vampire, abandoning him with his biological human dad. 
However, their love for each other was so strong, it becomes a whole emotional roller coaster when he found out that she is a vampire. 

What I love about this series
I recommend my friends and you readers out there to read this series as I feel that the emotions of the characters are well portrayed, and that it is such an emotional roller coaster when you read it. 

Will you believe it if I said that i actually cried while reading this? 
If this web series can make me cry reading it, it definitely proves that it is nice. haha. If not I would not even bother reading it. 

In addition, at every episode, it is a cliff hanger. Which, to be honest, it is quite annoying. However, the story is so interesting that it makes you want to continue reading it! 



So ya. READ ORANGE MARMALADE! hahaha. 

If you have any books, manga, shows that you recommend, PLEASE leave a comment below. ^^ 
See you in the next post! bye.

Wednesday 6 July 2016

it is already the 4th week.

Hi again.

The sudden realisation hit me HARD. That I am still unemployed, wasting my life and it is week 4.
This is evidence that the economy is really bad. oh dears.

But somehow, I do not feel stressed about it. But instead, I am actually very comfortable with life as an unemployed person. As I can do what I want, when I want. 

I don't think I have relaxed so much before and picking up hobbies while wasting my life away.

And also, I have met up with my friends from other faculties recently, and they are also having trouble with job search. So I guess it isn't just me?

The job hunt journey is definitely STRESSFUL and TIRING. I am really glad that my parents are supporting me financially and does not give me extra stress during my job search.


Friday 1 July 2016

pointless, meaningless, jobless

Hi its me again.

I was just looking back at my older posts from the dinosaur era.

And I realised that I AM STILL THE SAME! Where I will come and blog when I am bored to write. I supposed that blogging provides me with a venue to share my thoughts when all my friends are busy and give me time to reflect and pen down my thoughts. I guess a part of me likes writing/blogging as well as there is no restrictions to what I needed to do or deadlines. It is all up to me! 

Recently, I have been helping my sister vet some parts of an article, just checking her language and giving some suggestions on what else she can write. She is a freelance writer. I supposed it is quite fun to write freelance, it allows me to read up and do some research on topics I wouldn't even look at myself. 

I guess I may go be a freelance writer as well. But I don't know where and how to start. 

Wednesday 29 June 2016

job search is hard and stressful

Hi everyone.

Yes. I have finally completed my bachelors and I have ended my official education.

Say no to:
-LECTURES
-TESTS
- EXAMS!!

However, in all the joy of not having to sit 2 hours for a paper, there is this cold brutal truth of job search and entering the adult world.

Where parents stop giving pocket money or allowances, the financial burden kicks in.
- RESPONSIBILITIES
-PHONE BILLS
-STUDENT LOANS
-DAILY EXPENSES

I have completed my education and I am 2 weeks into unemployment with ZERO income. So basically, I am living off my savings right now. Every bus ride, every train ride, every MEAL costs money and hurts my heart a little as I do not have income.

Luckily for me, my parents were understanding. They still gave me some allowance during this time while I search for a full time job. I love my parents and thank them for understanding my situation.

I don't know if it is my upbringing or is it just the stress that i put onto my self. These two weeks was torturous. With nothing to look forward to daily, I wake up at 11am ( yes, 11am), have some brunch, go watch a few episodes of Kdrama, apply some jobs online if I am feeling stressed about unemployment, chat with my other unemployed friends have dinner, watch more shows, practice calligraphy, watch more shows and finally sleep at 2 am. 

One thing I don't understand is why blogger.com doesn't help me make my "I"s and the first alphabet of each sentence capital letter. KIDDING.

What I do not understand is WHY IS JOB SEARCH SO HARD AND SO STRESSFUL. WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO FIND A FULL TIME JOB.

Well, I understand that employers need time to do other stuff other than looking at resumes, but I really did not expect such a painful wait. Also, I feel that Singapore's education system do not train us well enough for the workforce. Well, at least for the education I received. Like I didn't know what to expect for job search, I did not know that interviews will be such a painful thing.

I have been to a few interviews before my graduation. 3 to be exact. But obviously none of them got back to me with a job offer hence the post :S. There was ONE interview that was traumatizing where the hiring manager drilled my full education process and drilled me for each and every one of my education choice and internship choice and drilled me on WHY I WANT THE JOB.

I understand where they are coming from. But from my stand, I just want a job to pay the bills and I am alright with the job scope and hence my application. I wasn't expecting a fancy thing, I just want a simple life.

That interview was TAUNTING. I swear that I was traumatized by it and I didn't apply any other jobs for 2 weeks as I was too scared and traumatized by the earlier interview. I wasn't mentally prepared to face another interview soon.

Now, after I have officially completed my studies, I am really bored of unemployment life. I want to look forward to something daily. I want a job. I want to have some meaning in life, something to wake up to.

sometimes i wish i didnt graduate and be an adult yet.