Ministry of Foreign Affairs

[longyearbyen]

You're not the only one feeling the culture shock.

http://business.asiaone.com/Business...06-139724.html

Applicant-unfriendly S'pore

WRITING from the perspective of a job seeker, I have discovered a problem with the human resource departments of some organisations in Singapore.

After quitting my job in London and returning here, I was shocked that across the board, from top multinationals to local businesses, applicants are hard- pressed to receive even an acknowledgment of receipt of their resumes.

In the case of one prominent Singapore government job, I got through the application and writing-test stages, but after an eight-hour assessment, I was rejected.

What shocked me was the rejection e-mail, which coldly stated: 'We are unable to provide feedback, so please do not contact us.'

How are people expected to learn from each unsuccessful application and interview if employers are reluctant to give feedback?

In foreign countries, during job applications that require multiple stages, applicants are encouraged to call for feedback even if they are successful.

This gives them an opportunity to work on their weaknesses and build on their strengths before the next stage.

Ultimately, by not having an open and transparent recruitment process, companies based in Singapore are often passing up on talented people who may not have the contacts to get their foot in the door.

When I called the human resource departments of various companies, I found that on the rare occasions I got through to an officer, I was just told to send in my resume.

After doing the needful, I never even received an acknowledgment via e-mail. I have also found that when companies ask for more information about you, and you send it in, you never hear from them again.

Surely, I am worthy enough to at least be rejected? Being ignored is definitely worse.

This systemic problem in the way companies operate in Singapore begs young Singaporeans such as myself to ask: Why not go overseas to look for jobs?

In a top bank in London where I applied for a job, I was constantly in touch with a human resource officer who had personally given each candidate her direct line to 'call any time, just in case'.

We aim to make Singapore an international financial hub, yet are lacking in very simple procedures that even the smallest companies overseas adhere to - sourcing for and looking after talent.

The frustration over the lack of response is sure to make many of the employees, who make our country vibrant and progressive, look elsewhere for jobs.

Ruchika Tulshyan (Ms)

[longyearbyen]

I was not really being a sour grape, maybe just a little bit annoyed that I kept getting calls and ads in the mail to apply and yet giving me a hard time. Maybe I am being naive.

During my final year at college, I received lots of invitations to apply to shipping firms, banks, govt ministries, research institutions, etc etc. Does it mean that all of them are desperately wanting to have me on board their organization? Definitely not.

All they are trying to do is to cast their net as wide as possible. They are just doing it to increase their chances of getting the best talents out there. More applicants means a higher chance of finding someone which would be a good fit. When they made the calls and sent you ads, they probably had little inkling of who you are. After receiving your application, they probably would have gotten a better idea of what you are like and MFA probably did not think you are a good fit so they did not bother spending time on you.

[verylamename]

excellent posts. I definitely appreciate the "should be obvious" facts.

The lady did tell me though in the final email, conflict of interest since I have served in the US govt before during internships and past working experience. And she said, legally, I should not be allowed to hold more than one passport, even though i have three, I guess that is another reason.

[poppies]

I was asked to go for a 2nd stage interview... as in I've already completed Stage 3 before the HR panel and the Director, and now I've been asked to go for another interview with directors... would anyone know what this interview is about?

Thank you very much for your input and assistance!

[artichoke]

It's probably the standard "meet the Directors session", for them to get to know you better. A quick chit chat I think.

[goddavarice]

Hi all, has anyone gone for an interview for an internship with MFA? Is it comprised of the same written tests and procedure?

[MelissaChong]

The internship selection process is really short, surprisingly. It consists of a round table discussion, where they throw out all kinds of questions related to foreign affairs. So it's sorta a debate where everyone speaks their opinion. If I remember correctly, it lasted for about 2 hours....

There's only 1 round, and after a week or so they'll email you about the results.

[hair.dryer]

has anyone went for the stage 1 roundtable discussion?