Marathon Job Search

Tertiary-educated Tan Wei Thong, a management professional for 15 years, never believed he would give up his Shanghai job as Business Unit Director with a main-board listed company. But when there were early signs that his two primary school going sons were slackening in their studies, Wei Thong decided to return to Singapore.

“The thought of relocating back to Singapore surfaced when I realised my elder son was struggling with his studies,” he said. “I guessed my wife also missed my pair of extra hands, be it in the children’s education, ferrying them for enrichment courses or sharing the household burden.”

However, it never crossed his mind on the need to be retrained in order to fit into the Singapore workforce. Returning to Singapore after his seven-year overseas stint, stark reality hit him as he endured a heart-breaking eight months before he found a new job.

Uphill Task

“The job market profiles of Singapore and China are very different. I had to re-learn the dynamics in looking for job opportunities, looking across traditional media and new media, job portals and also my contacts, which include relatives, friends and ex- colleagues. But most times, I was dropped due to the seniority of my previous position. It was an eight-month marathon run to cross the finishing line.”

Wei Thong, who has a Diploma in Electronics & Communications from Singapore Polytechnic and a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from NTU, said the work-transition was an “uphill task while searching for a career which would match my experience and aspiration”.

When scores of job-applications went dry, he was introduced to CaliberLink, which was developed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to bring training concierge and career services under one roof, a place where Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) can get manpower development solutions, recruitment support, training advisory and career services.

“The officer spent hours with me discussing my job credentials and recommended relevant career skills workshops. I eventually attended two workshops on grooming cum video resume and resume critiques, which provided new perspectives on career skill management and more importantly, rediscovery for myself.”

Bearing Fruit

The knowledge gained through CaliberLink’s assistance served Wei Thong well as he continued with his own job search. Eventually, he landed a regional role as Director (Global Account Management) with Armstrong Industrial Corporation Limited, a company that operates 18 plants in six countries spreading across Asia.

After going through his marathon-agony, Mr Tan said the best advice he would give his sons in order to seek out a good work-future in Singapore: “Stay positive, show perseverance, confidence and never ever give up.”

Mr Tan saluted the continuing good work done by CaliberLink to put in place relevant training and development programmes for the PMEs. “I was given a big boost by CaliberLink when I was down and I know WDA is committed to encourage continuous learning and competency development.”

CaliberLink is a new one-stop service point for Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) set up by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA). It offers a unique value proposition for local PMEs and businesses as it offers a wide range of services under one roof.

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