He says: “I first came across CaliberLink in March during its road show at Raffles Place where it was holding its official opening for its Bras Basah office for Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs). I had heard from my friend that it provided services such as career coaching and offered courses such as image workshop and resume workshop, which were excellent for job seekers preparing for interviews or a switch in career.”
Out of a Job but Help Is On Hand
Upon leaving his previous job in April this year, KW thought it would help to go to CaliberLink, but it was not without some initial apprehension. He recalls having been skeptical of career coaching due to his “pride”.
“As a financial professional with more than 10 years of working experience, I’d thought I had equipped myself with clear career goals and had mastered good interview skills and was able to present a good resume,” says KW. “My initial thinking turned out to be wrong though, as one has to constantly recognise one’s own mistakes in order to improve and do better.”
At CaliberLink, KW was introduced to a career coach, Jason, who went through KW’s resume and gave him tips on interviews. 
“I found out that there are some areas I need to improve on for interview sessions and for my CV presentation. To stand out among the crowd of job seekers in this competitive market, I had to learn how to present my CV and to sell to potential employers, to show that I could be an asset and would add value to an organization through highlighting key points and my achievements,” says KW.
Career Coaching and the Mock Interview
KW then spent a week at CaliberLink where he focused on learning how to apply for jobs. Following the revamp of his resume, KW was also put through a mock interview, in order to train his interview techniques and skills.
“One of the biggest hurdles in getting a job is the interview itself with the hiring managers,” says KW. “I thought I had mastered all the interview skills, but nothing could prepare me enough for the mock interview I had attended while at CaliberLink. My career coach pointed out more areas for improvement, such as being too dominating, and self-conscious, while not organizing my thoughts enough. I had learnt so much more from this mock interview.”
Success and Thereafter
Following his week-long stint at CaliberLink, KW was invited to a real job interview for the position that he now holds. Having benefitted from the preparation and training at CaliberLink, KW received good news four days after his interview that he had gotten the job. By the end of April, KW started in his new job at the bank.
He notes: “Career planning and development is an ongoing process. I learnt that writing a good CV and going for interviews is just the beginning. One has to continually upgrade himself, and hopefully, more PMETs can get help from CaliberLink in these areas.”
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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