Glenford knows what it is like to face career roadblocks. He was a human resource practitioner for many years when he had to take an enforced break from work due to family reasons.
Today, Glenford is a Career Consultant with the career centre located at the Central Singapore Community Development Council, where he is part of the team that provides Singaporeans and Permanent Residents with suitable training and employment advice. Each member of the team manages 100 to 150 cases at any one time.
Tailoring Programmes for More Effective Help
“We see a diverse pool of clients who come from all walks of life - mid-career switchers, fresh school leavers, out-of-work professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), retirees, the less skilled workforce, ex-offenders, back-to-work women, people with disabilities, and more,” Glenford shared. “Their needs are different so we have to personalise our services accordingly, examine ways to help overcome their barriers and leverage on their strengths to gain employment. “
For the cases that the career consultants handle, they will profile and assess the job seeker, and go through suitable job offers and available assistance schemes. Some jobseekers may also be required to attend preparatory workshops and vocational programmes, which help equip them with the basic knowledge and skills that are needed across industries. For some PMEs, they may also be referred to CaliberLink, which was recently set up to provide a one-stop service point in offering training concierge and career services.
“Wherever there are skill gaps between what the industries are looking for and what the jobseeker possesses, we would recommend suitable training programmes,” Glenford added. “At the same time, we provide career advisory on job interviewing skills, resume writing, job search skills and mindset issues to give them a headstart in getting a suitable job.”
Challenges On the Frontline
“It can be quite challenging being a career consultant. The job market is very dynamic, and very often, there is no ‘instant’ match between job seeker and employer. Sometimes, we see a good candidate worth recommending but the client doesn’t get hired for reasons the employers are not at liberty to share with us. Likewise, clients have their own job expectations too. So we try our best to see how we can reconcile the differences to have a win-win outcome for all,” Glenford explained.
In fact, the duration of the cases that the team handle may range from less than a week for simple ones, to more than a year for those that require training in getting the jobseeker ready for a particular industry.
“On the other hand, I get a tremendous sense of satisfaction when we successfully help jobseekers to upgrade themselves through training, especially for those who never had the opportunity to go far in their education.”
Coping With Demands
Reflecting on his role, Glenford shared that “a career consultant must have empathy, be passionate and have a genuine desire in helping fellow Singaporeans improve their employability and skills. With the public sector constantly raising the bar in the way services are rendered to the people, the key for us as career consultants is to stay collected in our thoughts and be objective in each case we encounter.”
“At the same time, we have to be on the lookout for pitfalls career consultants regularly encounter, such as withholding realities for fear of offending the jobseeker even if the truth may help him. We have to hold ourselves as specialists who give professional advice, and not simply as job placement officers,” shares Glenford. “The reward for me then comes from knowing that we are helping to enhance the employability and competitiveness of our clients, and where both employees and employers will enjoy a good match in needs and skills.”
For more information on upgrading your skills or for career guidance, please contact our Career Centres.
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