SINGAPORE: In today’s job market, being ghosted after submitting applications is already frustrating, but going through multiple interviews only to end up with no offers can feel even worse. 

One Singaporean job seeker recently shared on Reddit that he is facing exactly this situation, having sent out around 300 job applications over the past month without securing a single offer.

Posting on the r/singaporejobs subreddit, he shared that he has been applying to a mix of local and overseas companies, focusing on technical positions that fit his background and experience.

The good news? Recruiters seem interested enough to talk to him.

The bad news? Those conversations are not leading anywhere.

According to the job seeker, his hundreds of applications have resulted in around 14 interviews so far. While that might sound like progress, he admitted that none of them has translated into an actual job offer.

“I know there have already been many posts about how bad the job market is right now, but I wanted to hear from others and understand whether this is normal,” he continued.

“For context, I’m in tech, but not applying mainly for SWE roles. I’m targeting more technical roles outside of pure software engineering.”

Looking for answers, he asked fellow Singaporeans, particularly those who are also job hunting in the tech industry: “ Is this application-to-interview rate normal right now? Is getting interviews but no offers common in the current market? How long did it take you to land an offer? What helped you improve your interview-to-offer conversion? Are referrals making a big difference compared to cold applications?” 

He added. “I’m not trying to complain—just trying to understand if my experience is normal or if I should change my strategy. Appreciate any advice or experiences.”

“Build a strong network.”

In the comments, many Singaporean Redditors told the job seeker that his application-to-interview ratio is actually pretty normal in today’s job market.

One Redditor shared, “Normal everywhere, bro. Not just tech. I am serious when I say a resume (full of grammar mistakes) I had when I was 16 got me a higher job application/interviews/offers ratio than my polished resume as an adult.”

Another commenter noted that securing 14 interviews from 300 applications is actually a solid conversion rate given the current hiring climate.

Others, however, offered more direct feedback on where things might be going wrong.

One Redditor explained, “Getting 14 interviews with zero offers usually points to one of a few things, either your answers aren’t landing the way you think they are, you’re struggling to communicate your value clearly under pressure, or you’re not asking enough questions that show you’ve done your homework on the company.”

They added, “Practice answering questions out loud, record yourself, get feedback from someone who will actually be critical rather than kind, and really tailor your answers to each role.”

Another Redditor said salary expectations could also be a factor.

“It’s got to do with your asking as well. If you are asking for S$100k a year for a job that pays between S$60k and S$100k, your failure rate is high.”

A third user added that relying solely on online job applications may not be enough these days.

Based on their experience, building and tapping into a professional network tends to work much better.

They shared, “I constantly speak to people in my industry (tech) and meet up with them 1-2 times a year. Most of the hiring managers I’ve talked to and kept in contact with reach out to me to offer me a job; I get these offers 3-4 times a year. All the companies I’ve worked with previously would reach out to me and ask me to recommend someone for a position. It’s very common now; people trust referrals more. So definitely build a strong network.”

In other news, a 22-year-old Singaporean woman says she feels used and emotionally drained after allegedly being made to pay for most of her relationship expenses while her boyfriend claimed he was “saving for their future.”

In a post shared on a local forum on Thursday (May 21), the woman said she has been dating her boyfriend since 2023.

Read more: SG woman says boyfriend earning S$5K–S$6K still expected her to cover most expenses

This article (After 300 applications and multiple interviews, job seeker wonders why offers aren’t coming) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A 25-year-old graduate says he is beginning to feel like he is “watching everything collapse” after spending the past six months unemployed despite submitting between 400 and 500 job applications since graduating from a local university in December 2025.

Sharing his frustrations on a local online forum, the graduate shared that he has been applying to practically every type of job available and has long stopped caring about “market average” fresh graduate salaries or whether the position even matches his economics degree.

“Bruh, I’ve applied to countless types of jobs… and nothing, damn,” he wrote. “The number of HR screening calls I can count with one hand, the number of serious interviews/assessments, count with one finger (that’s 1). And that has been put on hold; suddenly the company is re-evaluating if they want to hire for that position (WTF?).”

Although he has been channelling his energy into self-improvement and staying disciplined, he admitted the uncertainty surrounding his future still feels overwhelming.

“I have been trying to stay disciplined, work out, and learn new skills, but honestly the pressure—I got a partner and a future to worry about while my savings are drying up. I don’t know, it feels like everything’s collapsing.”

By the end of his post, the weary graduate said, “Thought I’d vent it all here, if anyone relates, maybe we can talk it out together.”

“It’s time to change up your job search strategy.”

Given the sheer number of applications he had sent out, several Singaporean Redditors speculated that his résumé might be part of the problem.

One individual wrote, “Hmm, maybe there’s a problem with your resume? (Sounds crazy, but just check, I guess.) your resume has some formatting issues causing it to not be picked up by systems properly?” 

“Try to view your applications and make sure whatever info you filled in is correct and your resume is downloadable.”

Another shared, “Not saying this to flex, but something is definitely wrong with your resume. I am getting 2-3 interviews a week in finance, fintech and engineering firms, and failed all my interviews.” 

“The opportunity is certainly there, and it’s not as bleak as what everyone says (yes, I know there’s truth to it, but successful people don’t share their stories online). I hope this can renew your confidence and retackle your problem from the bottom up.”

Some Redditors also encouraged the graduate to stop relying solely on blind online applications and focus more heavily on networking instead.

“At 500 application rejections, it’s time to change up your job search strategy,” one commenter advised.

“Easiest way to get a job is through networking. Sounds like you might just be submitting applications blindly. It’s not about how many jobs you apply for but the quality of each submission. Go network with friends, classmates, family, alum, former colleagues, professors, etc.”
Another person encouraged him to reach out directly to his university for support. 

They said, “What school? Ask the professors and faculty for help. No need to be embarrassed, or they should be when their product fails in the market.” 

“I’m saying this because I and my wife and other alums who are in middle management now have been personally asked by the school (NUS) to hire or at least favor our own graduates whenever possible. Also shows how brutal the market is right now.”

A handful of commenters also attempted to lift the graduate’s spirits, encouraging him not to let the repeated rejections crush his confidence.

One wrote, “Don’t give up. Even though it’s getting harder and harder. If you have specialised software skills, maybe you can do some side hustles. Have not been working since the end of 2022 here.”

Another commented, “Hang in there! One thing that I’ve seen that helped me and others was also getting in through referrals—even if you don’t know somebody, you could connect through LinkedIn and express your interest in the roles, and if they would be okay to refer you in.”

In other news, a fed-up wife turned to social media to vent her frustration after her husband allegedly refused to help out with household chores, even after their domestic helper left the family.

Posting in the SINGAPORE TRANSFER (No Fees/SD), DIRECT HIRE & NEW HELPER Facebook group on Thursday (May 14), she shared that they had had a helper for six years.

Read more: ‘70% of our marriage he’s been jobless’: Wife says unemployed husband refuses to help after maid left

This article (‘It feels like everything’s collapsing’: 25-year-old graduate says he’s still jobless even after sending 400 to 500 applications) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.