JOB TRENDS     RECRUITMENT

Singapore - As more jobs become available with the recovering economy, are Singaporean jobseekers confident of seeking their fortunes beyond local shores?

Patrick Png, a 56-year old jobseeker with experience in security settlement operations for the banking sector, is certainly confident, especially since the job market in Singapore is "so saturated". After speaking to the HR managers from major Chinese banks and financial institutes during the Career in China Job Fair organised by JobsDB.com, he feels the job prospects in China are looking up. "I think it is very exciting because I have been looking for a job in China for a long time," he said. "But I have no way out because I don't know who the recruiting people are in China."

Even though it was the first time Png attended a job fair where the companies present were recruiting for senior level positions, he did not find it uncomfortable with the open concept interviewing sessions. Lim, a banking and finance training instructor in his 40s, agrees. "I am okay because they didn't ask any personal questions like your last-drawn pay or previous jobs so in that sense they were pretty professional about it."

While both jobseekers felt the interviewing sessions, conducted mostly in Mandarin, were short, they understood the need for the HR managers to meet as many candidates as they can during the one-day event. Fact is Png sees the fair as the perfect channel to meet up with the hiring managers in person. "We should have more of this job fairs from overseas countries so Singaporeans, who wish to work overseas, have access to the opportunities," he said. Furthermore, several companies have shown their interest in arranging a second interview with him.

Even though the Chinese HR managers preferred resumes written in Mandarin, Lim did not think the lack of it would hinder his chances of getting a second interview. "When you meet them, you can speak to them in Chinese so they feel very comfortable."

Yan Jun, senior staff management manager of SPD Bank's human resource department in China, is glad the candidates are accommodating about the interviewing structure. "It's not considered as an interview, more of a meet-and-greet to have some basic understanding of the candidate," he said. "So I would just ask some simple questions. This is the most I can do given the short meeting time."

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