The Singapore Rat Race

I totally empathize with Ms Tan. But comparing the situation from 1980s and now seems a bit unfair to me.

We don't have distractions like blackberry, handphone, pagers, emails back in 1980s.

Typewriters are still the most common office tool and Personal Computers was just released as a plausible replacement.

And life-long employment and iron rice bowl is something everyone work towards

With fierce competition marring businesses in any industries, things just had to be weighed in dollars and cents.

(Sadly) That's the reality of life now. I guess Ms Tan missed the conception and evolution of Globalization.

Indifference: The 'in' thing?

More means of communication now, yet HR has become less personal. Don't close mind to the suitability of contract workers for permanent jobs

Thursday • November 23, 2006

Letter from Zarina Jaffar
Letter from He Xiu Yun

MS CINDY Lit-Tan's observation of the indifferent attitudes towards job applicants ("Not hiring? Let job hunter know", Nov 21) rings true.

However, I would like to assure Ms Tan the practice of not informing applicants of the outcome is not an "archaic HR practice".

In the 1980s, when I was a fresh school-leaver, job interviewers were more caring and reassuring. There was no such thing as telling us to wait for a call and giving us that sense of false hope.

I received letters by post thanking me for my time and interest and telling me the company would keep me in mind for any other suitable post. Each time I received such a rejection letter, I felt glad the wait was over and grateful that the company had been courteous enough to respond. Such a company would always have my support and good wishes, despite the rejection.

When I applied for a job through employment agencies, it was a pleasant experience — a consultant would interview us personally to match us with suitable jobs.

Thus, when I accompanied my sister to register for a job recently, I was surprised to find that all the indifferent consultant had given her was a card with the website address. She was told to apply online. It all seems so cold and unwelcoming.

After 15 years as a homemaker, I intend to return to the working world now that my children are all independent. The job market and HR practices seem to have changed drastically — and for the worse.