In her 40s, back with a degree - but no job

ShutterBug SG

Classic Singapore Ills

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In her 40s, back with a degree - but no job

Feb 3, 2006
The Straits Times

I WAS elated to be able to join my family for the recent Chinese New Year reunion dinner after missing the past two years' to pursue a degree in Australia.

Although I am happy to be back in Singapore, I faced an uphill task re-entering the workforce, due to my age. I am in my 40s.

Employers are reluctant to recruit older candidates because they believe such workers are not healthy and would cost them in medical expenses. I find such discrimination grossly unfair.

As the population ages, Singapore needs to keep older workers employed for longer. Older candidates should be assessed and recruited according to the same criteria as younger ones.

If this issue is not addressed soon, older job seekers would become disillusioned and leave Singapore to take up jobs overseas. It would be a shame to lose talented, able and healthy workers to other developed countries due to this age discrimination.

Why should we be penalised when we have taken up the Government's challenge to upgrade our skills and qualification?

Sharon Lee Soh Leng (Ms)

Salman SG

Er.. doesn't this happen all over the world?
Why should employers hire you when a younger person can do an equivalent job?

FireIce SG

got once i took cab to work
the cabbie is a lady with MBA

SnowFlag SG

I wonder what degree she studied for Embarassed

FireIce SG

maybe is something like agronomy?

SBS9828X SG

ah dragg Shocked

SBS9828X SG

40 and a Ms... how to support herself like dis? Shocked

ditzy SG

Degree in Farming. Laughing Hey don't laugh. Uni of Colombia offers that.

dragg SG

wow, you remember.

i feel she shouldnt have gone for a degree. it is not about academic qualifications anymore if you are past 40.

dragg SG

what has age got to do with performance?

if every employer thinks like you do there will be social problems. all singaporeans over 40 will be unemployed.

SnowFlag SG

If i am not wrong.....unlike Miss, Ms can mean either married or single Mr. Green

LinYu SG

I empathise with her Crying or Very sad but hey, nobody owe her a living.

From an employer point of view, age could also mean additional cost and expenses (salary and medical) unless they could justify the reasons to spend such as her experience and network.

Was she able to accept lower salary? Is her degree of any significance and relevance to the job she was looking for? Anyway most aging employee are able to stay on usually because they had stayed with their employer for a long time. Therefore she had to bare the consequence of her action for leaving her employment to obtain her academic qualification.

But I do hope that the society (employer and governmant) do give credits and chances to all the senior and aging people coz whatever I had said, I will have to face the same suitation in the future.

Neutral Neutral Neutral

SBS9828X SG

but who knows, if she still got a job, maybe she can ask for higher pay dur to acad qualifications?

ShutterBug SG

Those of you who are currently gainfully employed and young, don't be too ready with a snappy and smart answer or statement. The day will come when you reach 40, and you lose the cushy job you are so comfy and familiar with.

Yes, no one owes anyone a living, but if medical costs is the main reason employers are not hiring older people, then it's the government's fault. They should reduce medical costs for older people who MUST work to support themselves.

Everybody ages, so don't be snappy with comments.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

If you are not a business owner and an employee and this happened to you, I wonder what you will do. You will be like the woman above who wrote the letter. And who you call whiners.

ndmmxiaomayi SG

One of the reasons why she won't get hired. Young people with the same qualifications will work for a lower pay and longer hours.

And if she got more experience and use this as a reason for pay rise, the higher the possibility of not being hired.

ShutterBug SG

Perhaps, if what you've said is true, then the young these days are digging their own grave by undercutting older workers, because they will become old folks too some day?

No?

ShutterBug SG

In short; I suggest that the government buck up and make hiring older workers for employers less of a financial strain, by subsidizing thei medicals.

At the rate babies are produced these days, I'd say Singapore is going to be choked full of old folks in the decades to come!

ndmmxiaomayi SG

Yup. We will get to taste our own medicine when we are old. Sad

ndmmxiaomayi SG

The government won't do that. They will import foreign talent. What's more, foreigners pay the full price of medical nowadays, and government is taking in the money. Profits is always number one in terms of priority. The same goes for our government.