Despite this tough economic climate, many job seekers are still
picky about the kind of jobs they are willing to take on.
Unveiling its report card at its annual meeting today, the South
West Community Development Council or CDC found that 40% of job
seekers still have unrealistic expectations.
The District received some 6400 job applications from April 2008
to March this year.
Nearly half of those seeking employment assistance through the
South West CDC are unreceptive to different work environments and
have overblown pay expectations.
Speaking at the South West CDC District meeting, Finance
Minister and Adviser to Jurong GRC Grassroots Organisation, Tharman
Shanmugaratnam says strengthening and improving the attitudes of
these workers is a challenge.
Typical job requests include regular working hours, proximity of
workplace to home, an air-conditioned workplace, and unrealistic
salaries.
"But these are adjustments that all of us have to make, and
frankly if you look at the adjustments being made by people in
Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, they are very ready to take on any job.
No job is beneath a person. If it is an honest job, involves hard
work, nothing is beneath us."
Mayor for South West CDC Amy Khor believes that time is needed
to help these residents change their employment attitudes.
She doesn't think it's due to complacency, but it's useful to
understand their situation.
"I think to a certain extend it is understandable for people who
have been so used to a particular job, particular environment, it
is understandable that once you get used to such an environment it
is difficult to try and adapt and change into a different sector
and take up a different job. So, time is really needed to help them
to adapt and change their expectations and mindset."
Dr Khor adds that to help this group, the CDC is taking extra
effort and time to counsel, put them through mindset training
workshops, and encourage them to be more receptive.
Reflecting the weakening economic climate and jobs market, the
CDC says the number of employment assistance applications it has
received rose by 48% to about 6400 compared to the previous fiscal
year.
Of these, the CDC placed more than 2700 job seekers.
However, the average number of job applications for May and June
has shown a decline of about 29%.
--938Live
