ADVISORY FOR THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED

13 900 Singaporeans woke up this morning and found themselves nowhere to go to for work. The plight of long-term unemployment can be a very thorny issue confronting government leaders. Singapore included. The long-term unemployment rate in Singapore fell from 0.7% to 0.6% and there were some 13 900 residents who have been looking for work for at least 25 weeks as at June 2014.[Statistics: www.tradingeconomics.com]

What are some practical steps to take if you happen to be one of the 13 900?

                                 Maintain a Positive Mental Attitude

The longer one is out of employment, the more nervous, anxious, insecure and depressed one becomes. Avoid being caught up in negative self-talk.

Stay Connected
Get out of the unemployment "hermit-mind" trap.
Be calm and relaxed. Go out and connect with positive-minded and nurturing friends and relatives and share with them your feelings and concerns. Be active on social media. Join and play an active role in your professional association or neighbourhood club. It is good to get out of your house two or three times a week and catch up with friends or past associates for a meal or coffee. Participate actively in networking events. Remind yourself and the employment people that you are still around and ready to work.

Upgrade and Re-skill
Skills diminish the longer you are out of work. Industries you used to work for have undergone dramatic shifts. The jobs that you used to do have disappeared. This is often referred to as structural unemployment. Go, learn and get trained in new jobskills or study for a degree or diploma. There are hosts of government agencies out there offering these training opportunities and they can even provide training grants.

Re-examine Jobsearch Strategies and Tactics
How effective is your jobsearch and your resume? Is your resume up-to-date, marketing-centred and professionally-presented? It has to be ground-breaking, too. Do you spend at least 30 hours per week on jobsearch?

No Social Stigma
Job security is a thing of the past. Jobsearch is now part and parcel of one's working life. Our survey shows that on an average, a person changes jobs five times in one's work life.

It is good to know that unemployment rate remains low - at 2% in 2014 in Singapore. So there are jobs out there. You just have to be proactive and look for it.

Learn more ... www.successfulresumessingapore.com