A Reddit thread initiated on February 4th, inviting Singaporeans to share the most “out-of-touch” statements they’ve encountered regarding the current job market, has quickly become a focal point for venting frustrations about employment challenges. The discussion, posted on the r/askSingapore forum, aimed to create a space for shared experiences and, as the original poster set it, “at least laugh at them together.”
The original poster (OP) began the conversation by recounting an interaction where someone suggested that the issue wasn’t a lack of jobs, but rather that fresh graduates and Singaporeans were “too picky” and unwilling to accept positions in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the OP, this perspective implies that a willingness to work in SMEs would resolve the broader job crisis.
The post resonated widely, prompting numerous responses from users sharing similar experiences. One Redditor described being questioned about how they managed to live on a monthly income of S$6,000 in Singapore. Another recalled being told by a potential employer that they simply weren’t “hungry enough” to secure a position. A commenter shared an experience with a career advisor who advised them to pursue a degree as a guaranteed path to employment.
Further adding to the sense of disconnect, one user reported being told that the presence of foreign workers wasn’t about displacing local talent, but rather about enhancing employment opportunities for Singaporeans.
Official data from Workforce Singapore indicates a slight decline in unemployment rates in August 2025, reporting a seasonally adjusted overall rate of 1.9%. Employment rates among recent resident graduates also showed improvement, rising to 51.9% as of June 2025, compared to 47.9% for the previous graduating cohort. The data indicates that 87.1% of fresh graduates found employment within six months of completing their studies, a slight decrease from 89.6% the previous year.
