Retrenched thanks to Covid-19. What should you do next?

Step-by-step guide.

| Melanie Lim | Sponsored | October 19, 2020, 05:54 PM

It's 2020. Covid-19 has wrecked Singapore's economy in more ways than one and it's not a pretty sight.

In fact, the Ministry of Manpower estimates that the unemployment rate in Singapore rose to 3.4 per cent in August this year, with numbers set to rise in industries that are hardest hit by the recession.

If you've just lost your job and are wondering what to do, you've come to the right article.

Step 1: Cry it all out for the first week

This advice might sound lame, but it can have a surprisingly cathartic effect.

Picture this scenario: you're at work when your boss sits you down and doles out a few obligatory lines like "Times are bad" and "This is an unfortunate move we have to make".

He then offers you a severance package and shows you to the door.

Yes, you've just been retrenched amidst a global pandemic and it doesn't feel good.

You have elderly parents to look after, school-going children, and a mountain of bills to pay.

How long can your savings tide you through, you wonder?

It’s okay if this is a time of tears, melancholy, and perhaps the occasional impulsive purchase to numb the crushing reality you now face.

Let it out. Then soldier on.

Step 2: Accept your fate and start sending out resumes next

However, life has to go on sooner or later, so you accept your fate as a "hungry jobseeker" and aggressively send out resumes. (Good for you.)

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE1OPeWl227/

As you're doing so, remember to find out which industries are currently hiring at the moment, and avoid the "spray and pray" mentality.

Step 3: Consider taking up a company attachment or full-time training programme

If after a few months and you still have no job offers, consider taking up a company attachment via SG United's Mid-Career Pathway Programme to gain new, in-demand skills while still applying for other permanent jobs.

This will not only give you something to do, but also prepare you for the economy when it recovers.

Mid-career individuals who embark on a company attachment with any of these host organisations in particular, will receive a training allowance of up to S$3,000 per month. Dayum.

(Do note that the duration of these attachments can last up to nine months and that allowances may vary, depending on the scope of the attachment.)

Step 4: Take up a part-time job to supplement your income for the next few months

If you need extra cash to support your family, you might also want to take up a part-time job to supplement your household income:

However, do be kind to yourself and take on only what you can manage so you don't burn out.

Additionally, you can even engage a career ambassador for further help in your job hunt or to get extra tips for your interviews.

There's nothing quite like an expert's advice, after all.

Amidst these uncertain times, it's not all doom and gloom

This Covid-19 season, your options are more abundant than they seem.

If you're as much of a trooper as we know you are, develop new skills, gain industry-relevant experience and stay employable with the help of the advice here.

You definitely won't regret doing so for both your current and future self.

This sponsored article by Gov.sg made this writer thankful to be gainfully employed.

Top Image by Andrew Koay