Job Hunting Amid COVID-19

While the world begins to vaccinate itself and implements new policies based on what vaccine is received (looking at you, China), countries are dealing with how to hire employees amid a pandemic. Most organizations have gone remote, removing the necessity for foreign workers to get a visa or deal with entry requirements, including expensive quarantines.

Though I can’t speak for many countries, I can attest to my experience, having applied for numerous jobs in Singapore over the past two months. There are appears to be four “types” of jobs:

• Companies whose JD blatantly states that they are hiring Singaporeans or Permanent Residents only and that if an applicant requires a work visa, they need not apply. It doesn’t seem “fair,” whatever that might mean, but at least they’re upfront about it...

• Companies that hold the same belief as #1 but don’t say anything in the JD. Though a few hours later, you will receive an e-mail either explicitly stating the same thing (per photo) or either that they are not moving forward with your application.

• Companies who make no mention of only wanting Singaporeans, but when applying, direct you to a website require a SingPass ID number that can only be obtained if you are a Singaporean, Permanent Resident, or current work visa holder. Very smooth.

• Companies that are open to hiring foreigners. This is rare to find, and though they might be open to hiring a foreigner, I don’t think they’ve thought through the logistics, such as applying for a work visa, figuring out who will pay for the $2,000 quarantine, and other things that go into hiring a non-citizen.

I’m lucky to still have work during such unpredictable times, and I enjoy the freedom that working from home provides, though I am eager to get back into an office and have face-to-face conversations with coworkers. I’m not sure what the future will bring, and I will continue applying for jobs in Singapore, though at this point, it seems a bit futile.

UPDATE:

I finished the 1st draft of my 2nd novel - “A Viral State” and am starting the editing/proofreading process to get it ready for literary agents.