The Three Kinds of Recruiters You’ll Meet in Singapore

Unemployment in Singapore was a major topic in 2020 – and even until 2021. But with Singapore booting out ang moh expats, there is probably more jobs for locals, right anot?

Anyway, over the course of the pandemic, I received phone calls from recruiters in Singapore. To condense them into three types is rather crude, but since this is a satirical post, why the hell not?

1. The Sunshine

This type of recruiter is active, persistent, and provides personalised service. I’d say these types are the gems of their company. Their sunny voices instantly lift you up and make you want to join their team and the position they’re trying to fill. They’re incredibly great at following up and will give you closure if you’re not considered for the job post.

People save the names and numbers of these recruiters. Why? Because they remember how the recruiter made them feel. And at the end of the day, they feel valued. It doesn’t matter if the recruiter was merely filling in his/her quota. The applicant no longer feels like a mere statistic.

2. Mr. Stern

This recruiter is formal and curt. Not cheery, doesn’t dish out jokes, doesn’t laugh over the phone. He is all about business. Now, this recruiter does not make the discussion all about you. It is all about the company, and what an honour it would be for you, a puny proletariat, to even be considered for this role – in a global, powerful, mega hyped up company comprised of hipster avo toast munching millennials on one end of the spectrum, and suit-and-briefcase, perfectly coiffed executives on the other.

However, you’d still be excited. Like how a timid loser would be giddy with excitement if the classroom prom queen somehow remembers his name.

3. The F-This-is-Just-A-Temporary-Job

Ahhh, I’m pretty sure you must have met someone like this at one point in your job-seeking life. This recruiter is pretty much meh in nearly all aspects. He/she doesn’t ask if it’s convenient to talk, doesn’t display any enthusiasm, doesn’t even sound remotely interested in what you have to say. This one is basically reading from a spiel. After one phone interview, you will not hear from him/her again, despite the template “I’ll get back to you on their decision”. If you follow up, you don’t even get a reply.

Any other personalities we failed to mention?