SINGAPORE: After sending out around 600 job applications with little success, a Singaporean woman is beginning to wonder if it is finally time to give up on pursuing a career in the creative industry and settle for “some random job” instead.
Posting on Reddit’s r/askSingapore forum, the communications graduate shared that she began searching for work in February 2025, months before completing her degree in July that same year.
“Back then, I had been searching exclusively for writing gigs/jobs, and I have pivoted towards a marketing/PR role,” she wrote.
“It’s been almost a year since my graduation, and honestly, I’ve almost given up trying to find any sort of job in this field as it seems like marketing or PR jobs have been getting axed left and right.”
Although she’s grateful to be in a privileged position where she can afford to take her time job hunting, she admitted that the whole situation still bothers her.
“It is weighing on my mind that I am taking this long,” she said. “I am wondering if it is just time to bite the bullet and find some random job so I can just stop thinking about it. Has anyone been in this situation at all? Is it worth it to just keep going?”
“Writers of Singapore, how are you coping with today’s job market, and is there any hope for us to land a job at all?”
“AI and offshoring are too prevalent these days”
In the comments section, quite a few people told the woman that finding a writing job nowadays has become much tougher, especially with AI tools taking over parts of the industry.
A number of them also encouraged her to branch out into other fields instead.
One commenter said, “Copywriting is one of the fields that are most easily replaceable by AI unfortunately. It’s either you pivot to something adjacent (as you said, marketing), or you pick up new skills entirely.”
Another wrote, “Switch to another industry. SkillsFuture is there to help.”
Others suggested she look beyond Singapore for opportunities or try applying directly to websites and publications that regularly produce articles.
One commenter said, “I don’t think it is wise to forge a career in just copywriting. AI and offshoring are too prevalent these days.”
“If you must, your best bet is the websites that typically must produce articles on a regular basis. You have to reach out to them and prove that you can do it. Singapore has this undeniable need that you must have ‘experience’ before you can work for them.”
In other news, a Singapore-based employee has shared online that they are now the “only survivor” of their regional team after a series of layoffs and offshoring decisions wiped out the rest of the local office, raising concerns that their own role may be at risk next.
“I am the only one left in Singapore after layoffs,” they wrote on the r/singaporejobs forum on Tuesday (April 20).
“The rest of the department has been offshored. They have kept me, as I am still leading some important projects in the region.