SINGAPORE: Rather than succumbing to frustration after being retrenched, a former tech employee has decided to take on delivery jobs as a temporary solution, at least until the Chinese New Year period.
The man shared his situation on the r/singaporejobs forum on Thursday (Jan 22), explaining, “I’ve been in the tech industry since 2020, but I was recently retrenched. I’ve been actively searching for a new role since January 2025, and so far, things haven’t been going well.”
He added, “It’s been a discouraging period, and I’m starting to feel the weight of uncertainty.”
To prevent himself from being overwhelmed, he said he plans to redirect his focus by committing to delivery work for the time being.
He hopes to start now and continue at least until the Chinese New Year, giving himself time to gradually adapt to the physical demands of the job. “From what I’ve seen in online Facebook groups, CNY deliveries seem to pay decent,” he wrote.
Seeking advice from others with experience, he asked whether it would be better to use vehicle-sharing platforms such as Tribecar or LoadUp, or to lease a van through a traditional rental company instead.
“I’ve never owned a vehicle or used one for a prolonged period. I need recommendations for: models to consider that have the lowest cost per mile and are suitable for personal usage as well, and tips to take care of the van,” he wrote.
“To maximise my net earnings, I need the cheapest rental. From my research, weekly leasing for a van is around S$500. The cheapest van sharing app is LoadUp at only S$6/hour. I don’t need to pay for idling hours.”
Still, despite having already made plans, he confessed there are still doubts. “I’m afraid my fire won’t last,” he wrote. “After all, it’s a big shift.”
“Don’t let the bad job market get you down.”
In the comments, several Redditors voiced their admiration for how the man was handling his situation, while others shared that they were facing similar struggles in the current job market.
“At least you are actively trying to work things out, kudos for this,” one said.
“I left my role in a tech company in late 2024 due to a toxic manager, and has been actively searching but mostly got ghosted or no luck with interviews. Recently finally managed to get an offer with an almost 50% paycut for an entry-level role, but at least it has good growth opportunities,” another chimed in.
“Yeah, it can be discouraging…but I guess you just have to keep trying, and don’t let the bad job market get you down.”
A third said, “My best friend’s boyfriend also hasn’t found a new job yet after resigning from his bank job last August. A big part of it is because he was earning quite a lot. Wishing you the best of luck!”
Meanwhile, a few others personally offered to help out the post author. “Hey there, my company is recently looking to hire for a junior dev role,” one said. “DM me if you are keen; I’ll send you the job description, and then you can consider sending in your resume!”
Regarding his question about vehicle rentals, one merely cautioned him: “I’ve seen stuff about those rental vehicle companies charging people for minor dents or damages to the vehicles that were not caused by the users themselves. Gotta be careful about that if you do indeed embark on this plan that you’re thinking about.”
In other news, a local man has sparked backlash online after claiming in a viral video that he rejected every Singaporean applicant who applied for junior and mid-level roles at his company, allegedly because they lacked initiative, personality, and the ability to clearly communicate their ideas.
The man, who goes by the username leethenomad, shared the video earlier this month on Instagram and TikTok with the title, “The Singapore Premium is weakening.”
