SINGAPORE: A local professional has raised concerns online after observing that many job openings in Singapore continue to list Mandarin proficiency as a key hiring requirement, even when the roles are conducted almost entirely in English.
In a post shared on the r/SingaporeCitizens forum, the individual said, “Even when a company’s working language is English, and the role is audience-facing in English, Mandarin still comes up as a key requirement.”
“It’s usually justified as ‘business needs’ or ‘stakeholder management,’ but when probed further, it doesn’t seem central to the actual day-to-day work.”
He went on to share that he had personally witnessed a qualified candidate being turned down because the employer felt it would be “troublesome” to hire someone who did not speak Mandarin.
This was despite the candidate having relevant experience, a background in a multinational corporation, and prior experience working with local organisations. The role in question was also a local position.
“This feels less about necessity and more about convenience in hiring. Especially when communication, deliverables, and the target audience are all English-oriented.”
Seeking perspective, he asked the Reddit community, “Is this driven by internal team dynamics, future-proofing, or simply ease of hiring? FYI, it is in the hospitality line. And Mandarin is not in the job listing; they only said, ‘Knowing a local language is advantageous.”
“I’m sure you will find some company that values you without Mandarin.”
Under the post, many commenters chimed in with their own explanations on why Mandarin continues to surface as an unspoken or explicit hiring requirement.
One person suggested that it could sometimes be practical, such as when a role involves interacting with Chinese-speaking customers or reporting to Chinese-speaking managers.
“They may need Mandarin speakers due to the customers or bosses they serve. [But there are also] companies that have preferences. They prefer to hire the same race so they don’t have to accommodate or think about different cultures/dietary options (halal, kosher, vegetarian) when it comes to lunches, etc.”
“There’s also a possibility that they are not very good in English themselves, so they want to speak in their own mother tongue. Or there are some that generally think Mandarin speakers are better workers, not lazy, etc.”
Another said, “Because Singapore is more Chinese than anything else. ‘Regardless of race, language, or religion’ in the national pledge is a myth. It’s hard to find a job as a non-Chinese person, to be honest. I always wondered why non-Chinese SGs are okay with this.”
A third person added that this isn’t new at all. “Increasingly? It’s been pretty common since the mid-2000s when I was looking for part-time jobs,” they wrote. “Every other job had the ‘Mandarin speaker preferred.’ Never made the news because it didn’t affect the majority, hope that helps.”
A fourth, meanwhile, told him to just “take it as just another skill set like Excel VBA scripting” instead of complaining online.
“If you don’t want to learn it, then skip such job openings. I had a job offer from a German MNC that required me to know German. They required me to attend and pass a German language course. The same for some Japanese MNCs. Not all, so it depends on the company and position,” they said.
“If you are allergic to Mandarin like some people are allergic to tech, then avoid such jobs, lor. No biggie. I’m sure you will find some company that values you without Mandarin.”
In other news, a Singaporean mother is appealing for help online after her young daughter, who was born with underdeveloped lungs and a weak heart, developed acute bronchitis due to long-term exposure to secondhand and thirdhand smoke in her neighbourhood.
Posting anonymously on the r/askSingapore forum, she said her neighbourhood “has smelled like one giant ashtray after 8 p.m.” for years, as people smoke at the park, the void deck, and outside the food court despite these areas being non-smoking zones.
