Finding the perfect job match

The simple matter of an ad in a local paper, a few applicants and a handful of interviews began to get more complex 20 years ago.

Personal mobility, employees’ desires to change not just companies but countries, and employers’ tighter job specifications all led to a need for better job markets and faster information. There was another factor at work, too. Company culture became recognised as a reality. It had always existed, of course. Great patriarchal families such as Cadbury or Mars and early enlightened employers such as Marks and Spencer had attracted the cream of the available talent for generations. In Japan, the company was often an employee’s whole life, taking precedence over family and personal ambition.

Then, quite quickly, the picture changed. One cause was the recognition of the value and scarcity of real talent. The wage gap between the “average” employee and the top widened. Systematic training started, partly because of technology spreading its tentacles from factory into office and partly because employment costs demanded that every ounce of productivity had to be achieved to make a job viable.

This soon led to a recognition that the cost of an employee was not the wages and perks but the accumulated investment the company had made in his or her job and, subsequently, the maintenance of that asset in a changing technological world.

It was these influences that led to the rise of job portals and companies such as Monster and to the growing awareness that hyperbole in a CV plays a very little part in securing a job. My experience is it often turns off an employer because he has read it all before and is not prepared to do so again. Time spent reading copy-written CVs is resented, as is the carbon footprint involved in travel to interview overseas talent or the cost of bringing candidates long distances only to find out they in no way fit the bill.

So poor is the quality of many CVs that a simpler style is long overdue. At least one new service is shortly going to provide an online format for this. Meanwhile, if you are concerned about your CV and you care to send it to me, I will let you have a comment on it together with a content checklist to ensure what you are presenting is useful. I do not charge for this and all information sent to me will be held in strict confidence.

Technology now allows employee/job matching to move into a new era where “essential fact CVs” coupled with a short video provide a desktop way of searching through the credentials of many potential employees and producing a short list in a fraction of the time it used to take and at a tenth of the cost. All this can initially be done without revealing the employee’s identity until she or he is ready to do so.

New services such as SeeMeCV display enough information for an employer to make the decision to interview with twice the chance the employee might be hired than any other system provides. Candidates will still need skills in the preparation of their one-page CV and in filming their video clip. They will require excellent interview performance and all the emotional intelligence that face-to-face meetings always demand. But at least they will be reviewed faster, called to fewer wasted interviews and confronted by fewer frustrated employers wondering how to fill the half hour they know will not lead to a job offer.

The age of the useable CV has arrived. Is yours up to date and up to scratch?I suggest you review it now.

John Bittleston mentors people in business, career and their personal lives at www.TerrificMentors.com.TODAY/ra

Article and Image Source Today.
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Opportunities amidst economic uncertainty / Fair Employment Practices

Mr Hawazi Daipi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Manpower & Health) delivered this speech at JobsCentral Career & Learning Fair 2008 today.

The speech covered 2 main topics: Opportunities amidst economic uncertainty and Fair Employment Practices.

The economic outlook continues to be uncertain, with concerns over the impact of the US credit crisis, rising inflation, and weaker demand from our external markets. Some employers have become more selective and cautious in hiring. As a result, some jobseekers might find it more challenging to land their dream jobs. However, while the labour market outlook is not as rosy as before, our fundamentals remain strong.

We will continue to create many good jobs in sectors such as finance, aerospace, logistics, interactive digital media and tourism. Many employers are still actively looking to hire and invest in new talents.

Jobseekers who need more information on the opportunities in the wider economy can refer to the Career Compass and Labour Market Highlights. They provide a comprehensive overview of the developments in the current and future job market, including information on upcoming manpower demand and occupational requirements.

Years of education and training have equipped us with skills to fulfil our career aspirations. However, we must bear in mind that the final leap to secure our desired job is possible only because there is fair employment practices. We are fortunate that in Singapore, we do not have a serious problem with workplace discrimination. This is the result of our firm belief in meritocracy, which extends into fair employment practices.

While discrimination might be low, small pockets of our workforce could be facing challenges in employment search because of their age, gender, marital status, etc. Both workers and employers lose when there is workplace discrimination. While the worker is denied a fair opportunity, the employer limits his pool of possible talent and the chance of recruiting the best person for the job. More importantly, treating employees fairly and with respect creates a harmonious environment that better motivates and retains valued employees. This is critical for any business that seeks continuity and growth.

Article and Image Source MOM.
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Workgroup in talks with insurers to plug coverage gaps for workers over 65

Yesterday we posted an article regarding the launch of Re-employment.sg, the government's initiative to assist employers in hiring older workers.

We are glad that Today's article reported that measures are also being made to help with insurance coverage for older workers.

"WITHOUT steps to correct the situation, mature workers who wish to stay on the job once re-employment laws kick in could find a crucial element missing from their contract — medical insurance coverage.

Right now, the last entry age cap practised by the market to insure mature employees stands at 64.

Yesterday, the Tripartite Implementation Workgroup revealed it will soon release a list of insurers that have agreed to raise it to 65. And it hopes they can be persuaded to set the bar even higher.

“At 64 and 65, we are still okay. But we are talking to the insurance agencies about raising this cap,” said Mr Koh Jun Kiat, executive director of the Singapore National Employers Federation (Snef), at a forum to launch a new re-employment Web portal and guidebook.

He also raised the issue of allowing a mature worker to take a break before he starts his re-employment term.

“If the break is too long, there is a problem with continued medical insurance,” he said, explaining that the current standard for insurers to continue coverage without re-evaluation is up to a month.

He added: “We are also talking with insurance agents about lengthening this gap a little bit.”

At the same time, Mr Koh said, the 2012 legislation will be shaped so as to allow companies the option to let employees begin their re-employment term immediately.

“We will take this up to see whether the law can be crafted in such a way he can be re-employed the day after. So, there is no need to go for a break.”

Applauding these moves as a “natural progression forward”, Mr David Ang, executive director, Singapore Human Resource Institute (Shri), told Today: “Life expectancy has gone up. It would be good for insurers to review past practices which might have been based on parameters that have undergone some transformation.”

But he also proposed that companies consider a portable medical insurance scheme, with coverage at work tied not to companies but individuals.

To this end, he said, the Shri — along with some insurers — will next month launch such products.

Meanwhile, Mr Leong Sze Hian, president of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, warned of the costs of raising the last entry age cap beyond 65. “The older they are, the higher would be their insurance claim. So there will be higher premiums set for mature workers. Are employers willing to pay the higher premium?”

He suggested that the Government make it compulsory for every Singaporean to take up a national basic health insurance plan."

Article and Image Source.
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Re-employment.sg launched to prepare for re-employment of older workers

Did you know that there are 4 schemes which help employers offset any costs (re-training, offering flexible work hours and more) of hiring older workers?

The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) have launched a new website to guide employers and employees on the re-employment of older workers.

The website, www.re-employment.sg, is a one-stop information and resource centre to help employers and employees get started on re-employment before legislation is enforced in 2012.

The site has useful information like how Employers can implement re-employment:

1. Familiarise yourself with the Tripartite Advisory on the Re-employment of Older Workers
   
2. Review existing HR policies
   
3. Align policies with the Tripartite Advisory on the Re-employment of Older Workers, with inputs from both workers and unions where appropriate
   
4. Find out more about the assistance available to help in the implementation of re-employment in your company

It provides practical information, lists workshops and case studies of companies that have implemented re-employment successfully.

Employees can also find out how to upgrade their skills and prepare themselves for re-employment.

Moreover, the website lists the workforce age profiles of more than 250 companies from sectors such as hospitality, manufacturing and retail trade.

The information is posted voluntarily and tripartite partners encourage employers who have not done so to make similar postings on the website.

Article and Image Source CNA.
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Need Resume Templates / Samples?

Check out these 2 links for resume samples / templates. Some are definitely eye-catching, which does help differentiate in the clutter of resumes the recruiter might receive.

Here and here.

As bonus, here's one that's really... extravagant and another that you can wear.

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Newly Trained Security Guards Tripled in Past Year

Demand for security guards growing as tourism industry booms - The number of newly trained private security guards in Singapore has tripled over the past year to 7,360, and demand is set to grow over the next few years.

The demand for security officers has gone up so much that companies are taking in untrained staff and sending them for training programmes.

Industry players said due to tourism growth and the development of mega retail and entertainment outlets, some companies have secured large contracts to supply security officers and have to fill up the shortfall in a short time.

It is estimated that the industry will need another 4,000 guards over the next three years.

Article Source CNA
Image Source Daylife.com
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Mothers want more flexible working conditions

Earning money for the family is the main reason why mothers want to return to the workforce. But they said on average, their paycheck has to be at least S$1,200 a month to make it worth their while.

These are some of the findings from a survey of 1,000 mothers by the support network, Working Mothers Forum, in April.

The pool of respondents was made up of 560 working mothers and 440 stay-at-home mothers who intend to re-enter the workforce.

37 per cent of the respondents said their main reason for stopping work was because they did not want to leave their children in childcare centres or with maids.

71 per cent of the stay-at-home mums said they wanted to work to earn money for the family. But 63 per cent of them said they were unable to find jobs that offer family-friendly working hours.

Whether it is pay or flexible working conditions, most of the mothers surveyed said employers and the government are in the best position to help them attain work-life balance.

Getting the right work-life balance could help boost Singapore's flagging birth rate.

Article and Image Source CNA.

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Worried about keeping your job during hard times?

"Work your tail off," keep a high profile, and find a mentor, veteran job coaches say.

While it is uncertain times for the job market in the US, are cutting staff as financial pressures mount. And while the U.S. unemployment rate has held steady at 5.5% for the last two months, there are no guarantees that workers—especially those between ages 50 and 60—will be able to avoid further cutbacks.

Older workers have experience and knowledge they can leverage to keep their jobs. But with staffing budgets increasingly under scrutiny, it may pay to be proactive. The first and most important move workers should make: Look for new experiences with their current employer.

Some tips:

"Be Visible"

Employees can raise their profiles when they make the effort to join special committees or even help organize a companywide social engagement.

"Cultivate a Mentor"

Workers who are more engaged with the day-to-day operations at their companies have a distinct advantage over those clock-punchers who focus solely on the tasks in their job descriptions. But staying in a job is also about building relationships. While it's advisable to work well with your peers, it never hurts to develop a close relationship with a mentor, particularly with someone higher up who can help keep you out of harm's way when the axman cometh.

"The main element in your career plan has to change from doing what you have to do to impress your superiors to doing what you have to do to impress yourself," says Haberfeld.

Article Source BusinessWeek, Image Source Dreamstime.
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Are you Self Employed or Informal worker? Do this before 31st Aug and get up to $1600.

The self-employed and informal workers are due to receive their first payment of Workfare on October 1.

But before that, they have to make Medisave contributions by August 31.

The CPF Board is urging those who have yet to do so to contribute to Medisave.

They can do so with cash or through NETS, or make out a cheque payable to the CPF Board or through an e-payment.

The self employed and informal workers stand to receive up to S$1600 in Workfare for work done for the whole of this year, of which up to S$800 will be paid out during the October 1 payment.

Meanwhile, employees who meet the Workfare Income Supplement criteria will also get their payment on the 1st of October.

Source CNA.
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9 Smart Money Tips To Help You Quit Your Job

Mint, the highly reviewed finance management site, just posted an interesting article on how you can establish your goals and work toward a day when you have enough money or alternative income to quit. Do visit the link above for full article.

Here's an extract:

Tip 1: Diversify your income sources - In addition to increasing your income, diversification can ensure that if one source of money dries up, you haven’t lost everything. Losing your job won’t mean the end of your income, and you will be in a position to ramp up one of the other sources to replace the lost salary.

Tip 2: Develop passive income streams - Even as you diversify your income sources, you’ll realize that there are only so many hours in the day. The beauty of passive, semi-passive and residual income is that these streams continue to generate money even while you are occupied at your regular job, meaning that you can increase your income exponentially without being limited to how much you can actively accomplish during working hours.

Tip 3: Pay yourself first - Make saving money a priority, and set aside a percentage of your income as savings.

Tip 4: Avoid debt and high interest rates - Huge credit card balances and car loans are two of the biggest pitfalls on the way to wealth.

Tip 5: Live like a millionaire - The Millionaire Next Door, that is. Mimic the frugal habits of self-made millionaires if you wish to join their ranks. They spend less than what they earn, research large purchases, avoid debt and pay cash for their vehicles. The very wealthy tend not to have especially expensive taste.

Tip 6: Invest wisely and regularly - Don’t invest in things you don’t understand, and make sure you diversify your investments to minimize your risk. Set up automatic investment contributions, and participate in any employer-matching plans available to you.

Tip 7: Stay married - Divorce is one of the leading destroyers of wealth in American families. The cost of divorce, legal counsel, child support and alimony add up to severely limit your ability to save money and grow wealth.

Tip 8: Track your finances - A written budget, whether it’s in your notebook or online at Mint.com, keeps you on track and gives you a visual representation of your overall financial picture.

Tip 9: Borrow carefully - Look for the lowest interest rates available, and only take out loans that make sense for your financial situation.

Early retirement or the opportunity to pursue your dream job? The choice is yours. Follow these easy tips and pretty soon the millionaire might not just be next door, he or she might just be living in your house.

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Talent Crunch In Asia To Deepen In Next 3-5 Years

Asia's workforce is becoming more individual-focused, with employees changing jobs more frequently and constantly searching for better opportunities, a study has found.

This shifting set of cultural norms and changing value of employees is expected to lead to "a significiant turnover rate" in critical talent roles, especially at the managerial and entry levels in the next three to five years, said the study commissioned by the Ministry of Manpower.

The study, carried out by Hewitt Associates, also showed that organisations have replaced seniority-based employment, with an emphasis on results and performance and identified three critical talent challenges that organisations in the region need to overcome.

The study found that the relatively small talent pool in Asia has resulted in a leadership crisis in many organisations, which may impede its future growth.

The greater emphasis on performance and customer orientation also means that employers will have to provide their staff with greater independence, empowerment, flexibility and challenging work, if they want to attract, motivate and retain the best workers, said the study.

'We are now seeing a 'supercharging' of these issues - shortage of talent and lack of experienced leaders - in environments where companies are trying to grow 10 to 50 per cent," said Mr Andrew Bell, Hewitt Associates, Global Leader for Talent and Organisation Consulting.

"The rapid flow of capital from West to East, where more than a billion dollars a week, for instance, flows in to China to establish new businesses, continues to sustain these challenges.'

Commenting on the Hewitt study findings, Mr Leo Yip, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Manpower, said: 'Companies operating in Asia, the largest emerging market in the world, will face people challenges that are unique to the region.

"Adopting effective people strategies to address these challenges will be critical to leveraging the full potential of the region's workforce, and to sustained corporate competitiveness."

Underscoring the importance of effective people strategies for the growth and success of a company, Mr Ong Ye Kung, Chief Executive, of Singapore Workforce Development Agency, said: 'Many companies have realised that HR work no longer comprise traditional functions like payroll processing and staff welfare. It is much more than that - including talent development, organisational excellence, and moulding the culture of the organisation.

"This also means that HR work is no longer the job of just HR executives, but the job of everyone in the company, especially the bosses.'

The findings of the study will be presented and discussed at the upcoming inaugural Singapore Human Capital Summit (SHCS) on 'People Strategies for Asia', to be held From 22 to 24 Oct.

The summit will bring together global and regional industry and thought leaders, as well as government leaders from the region, to share and deliberate on leading ideas and practices in human capital management, and their application to businesses and organisations operating in Asia.

Source The Straits Times.
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Need help with Resumes? Find some at Scribd.

Jim Stroud has a 2 parts article on how to "mine" resumes from Scribd.com, the User Generated Content - Online document repository site.

Scribd is like a YouTube for documents. on any given month, 17 million people research Scribd for documents of all types. Since Scribd launched in March 2007, it has become one of the top 300 websites on the Internet, receiving over 20 million monthly visitors. It has also accumulated over 17 billion words in its library, making it five times the size of Wikipedia!!!

More after the jump - part 1 and part 2.

Article and Image Source TheRecruitersLounge.com.
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Bogus Job Vacancy Ads

A post on TheStar website highlighted his experience at a job interview in Singapore.

"I see the resurfacing of advertisements for non-existent overseas postings by a foreign company. A very simple job description is given. The salary and job positions seem very attractive.

A few years ago, I attended such an interview with a Singapore company, purportedly for a vacancy in a Pacific island. The interview was held at a hotel room.

The interviewee will be asked to fill up a simple form and to wait for the result. Later, a phone call will inform the interviewee of his success, but he will have pay the air fare to the Pacific island, which cost a few thousand ringgit, to a middleman.

The reason? This is to prove the applicant’s sincerity in wanting the job. It is claimed that in the past, some applicants who were not sincere returned after the company paid their air fare.

Is there some form of vetting or checks in place to weed out bogus job vacancy ads meant to cheat unsuspecting victims?

Just like “Scratch & Win” schemes and bogus pyramid schemes, the job scam has to be exposed.

We do not want foreigners to dupe our people.

PG,
George Town."

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Are You a Workaholic? Take The Test here...

How Do I Know if I’m a Workaholic? CNBC has a quiz.

1. Do you get more excited about your work than about family or anything else?

2. Are there times when you can charge through your work and other times when you can’t?

3. Do you take work with you to bed? On weekends? On vacation?

4. Is work the activity you like to do best and talk about most?

5. Do you work more than 40 hours a week?

6. Do you turn your hobbies into money-making ventures?

7. Do you take complete responsibility for the outcome of your work efforts?

8. Have your family or friends given up expecting you on time?

9. Do you take on extra work because you are concerned that it won’t otherwise get done?

10. Do you underestimate how long a project will take and then rush to complete it?

If you answer “yes” to three or more of these questions you may be a workaholic.

Image Source SelfMadeMinds.com
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Outlook for 2009 murky but Singapore can be more than an investment destination

2009 Outlook: Mr Beh Swan Gin, the Economic Development Board's (EDB) new managing director advised that Singapore is still on track for record manufacturing investments this year, the outlook for 2009 is 'murky' - no thanks to the fallout from the global credit crisis.

'There is no question that large investments being decided this year and 2009 will take into account the changing economic conditions,' said Dr Beh, who assumes the hot seat at EDB effective today. 'I think we need to see how the situation unfolds over the next few months.'

While he said that it's too early for EDB to give a guidance for 2009 - something usually done around January - Dr Beh nevertheless conceded in an interview with local media that 'I must say that this year, the picture is murkier than usual because of the US situation'.

EDB is 'reinforcing' or shoring up Singapore's economic pillars, Dr Beh said, by infusing knowledge-intensive aspects or activities within the various sectors like biomedical, semiconductors, or chemicals.

He also stressed there was a critical need for talent, both local and foreign. 'In the past, capital was critical for success, and attracting investments was key to that. Now, with knowledge and innovation, talent is critical - and that is an important challenge for Singapore.'

EDB says Singapore can be more than an investment destination: Singapore will focus not just on being a good investment destination, but also a good business partner, said the incoming managing director of the Economic Development Board (EDB).

Dr Beh said the relatively new industry of water solutions is one example of what the EDB will focus on.

The sector falls under urban solutions, which, together with personal wellness and healthcare, and lifestyle products and services, are the three areas the board will emphasise on.

For example, for personal wellness and healthcare, it could look at how to make the systems more effective.

Dr Beh, incoming managing director, EDB, said: "It's important for Singapore but equally important is what companies in the region and all over the world will be looking for. So we can develop this solution through things like process re-engineering - maybe through better use of tech or IT."

Source BusinessTimes and CNA. Image Source BusinessTimes.
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1 in 3 workers unsure about career future

AsiaOne reports that valued workers feel they have stake in company.

It is a sad fact that one in three Singapore workers is uncertain about his career (my paper, July 31).

Many have not received vocational guidance after completing their studies, and they just grab any job opportunity which comes their way.

Some are now unhappy and discontented with their work, after they realise that their qualifications are not relevant to their jobs.

Career uncertainty can adversely affect a worker's job performance, and it is imperative for managers to help employees chart their career paths.

It would be beneficial for a company to deploy its employees to different sections so that they will learn new skills, apart from gaining a better insight into the organisation?s operations.

Training and retraining as well as job-redesign can enhance an employee's loyalty to the company and his job satisfaction, thus minimising staff turnover.

I agree that one essential aspect of good management is understanding the aspirations and strengths of employees. They need guidance as to how they can contribute more to the organisation and what the future holds for them.

A worker who knows that his boss values his contribution will be an asset to the company, because such a worker believes that he has a stake in the business.

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Pushing up wages to offset inflation risky move, warns NTUC chief

Pushing wages up to fully offset inflation is a risky move, as workers will end up paying ever-higher prices.

Labour chief Lim Swee Say highlighted this vicious circle on Thursday in a message for National Day, calling on workers to moderate wage expectations.

'Instead of pushing wages up to fully offset inflation, we must continue to link built-in wage increase to productivity gain and help our people through various non-wage measures', he said.

This will prevent a 'price-wage spiral'.

His message came as the second-quarter jobs figures released by the Mnistry of Manpower on Thursday showed job creation moderated to 70,600 from April to June and the unemployment rate creeping up to 2.3 per cent.

Full Speech here.

Source StraitsTimes.
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Job market turns less rosy

Singaporeans seeking jobs in the months ahead face the prospect of a slowing labour market.

The reason: the shrinking pool of new jobs in two sectors, manufacturing and services.

It would have been worse if not for the golden performance of the construction sector, judging from new figures from the Manpower Ministry.

These show that employment in the sector increased by 22,100 jobs in the second quarter this year. This is double the 10,900 new construction jobs added in the same quarter last year.

However, the overall job market is less buoyant.

'Outside of construction, employment growth has moderated from the previous quarter,' said the ministry yesterday when it released the second quarter's job data.

New jobs rose by 70,600, which it notes is 'slightly lower' than the 73,200 in the first three months of this year.

Analysts see this shift as signalling a possible slowdown in jobs, with employers now more cautious about hiring.

'We feel a bit more caution in the air,' said regional economist Song Seng Wun of CIMB-GK Research.

More at AsiaOne.

Image source AsiaOne.
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Working to get more women into the workforce

Called Step Out For Change, the programme was officially launched yesterday by Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong at a job fair in Jurong East.

It features a series of workshops that teach women a range of skills, from writing a resume to dressing for an interview.

The programme, designed by the Workforce Development Agency, is free and open to women older than 25, without tertiary education and who have been unable to get a job for at least six months.

It targets one of the key problems Singapore faces in coaxing older people to return to work. Latest figures show that not enough older women are doing so. Among the barriers cited as keeping them from working are the need to take care of children and a lack of flexible or part-time work arrangements.

A recent Manpower Ministry report found that two-thirds of non-working women aged 50 to 64 had never worked or had stopped working for at least 10 years.

Their situation was acknowledged by Mr Gan when he spoke to reporters after touring the job fair. He noted that besides being unfamiliar with the work environment, these women 'have inhibitions about going back to work'.

But he is optimistic that the Government's various efforts will bring more women back to work.

Employers like Apex-Pal, which is behind the Sakae Sushi chain, have geared up for the greying population. The company has older-worker friendly policies like an extra day of paid leave a year for grandparents.

Said its vice-president of group human resources, Ms May Foo: 'We find that with mature workers, our turnover is low. They are committed to staying long.'

Article Source AsiaOne. Image Source LDS.org.
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Singapore Jobless Rate at 1 year high

Singapore’s jobless rate rose to a one-year high as firms slowed hiring amid choppy financial markets and a weakening global economy, and analysts warned that unemployment may climb in coming months.

The jobless rate rose to 2.3 percent in the April-June period after seasonal adjustments, compared to 2 percent in the previous quarter, the Ministry of Manpower said in preliminary data on Thursday.

Employment rose by 70,600 in the second quarter, slowing from a rise of 73,200 in the January-March period.

Economists said the rising jobless rate was evidence that the economic slowdown had extended beyond economic data and was spreading into the real economy, although Singapore’s labour market is still expected to remain tight this year.

“The labour market is going to soften as growth…slows,” said Irvin Seah, an economist at DBS. “We don’t expect a sharp rise in retrenchments but things are going to move along at a slower pace.”

Economists said the tight labour market — the unemployment rate was at a 10-year low in the fourth quarter — may fuel price pressures in Singapore where inflation is at a 26-year high.

“The labour market is still tight but it is moving towards a more sustainable pace that will soften the margin squeeze on companies,” Seah said.

The booming construction industry created a record 22,100 jobs in the second quarter, compared to 14,500 in the first three months of the year, as building deals carried over from last year’s red-hot property market — which has since cooled — continued to fuel activity.

Services, which includes the key financial sector, added 37,600 jobs in the April-June period, slowing from the first quarter when 46,500 jobs were created.

Employment in manufacturing rose by 10,200, down from an increase of 11,800 in the first quarter.

Retrenchments in Singapore fell to 1,900 in the second quarter from 2,274 in the previous quarter.

Heng Swee Keat, Singapore’s central bank chief, said this month unemployment rate is seen at 2 percent for 2008.

Economies across Asia are expected to slow this year as growth in the key U.S. and Eur