The job market has been in a bit of flux this year due to economic and geopolitical headwinds, but thankfully, close to 60% of Singapore’s industries record ‘above average’ growth by Q3 2024, according to the Monetary of Singapore (MAS) in an October statement.
It is likely that the same variables that made some employers wary of increasing hiring and salaries in 2024 will remain the same leading into 2025. In the latest MAS survey of employer sentiment, the most probable outcome for 2025 growth fell between 2.5-2.9%, similar to the previous survey.
Geopolitical tensions were cited as the top downside risk by 100% of respondents, from 66.7% in a September 2024 survey, given US President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to raise tariffs to as high as 20% on imports from around the world, with his presidency kicking off on Jan 20, 2025.
Weaker growth in China and domestic cost pressures were also raised as potential drags on the economy in 2025.
Tough times mean Singapore workers will get help to remain competitive
But that doesn’t mean it’s all doom and gloom – 2025 also presents us all an opportunity to reskill and upskill.
As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a recent YouTube video entitled “Living Longer, Learning for Life”, the government will help Singaporeans with the following ongoing and new initiatives:
- The SkillsFuture Level-up Programme
- The SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme (from April 2025 onward)
And, of course, CareersCompass by MyCareersFuture will be here for you every step of the way, too!
From interview tips and tricks to career advice for every facet and stage, we have articles, videos, podcasts, and quizzes to help strategise how to move forward professionally in 2025.
In 2024, we’re glad our career articles have been useful for local workers and jobseekers.
In fact, local jobseekers and workers clicked on our articles over 13 million times* in 2024!
Here’s a round-up of the most popular articles on our site this year and why they’re worth a read if you missed out on them earlier!
Candidates often wonder why their latest salaries should be a benchmark for potential offers rather than being offered a salary based on the market rate or hiring budget. Here’s why the last-drawn salary remains a key question in most job applications. Read here.
With the economy and job market outlook showing a degree of ambiguity in 2024, what’s the prospect of salary increments? Find out here.
Several new initiatives to boost the Singapore workforce were announced at Budget 2024. Here’s a quick round-up here.
According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Singapore’s middle-income workers enjoyed the greatest salary growth in recent years, but what’s the outlook moving forward? Learn more here.
Here are some ways to bring in some extra bucks on the side, even with a full-time job here.
Have you been waiting for the outcome of your interview? Perhaps it’s time to drop a follow-up email to check in for updates. Here’s how!
If you’re looking to better cope with family and work commitments, working in a family-friendly company can make a world of difference to your life. Here’s how.
Yes, the Singapore government is aware that upskilling is a juggle for workers and jobseekers with family commitments. Here’s their strategy to help.
If you’re keen on joining the social service sector, there are plenty of diverse job openings and career conversion initiatives, to facilitate your successful transition into this dynamic industry. Learn more here.
After returning to Singapore during the pandemic, Lok Kam Chi, who was then 60, found it hard to find a full-time job and decided to take on part-time work to begin retirement. But with the help of the Centre for Seniors, he decided to come back to the workforce whilst taking on a career switch. Here’s his story.
*Non-unique visitors as of October 2024
