During my time working as a job placement officer, I’ve seen my fair share of unreasonable requests from employers, such as asking for candidates from specific "categories" of people. While we always do our best to offer advice and encourage fair hiring practices, it’s hard to ignore the reality of some of these requests.
Fast forward to today, and things have improved significantly, especially with the efforts of organizations like TAFEP (the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices) here in Singapore, which advocates for fair and inclusive workplaces. However, I’ve come to realize that sometimes, these issues still persist. And, I suspect, they may be happening to me.
A Personal Experience: Feeling Like the "Other"
Let me explain: I was part of a group of part-timers supporting operations at a local fitness facility. Out of the five part-timers, I was the only one who didn’t seem to "fit" in with the rest of the group.
We had a system where the supervisor would post available slots in a group chat for us to fill in. Last week, when the slots were posted, I found that they were quickly taken by everyone except me. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of surprise and disappointment.
Interestingly, two of my colleagues already had full-time jobs and were only working part-time (moonlighting) for some extra cash. One of them even mentioned to me, rather bluntly, that they hoped no new full-timers would be hired, because it would reduce their chances of getting more shifts as part-timers.
Looking Back at My Efforts
As I looked at the situation, I couldn’t help but think about how much effort I had put into my work. I wouldn’t claim to be the hardest worker there, but I have certainly contributed a lot to helping the facility overcome challenges and even resolve some difficult situations with clients. I’ve been praised multiple times in the group chat by clients for my efforts—something I haven’t seen happen to the others (at least, not that I remember).
Still, when I saw the available slots filled up, I felt disheartened. I started questioning whether hard work even mattered when it came to getting opportunities. However, I knew it wasn’t helpful to compare myself to others; they could have their strengths and contribute in ways I may not have seen. But the thought kept creeping back: What if I wasn't getting these opportunities because I didn’t fit the "category" that others did?
A Personal Struggle: Feeling Like the Minority
The more I thought about it, the more I began to feel like an outsider. The part-timers in the group all seemed to belong to a certain "category," while I—being from a different ethnic group—felt like the odd one out. I try not to let these thoughts define my experience, but it’s hard to ignore the feeling that being a minority, in this case, may have played a part in the situation.
While I’m not suggesting that my experience is solely due to my ethinic background, it’s hard not to consider it when other factors don’t seem to add up, and to make matters worse, there are already gossips from some gym users.
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