Axios HR & Career Advisory

28/05/2026

Transferable skills, something that is still useful today. Now comes Durable Skills, have you heard of it yet?

If you are worried about AI replacing your job — knowing the distinction between these 2 buzz words will matter.

Transferable skills travel with you from job to job. Think skills like scheduling, report writing, customer service, or even basic research — useful across many jobs, but increasingly assisted or replaced by AI tools.

Durable skills are different. They belong to you. Think critical thinking, problem solving, communication, decision making and collaboration skills.

First off - Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate information from multiple perspectives and the ability to examine the assumptions underneath your own judgments.

Can AI do critical thinking?
It certainly can analyse well, but it cannot examine the assumptions baked into its own thinking because it does not know what it does not know.

One practical expression of critical thinking?
Asking the right question.

A wrong question leads to a wrong answer. This has always been true. And anyone who has used an AI tool knows immediately that the quality of your output depends entirely on the quality of your prompt (or the ability to ask the right questions.)

It shows your ability to define what you need to know, frame it clearly, and ask it directly.

That is one durable skill far more valuable than a person who can only answer the questions they are given.

Challenge yourself for the next 5 working days:
Before you send any message, start any task, or use any AI tool — pause for 30 seconds and ask yourself:

"Am I looking at this from more than one angle?"
"What am I assuming here that I have never actually verified?"

That pause. That habit. That 30 seconds of intentional thinking. That is critical thinking in practice — one day at a time.

And nobody can take that from you.

Axios HR & Career Advisory

20/05/2026

Mass retrenchments happening. And this is not the first

141 Gardenia workers. 130 Asia Pacific Breweries staff. 25 from Yeo's.

Today, Gardenia announced it is shutting its Pandan Loop bakery and moving production to JB.

This is not just a Gardenia story.

It is part of a quiet but accelerating pattern — manufacturing moving across the Causeway, operations restructuring, regional consolidation. The global business environment is genuinely challenging and Singapore workers are feeling it - regardless of their hunger.

If you or someone you know received that news today — I want to say that the shock, the anger and the thought of "what do I do next" can become overwhelming.

But the practical reality is this — retrenchment is not the end of your story.

Yet the next chapter rarely writes itself and may requires someone to sit with you, help you see what you are actually worth, and help you take the next step with clarity instead of panic.

If you were affected today — or know someone who was — DM me.

First conversation is on me, because nobody should have to navigate this alone.

Axios HR & Career Advisory

07/05/2026

A Wrong Word used.
And the Right Conversation started.

By now, most of you would have seen or heard about the "hunger" controversy sparked from CNA's Deep Dive podcast.

A recruiter from the recent episode of the show said that firms are hiring foreigners not necessarily because they are more skilled — but because they are "a lot hungrier." And many Singaporeans collectively lost their mind over it.

Yup. The word stings.
Nobody wants to be told they lack something — especially when you are already working hard, juggling family responsibilities, navigating a tough job market, and doing your best with what you have.

But here is what I want to gently offer for your reflection - don't spend your time and energy becoming offended and miss the more important conversation.

Her word choice matters in a public discussion and "hunger" did land badly. Strip away the word, what was she actually observing and emphasizing?

That some job seekers wait for opportunities to come to them instead of creating them.

That some professionals stop upskilling once they feel settled.

That some people apply for jobs without deeply understanding what employers are actually looking for.

That the willingness to go beyond the job description — to show initiative, adaptability, ownership — is becoming a differentiator in a competitive market.

To be fair, not every Singaporean who is struggling in the job market lacks drive or initiative. Structural factors and Age discrimination are real. Systemic hiring biases exist and they deserve to be addressed at the policy level.

However, structural problems and personal agency should not be mutually exclusive. Efforts for fairer hiring practices should continue at the structural level, while individuals start to take ownership of what is within our control - both at the same time.

Time spent drafting an angry comment is energy not spent updating LinkedIn, reaching out to a former colleague, signing up for that SkillsFuture course, or simply reflecting — honestly — what is one thing I could do differently in my job search this week?

Outrage is easy. Reflection is harder. But only one of them moves you forward. Let me give you 5 words worth being hungry for instead:

1) Proactivity — taking action before you are asked to. Reaching out to a hiring manager before the job is posted. Researching the company before the interview is confirmed. It signals to employers that you take initiative at work the same way you take initiative in your job search — and that is exactly the quality they are paying for.

2) Intentionality — being deliberate about where you are going and why. Not just applying everywhere and hoping you get a call from hr. Knowing your value and expressing your skills clearly in your resume.

3) Ownership — treating your career as your own responsibility, not something that happens to you.

4) Adaptability — being willing to pivot, retrain, and reposition when the market shifts. The most employable people are not the most credentialed. They are the most flexible.

5) Drive — sustained internal motivation that does not depend on external validation. Showing up consistently, even when results are slow. Even when rejection comes. Even after a 10-year gap.

None of these qualities are the exclusive property of foreigners. None of them require a perfect CV. All of them are choices.

The next time a hard observation lands uncomfortably — pause and ask yourself: Is there even 10% truth in it that I can act upon?

Because 10% truth, acted on honestly, is worth more than 100% outrage that goes nowhere.

Which quality would you like to work on today? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

29/04/2026

The 10-Year Gap Isn't in vain - It's a Foundation.

For a long time, I felt I had to apologise for my career break. I chose my family over a potential MOM secondment—and I would make that choice again every single time

Yet, the world doesn't wait. In the current AI boom, the silence when you try to return can be deafening. You wonder: Am I still relevant? Has the professional version of me expired?

I know this feeling intimately. The self-doubt. The updating of your resume and staring at a 10 year gap wondering how to explain it. The quiet fear that the professional version of yourself has somehow expired.

She hasn't.

I promised you that!

While I was away, I was learning things no boardroom could teach:

- Empathy & Feedback: As a Standardised Patient at NUS.
- Facilitation & Programme Delivery: As a sustainability educator and upcycling instructor with Green Sprout Singapore, conducting programmes in MOE schools and communities.
- Public Speaking: Making complex ideas accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds
-Resilience: Working as a telemarketer and merchandiser without ego.

None of these were "just jobs". Every single one was quietly building the person I am becoming.

And through it all, I never stopped following the HR space. Never stopped believing people are the heartbeat of every organisation.

So I went back and earned my IHRP-CP certification. Because I wanted to prove - to myself first - that I am current, capable, and ready to contribute.

Axios, in Greek, means "worthy". That is why I named this page as it is, years ago. And it is why I am now pivoting it into what it was always meant to become:

A space for honest HR conversations, practical guidance for Singapore SMEs, and a community for women restarting after a career break.

I’m not talking from a textbook, because I lived it.

If any part of this resonates with you - whether you are a small business owner overwhelmed by the lack HR support and advisory, or a woman wondering if it is too late to restart - I would love to connect. DM me to discuss your challenges and follow along for more!

IHRP-CP | HR Consultant & Career Advisor

15/04/2026

I am among the 19% who share this experience and am not alone.

Discover why nearly one in five workers in Singapore are overqualified for their jobs, and the reasons behind their choices. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

05/04/2026

They were given compensation of two weeks' salary per year of service.

26/03/2026

The 6 steps to transforming performance.

We may need to solve problems not by removing the cause but by designing the way forward.even if the case remains in place.

Step 1 Think about thinking
One cannot teach a man anything. One can only enable him to learn from within himself (Galileo Galilie)

Step 2 Listen for potential
The future belongs to people who sees possibilities before they become obvious (Ted Levitt)

Step 3 Speak with intent
Finding colleagues who, like lovers and friends, are inspiring rather than boring or dominating is increasingly a priority. (Theodore Zeldin)

Step 4 Dance towards insight
To learn is to change how you think (Michael Merzenich)

Step 5 Create new thinking

Step 6 Follow up
Cells that fire together, wire together (Carla Schatz)

25/03/2026

More will be unemployed...

Tuas plant scaling down.

18/03/2026

Professional roles are closely tied to identity and self-worth, which can make leaving work emotionally and psychologically challenging, social worker Ms Tan pointed out.

The ultimate aim should not be to equalise the gender ratio of caregivers, but to ensure caregiving does not push people out of work unnecessarily, say experts.

12/06/2025

[NTUC Women and Family (WAF)]

In collaboration with NTUC e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) and NTUC LearningHub, WAF is inviting progressive employers who embrace FWAs to post their flexible work opportunities on the:

Yes, Flex! Job Portal.
https://e2i-yesflex.headhuntershq.com/

The Yes, Flex! Job Portal connects progressive employers with professionals seeking flexible work arrangements.

It is part of the Better Workplace initiatives, which aim to foster inclusive workplaces, support work-life harmony, and promote harassment-free work environments.