‘We don’t see that hunger anymore’: S’pore recruiter sparks divide after claiming local firms are hiring ‘hungrier’ foreigners

A Singapore-based recruiter has sparked divisive discussion after claiming that companies are hiring foreign workers who are “hungrier” over locals.

The legal recruiter, Lee Shulin, appeared on an episode of CNA’s Deep Dive podcast uploaded on April 30 titled, “Why young workers are walking away from stable careers”.

Clips from the podcast have made the rounds on social media platforms, sparking several reaction videos on TikTok and intense discussions.

‘We don’t see that hunger anymore’: Recruiter

In the podcast, Ms Lee shares that she faces a “real struggle” when hiring fresh graduates, as many lack necessary skills. She added that she looks for a sense of “hunger” in candidates, but feels that this “ingredient” is increasingly absent.

Ms Lee also points out that young employees need to be “a little bit more paranoid” about what the future holds, as she observed companies letting go of Singaporeans and hiring foreign workers from neighbouring countries.

She said this is “not because they are necessarily more skilled, but because they are a lot hungrier, and that hunger is now irreplaceable.”

With artificial intelligence becoming more prevalent, Ms Lee believes “relationship-building skills” are increasingly more important. However, she claims she has encountered many Gen Zs who are unable to carry a conversation, a trend she described as terrifying.

Ms Lee also mentioned that it is not just Gen Zs, but also older workers who are “not prepared to work that hard anymore”, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic.

She added that the “social contract” between employers and employees has changed, explaining that as a recruiter now, she constantly assesses whether a candidate is a potential “flight risk.”

Netizens criticise ‘tone-deaf’ remarks

Ms Lee’s remarks in the podcast have sparked intense discussion online, with some criticising them as “tone-deaf” while others expressed agreement.

User @celinelimfy took to TikTok on May 3 to share her experience of job hunting for six months across various platforms.

“Hearing no reply and rejections every single day – how difficult and jarring that is for anybody’s confidence,” she said, adding that she understands why people are unhappy with Ms Lee’s remarks.

The video has since drawn over 44,000 views and more than 75 comments, with many echoing similar sentiments.

“She came across as tone-deaf,” one commenter wrote, while others questioned whether being “hungrier” meant accepting low pay and working overtime for the sake of “experience.”

“I’m so desperate for a job to the point where I have to apply at least once every day, if not I feel anxious,” one user said.

In a May 4 Reddit thread which has garnered over 300 comments, a user noted that “hunger” is “too superficial a word to describe something that’s way more complex”, pointing out that if a foreigner accepts a salary that’s rejected by a foreigner, it does not make the local less “hungry”, noting that “locals have far greater cost pressures to deal with.”

“I am wondering if that’s a nicer way of saying foreigners are more easily exploited compared to Singaporeans?” another questioned.

There were also others who agreed with Ms Lee’s stance.

In the comments section of a CNA Facebook reel on April 30, one user wrote that “Gen Zs are soft and that reality check is finally here”.

Another agreed, saying that it comes down to one’s ability to sell themselves to their employer.

‘Some of you don’t want to face the truth’

Ms Lee subsequently uploaded a video on her TikTok account @theshulinlee on May 4, responding to netizens’ reactions. The clip has drawn over 15,000 views and more than 30 comments.

Noting that many were “triggered” by her remarks, Ms Lee believes she had “hit a nerve”.

“Some of you don’t want to face the truth. It’s the truth, right?” she said.

Ms Lee added that she has seen Singaporeans being let go in favour of foreign workers, not only from developing nations but also countries such as New Zealand and China.

She noted that she, too, is worried about her livelihood, and said others should be as well, adding that her remarks were meant to be an honest wake-up call for anyone who might be getting “a little too comfortable”.

“Maybe one day you will thank me,” she concluded.

Stomp has reached out to Ms Lee for comment.

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