Previously a pub manager, he now manages supply chains
A complete switch to a new job did not stop Mr Marcus Yeo from putting his experience in his previous role as a pub manager to good use.
"I like speaking to people," he told The New Paper. "Because of my previous experience, building relationships and negotiating with suppliers came to me easy."
Mr Yeo, 35, started his job search in April when his family-owned bar had to shut due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Two months later, he landed a position as supply chain manager at New Retail International, a start-up that focuses on group buys.
Relying on more than 10 years of experience in sales and marketing, Mr Yeo now manages its e-commerce grocery shopping platform, WeBuy.
To help him transition into logistics, Mr Yeo's company enrolled him in the Logistics Professional Conversion Programme in August.
He found the programme useful, picking up relevant skills like last mile distribution and omni-channel logistics.
On braving a new industry, Mr Yeo said: "Stepping out of your comfort zone is always a challenge but if you overcome it, there are a lot of opportunities to be seized."
It is not uncommon for the logistics industry to attract those from other sectors.
In the weekly jobs report yesterday, Minister of Manpower Josephine Teo said: "... companies in the logistics sector serve a wide range of clients. When they hire people with different industry experience and diverse networks, these people have more points of connection and can better understand client requirements."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now