By SIA LING XIN

THREE months ago, he was sending out more than 10 e-mail messages a day to prospective employers without receiving a single reply.

Today, he is a real-estate agent who has just closed his first deal. Mr Joseph Tan, 30 (right), was retrenched from his former job as a sales engineer in June.

After two months of searching fruitlessly for a job, he decided to approach the North West Community Development Council (CDC) for help.

The CDC arranged for him to take part in its new one-day business etiquette workshop last month, which gave Mr Tan 'a confidence boost'.

The CDC has held five such workshops for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) since last month to help a growing number of jobless people from this group.

At least five more of these workshops will be held over the next year.

The CDC subsidises 90 per cent of the fees, so each participant pays just $35.

The workshops, conducted by a professional vendor, teach participants how to carry themselves better in different business situations.

They can then practise their new skills during networking sessions with potential employers, which the CDC will start holding soon.

The participants' response has been positive, a CDC spokesman said.

Mr Tan credits the course for giving him new skills, which he believes gave his current employer a better first impression of him, helping him clinch his new job.

'I've learnt things that I previously did not know, like how to dress not just appropriately, but also to dress well,' he said.

He also picked up tips for shaking hands properly, making eye contact and holding a good conversation, through role-playing exercises.

'If someone keeps fidgeting, it could be a sign that he's uncomfortable or bored. We can try to steer the conversation elsewhere to draw his interest,' he said. 'The skills I learnt can also be applied to my work.'

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