Haven't been on PPrune for a while and reading this thread brings back memories of when I applied ages ago. (2008, I think.) Went through the whole process of first interview, the second one, passed the medical and was rejected nonetheless.
It's one hell of a torture for an aspirant to wait for the opening for the position. As for those lucky enough to be invited to STC for the first interview, well, I remembered that it was weeks of stomach-churning waiting all the way till you get the rejection/invitation to sign contract email. And I know a friend who got through the process more than a year back and hadn't heard from the airline since! At least they were kind enough to tell me I didn't make the cut a mere week or so after my medical. Haha!
Even for those who did, well it isn't a sure thing. The airline/SFC is really exacting in its standards and would have no hesitation to say bye bye to anyone who hasn't shown any satisfactory progress in his/her training. (One, two, three strikes you're OUT! kinda thing.) And for those who managed to graduate with their CPL (ME)/IR, again it's more waiting until they progress to Maroochydore (Maroonchydore?), type-rating, etc. on wages barely above that of a dispatch rider with loads of overtime.
I am very aware that there are thousands of aspirants out there who dream of flying the skies, especially for SQ. But the reality is, for want of a better word, harsh. For most ab-initio openings the scenario is normally as such: 10,000 apply, 100 shortlisted for initial interview, 15 or so make final round, 10 get into ground school and maybe, just maybe, 5 graduate. In any case, believe me when I say that by the 3rd sortie of your flying training, the romance of flying is long forgotten once you've rotated.
I'm not trying to discourage anyone from applying, but just hoping that those waiting for the next opening for the position know what they're getting into. What with the world economy going t**s up once again, and SQ being on the decline (my personal opinion), things are just gonna get harder.
My advice? Have a plan B that you're really passionate about too, and live each day of that plan B to the fullest. Don't give up hope on the chance to fly (nobody has the right to tell you that you're not good enough for anything). But don't put your life on hold just for this.
Safe landings!