IF you're thinking of drowning your recession woes in a cozy bar over beer, consider doing so on April 8.

Headhunt, an executive recruitment publication, is throwing one of Singapore's first Pink Slip party - a recruitment concept that originated in the US during the dotcom crash era - in the social and relaxed setting of a downtown pub.

Targeting middle to senior level executives, the closed-door event promises to be a 'good platform to network and seek out good job opportunities', said a spokesman.

At least 50 recruiters from 28 executive search firms and employers will participate in the event. Two hundred guests will be invited from an 'overwhelming' pool of applicants to managerial positions, all of whom boast at least five years of working experience. The tight quota contains the recruiter to jobseeker ratio at 1:4 and guarantees quality networking time for all participants.

As part of Headhunt's 'Keep Singapore Working' campaign, the Pink Slip party is a private sector initiative that aims to 'create positivity in the labour market and keep Singapore's workforce active', a spokesman told BT. So there may well be more.

This article was first published in The Business Times.