Are you already on the lookout for temporary and holiday jobs in Singapore to boost your resume? You might as well find out how to get employed in a full-time job as an upcoming 2020 graduate. 

The end of the year brings in a lot of joy to everyone. But for those graduating in 2020, the year end symbolizes a bittersweet victory! School’s finally over, but now, new challenges lie ahead. 

As one of the top recruitment agencies in Singapore, we’re happy to share some workforce trends and insights to help graduates find the right job! 

1. Your major does not dictate your career trajectory 

Based on a research by YouGov, more than half of Singaporeans graduates are working in positions unrelated to their degrees. Picking a major can be a tough decision for many, and schools often reccomend students to research and plan an outline of their desired career trajectory to land a job.

However, as a recruitment agency in Singapore, we beg to differ. Unless you’re planning to work in a specialized field (think: STEM, Fintech, and Medicine), most job seekers can get an entry level job in any field. It all boils down to your marketing (i.e. how well you present your skills and experience in your resume) and your communication skills (i.e. how well you talk in your job interviews). 

Pro-tip: There is a common misconception that graduates from the Humanities field will never succeed in getting a stable job. But we’ve seen humanities graduates in a variety of different industries, from finance to law.

It’s important to remember that your learning journey does not end at graduation. In a digitally changing world, working professionals in all industries are required to constantly upskill themselves. All this, in order to keep being relevant in the changing professional world. 

So friends, stop panicking and stressing over what kind of job you’d like to do. Pick something that you’ll enjoy studying, because the opportunity is out there. You just need to know which ones to try out first. 

2. Know how to stand out amongst the competitive crowd

Specialized industries are getting a lot more competitive. Studies show that more and more Millennials and Gen Z professionals are entering specialized industries such as Computer and Information Technology compared to Retail and Food and Beverage industries. 
 

Top Industries in Singapore for Fresh Graduates Include: 

• Computer and Information Technology (Software): Jobs like software development, information technology consultant, and computer forensic analysts fall under this category.
   

• Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance: There are 3% more Gen Z employees in the banking, financial services, and insurance sector compared to the rest of the Singapore job market. Similarly, there are 4% more Millennial employees in the same industry compared to the rest of Singapore’s job market.
   

• Consulting (Business Management and Human Resources): This is a more common industry choice amongst Millennial employees (37.3%) compared to Gen Z employees (9.6%). Additionally, the industry is saturated with more diploma holders than degree holders.
   

• Consulting (IT, Science Engineering, and Technical): 54.4% of employees in this field in Singapore, hold a bachelor’s degree.
   

Now do you understand how important it is to stand out from the crowd? Especially if you’re looking to forge a career in Singapore’s growing industries above.There are many ways to stand out from the crowd. They include:
 

• Proving yourself: You do this by gaining the required experience needed for more than just an entry level position. Multiple internship opportunities or a stable temp or part-time job that gifts you transferable skills are great places to start from.
  
  You might want to check out these articles: 

            A. Why a Holiday Job is Important For Students

              B. What Our Interns Actually Think of Temporary Jobs: Ben
 

• Learn marketing and copywriting: Experience aside, it is your marketing and copywriting skills that will set you apart from the crowd. But we don’t mean that you have to sign up for a marketing and copywriting course rigth now.
  
  Figure out creative designs for your resume. You might want to refer to some of our previously written articles below:
  
  A. 6 Genius Resumes That Went Viral and Led to Job Interviews
  B. Killer Resume Tips to Step Up Your Job Hunting Game in Singapore
   

• Look beyond your standard or popular companies: Smaller companies can offer credible experience to any fresh graduate. Additionally, there are greater challenges and better learning experiences in a smaller company.
  
  Pro-tip: You’ll want to slowly build up to your dream career, not just jump into your dream company headfirst.

3. Keep your expectations in check

Ok, it’s time for a reality check! Despite popular belief, fresh graduates in Singapore are not pocketing S$3,500 a month for an entry level position. Your pay differs greatly according to the industry, company, and position you’re looking to work in. 

Salaries, although highly important, is not the be all and end all when it comes to deciding on a job offer. You’ll have to keep other factors such as job security, work-life balance, and the company and employer culture in mind.

In fact, most Singaporean professionals are looking for a work-life balance and career development opportunities in addition to a good salary. Check out the graph below for more details:

In fact, other factors you should consider are:
 

• Additional benefits: Keep in mind that not every company or organization chooses to give out bonuses.
   

• Your personality: Whether you’ll in your career or not depends greatly on your personality.
  
  Learn more about the importance of personality types and your ideal job with these articles:
  
  A. The Best Career Fields For Introverts
  B. Jobs All Introverts Should Avoid
  C. The Best Careers For Extroverts
  D. Jobs Extroverts Should Avoid
   

• Job life balance: Burning out is getting increasingly common medical condition that’s happening worldwide. It is such a serious issue that the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified burnouts as a medical condition.
   

Finding your first full-time professional job might seem like a daunting and exciting time. However, it’s important to keep these tips in mind when you’re hunting for your next role.

Other factors to take into account include the company’s working and internal culture, and how well it meshes with your personality (to name a few). Remember, your career is a marathon, not a race. With the right amount of planning and constant upskilling efforts, you’ll be able to make it to your dream career.
 

What are some fresh graduates aimed topics would you be interested in hearing from us? Let us know in the comments section below! 
 

Read More: What to Expect When You're Job Hunting