To make good career decisions, it is essential to start by understanding what you want. Discover your VIPS (Values, Occupational Interests, Personality Style and Skills) to gain a clearer understanding of your strengths and your inclinations. It is equally important to recognise what the world needs so that you can find fulfilment in contributing to society, while growing both professionally and personally for the long-term.
To make good career decisions, it is essential to start by understanding what you want. Discover your VIPS (Values, Occupational Interests, Personality Style and Skills) to gain a clearer understanding of your strengths and your inclinations. It is equally important to recognise what the world needs so that you can find fulfilment in contributing to society, while growing both professionally and personally for the long-term.
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AND WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT
Values are the guiding principles that give you a sense of purpose and help maintain career satisfaction over time.
Ask yourself:
- What motivates you and why?
- What qualities are most important to you?
- What kind of lifestyle are you seeking?
Occupational Interests refer to the work activities you enjoy and feel passionate about. By identifying where your interests lie, you can choose a career that offers you greater job satisfaction and long-term success.
Ask yourself:
- What past experiences have you found fulfilling?
- What type of activities do you enjoy doing?
- What are you most passionate about?
Personality Style refers to the way you think, feel and behave. It influences how you interact with others, process information and make decisions. Understanding your personality style can help you find work environments where you thrive.
Ask yourself:
- Do you prefer working in a team or alone?
- Are you more comfortable with a fixed or flexible work schedule?
- How do you like to communicate – verbally or in writing?
Skills are your unique abilities, talents and strengths. These can include technical skills that are specific to your field of study or transferrable skills such as communication skills, teamwork, or problem-solving. Identify the skills you have gained through your studies, group work, professional experiences and even co-curricular activities (CCAs).
Ask yourself:
- What are you good at?
- What have you been praised or recognised for in the past?
- What skills are sought after in the fields of work you are interested in?
The job search and career journey can present challenges, so it is important to stay flexible and adaptable. Keep up-to-date with emerging industry trends to remain relevant in the job market. Above all, enjoy the process and maintain a positive attitude!
Research companies beforehand — check their recent news, projects and values to craft thoughtful questions that go beyond what is on their website.
KNOW WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS
Look beyond traditional roles in your field of study and stay informed about the evolving economy to spot emerging in-demand roles. Identifying where you can contribute can lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling career.
Explore the job market. Research market trends, industry outlooks and challenges faced by industries that interest you. Speak with industry professionals, alumni and mentors in these industries. Find out what led them to their career choices, challenges faced and how they grew in their careers to gain insights on these possible career options and how you can contribute and make your mark professionally.
Ask yourself:
- What job roles would you consider purposeful and meaningful to yourself and to the world?
- How can you stay relevant in an everchanging Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world of work?
HOW DO YOU START
Start by making a list of industries and job roles that interest you. Do not hesitate to include roles or industries that you may not have considered before. Be curious and keep an open mind to discover the wide range of career opportunities available through job shadowing, internships and career events. Speak with our Industry Relations Consultants to gain deeper insights into different industries. Join NTU ConnectingMinds and be mentored by a community of alumni mentors.
Evaluate your experience. After your internship, reflect on your experience. Identify what aspects of the job you enjoyed, what skills you excelled at and where you faced challenges. This self-assessment helps you clarify career goals, target roles and organisations that align with your interests.
Update your resume and LinkedIn profile. Add your internship experience to your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Highlight:
- Key projects and responsibilities
- Skills developed (technical, analytical and soft skills)
- Measurable achievements (e.g. “increased team efficiency by 15% by streamlining internal processes”)
Tailor your profile and applications to the roles you are aiming for in your next step. LinkedIn now allows you to showcase portfolios, presentations, or short project summaries. Use these to strengthen your profile.
DO
- Know your career interests before attending any recruitment event.
- Research the participating organisations and available positions.
- Dress professionally and wear comfortable shoes.
- Strategise and plan your route with a list of “must-visit” and “hope to visit” organisations.
- Prepare an engaging elevator pitch to introduce yourself.
- Research industry trends so that you can ask insightful questions.
- Prepare a list of questions so that you can ask about the company culture, training opportunities, career paths, hiring process, and skills and competencies required for the positions that you are interested in.
- Prepare customised resumes for the companies you are interested in, and have both printed and digital copies ready to share with recruiters.
DON'T
- Don’t keep to yourself. Take the initiative to speak with company representatives.
- Don’t appear ignorant by asking basic questions you could have researched.
- Don’t focus on what the companies can offer you. Instead, ask how you can add value to the organisation.
- Don’t wear casual or uncomfortable attire and shoes.
- Don’t expect employers to shortlist you for an interview on the spot. Instead, offer your contact details for any necessary follow-up.
- Don’t dismiss any organisation too quickly. Most have a wide range of roles that could match what you are looking for.
- Don’t ask personal questions that are irrelevant to the job or industry.
- Don’t display unprofessional or negative behaviour.
In Singapore, many employers, especially those in the public sector, major banks, tech firms and MNCs, recruit well ahead of graduation. Starting the job search early gives students access to a wider range of opportunities, including structured graduate and management associate programmes that typically open applications many months before commencement.
Beginning early also allows students to prepare strong resumes and applications without the pressure of final-year coursework or exams. With more time, students can research industries, attend career fairs and speak with alumni or career coaches to find roles that best match their skills and interests.
Moreover, early job search starters have time to build relevant experiences or bridge skill gaps through internships, part-time work or short courses. Employers in Singapore value candidates who demonstrate initiative, planning and a genuine interest in developing their careers — qualities reflected in those who begin their job search early. Ultimately, securing an offer before graduation allows for a smoother transition into full-time work, easing financial and emotional stress and giving graduates a head start in their careers.
Reasons why you should start your job search early:
1. Recruitment takes months
From application to final offer, the process can stretch ranging from three to six months (or longer). Starting in Semester 1 ensures you have sufficient time to go through multiple rounds of interviews, assessments and tests.
2. Access to more opportunities
Many employers especially large or competitive ones are open to graduate hiring cycles months before graduation. Starting early allows students to access a wider range of roles, including structured graduate and management associate programmes. Late starters often find fewer openings remaining by Semester 2.
3. Time to prepare and improve
Beginning job search early gives students time to prepare strong applications, tailor their resumes and cover letters, and practice interviews — which all helps to build confidence. This reduces the last-minute rush during exam periods or final-year projects, allowing for better performance and decision-making.
If you identify skill gaps while applying, you can still have time to act by taking on short industry projects or gaining internship experience before graduation. Starting late leaves no room for such improvement.
4. Employers Value Proactivity
Employers value proactive candidates. Hiring managers often view early applicants as motivated, organised and genuinely interested — all qualities that make applicants stand out in the hiring process.
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
#1
WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK HERE?
#2
If you are not sure of your VIPS, speak to your Career Coach who can help you kick-start your career exploration.
*According to the Graduate Employment Survey 2024, 16.6% of active jobseekers from the Class of 2024 could not land a Full-Time Permanent job. On average, they started job search only in May
Did you know?
Graduates who completed more than one internship had stronger employment outcomes — over four in five (84.7%) active jobseekers in the Graduate Employment Survey 2024 who took on multiple internships secured full-time permanent positions.
Grow your network and work experience through internships!
WHAT IS THE STAR METHOD?
Use the STAR method to describe your experiences effectively and demonstrate results.
SITUATION
Describe the situation you encountered.
TASK
Describe the task you had to accomplish.
ACTIONS
Explain what you did to accomplish the task, how you overcame the challenge and why you did it.
RESULTS
State the positive outcomes from your actions, quantifying them where possible.
For example: Led a team of six to organise a cycling event to raise funds for MINDS [Situation/Task].
Through active publicity and marketing [Action], 200 students participated and $5,000 was raised [Result].
If you can’t quantify the results, show that you understand the rationale of what you did.
For example: Led a team of six to conduct research on usability of a new student website [Situation/Task]. Through 10 focus groups [Action], the qualitative and quantitative feedback of 200 respondents were analysed to improve user experience [Result].
5 TIPS TO NETWORK ONLINE #LIKEAPRO
1. BUILD A STELLAR LINKEDIN PROFILE
- Highlight your top skills and experiences.
- Indicate your target industry in your headline.
2. MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE ONLINE PRESENCE
- Follow companies, brands and professionals on LinkedIn to curate your professional network.
- Share or create meaningful posts on professional platforms such as LinkedIn.
3. JOIN PROFESSIONAL GROUPS AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES
- Join active communities related to your career interests and alumni groups.
- Engage in discussions and connect with like-minded professionals.
4. REACH OUT TO YOUR CONTACTS, PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS AND MENTORS
- Reconnect with past contacts and approach potential employers and mentors.
- Be brief yet sincere and authentic. Clearly state your objective for reaching out.
- Seek opportunities to pay it forward and help others connect.
5. MAKE USE OF NETWORKING AND RECRUITMENT EVENTS
- Prepare for career fairs and networking events by planning your elevator pitch.
- Set goals and identify who you want to engage with before each event.
QUICK CHECKLIST
- Quiet room with clean background and good lighting
- Professional attire
- Good internet connection
- Camera and microphone properly set up
- Test out login instructions
- Turn off notifications on phone and computer
- Glass of water by your side
- Log on five minutes before the scheduled time
- Take deep breaths and stay calm
Important Note
About four in 10 graduates* who did not secure a full-time job had rejected past offers.
Before you reject a job offer, consult your career coach!
*According to the Graduate Employment Survey 2024, 44.2% of active jobseekers who did not obtain a full-time permanent job had rejected past offers.