THE SMU C@R4R GUIDE 2019 - Singapore Management University

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THE SMU C@R4R GUIDE 2019 - Singapore Management University
THE SMU
C@R4R GUIDE
2019

MCI (P) 007/11/2018
THE SMU C@R4R GUIDE 2019 - Singapore Management University
THE SMU C@R4R GUIDE 2019 - Singapore Management University
Be
                                  vigilant and safeguard our position on
                     the global stage. Advance our interests around the
                                            world. Our Singapore, our frontline
                                             Join the Foreign Service.

FOREIGN SERVICE CAREERS

A career in MFA is a unique lifestyle, with assignments in Singapore HQ and
our 50 Overseas Missions. It requires intellectual rigour, analytical thinking
and excellent communication skills.
Be on the frontline of global developments as a Foreign Service Officer.
Depending on your competency and inclination,
you can develop along these career paths:
• Functional and Corporate
• Political and Economic
Join us in flying the Singapore flag high.

                                           Discover a career with global reach at
                                           www.mfa.gov.sg /career
THE SMU C@R4R GUIDE 2019 - Singapore Management University
INSIDE THIS GUIDE
    Kickstart Your Job Search on Campus                   Tap on the SMU Alumni Network

   3       Message for Undergraduates                50       Hear from SMU Alumni

   3       Message for Postgraduates                 57       SMU Alumni Relations Network

   4       Career Services at SMU

   8       Meet Your Career Coaches                  Jobs & Internships		                                                         P58

        Adapting to a Changing World

   10      Career Resilience for Millennials
                                                                                                                  THE SMU

                                                                               THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019
                                                                                                                  C@R4R GUIDE
   12      Thought Leadership: Developing Career                                                                  2019
           Resilience

   19      Sectors on the Rise

   24      Joining a MNC vs SME vs Start-up

             Your First Job and You                  Produced by                                           MCI (P) 007/11/2018

   27      Your Career and You

   28      Top 3 Things to Look for in a First Job   (Company number: 200301978M)
                                                     1 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh
                                                     #05-04 Braddell House
   29      Alternative Career Paths
                                                     Singapore 319637
                                                     Tel: +(65) 6294 6505
                                                     Fax: +(65) 6294 1043
            Winning at Applications                  www.gtimedia.asia

                                                     Editor
   30      Crafting the Perfect Resume
                                                     Candice Leow
   32      Tips for Cover Letter Writing             Editorial
                                                     Loh Supei, Candice Leow
   34      Personal Branding and Networking          Design & Production
                                                     Charlene Wong, Nurul Huda Binti Abdul Razak
                                                     Advertising
             Excelling at Interviews                 Ron Ong, Terence Teo, The GTI Media sales team
                                                     Marketing & distribution
   36      4 Different Types of Interviews           Shirlyn Ting, Tang Weishan, Cheryl Tan
                                                     Managing Director
   38      Mastering the Job Interview               Isaac Hee

   40      Tackling Case Studies                     International managing director & co-founder
                                                     Adrian Wood
   42      Acing Assessment Centres                  Printer
                                                     Times Printer Pte. Ltd.
   44      Grilling Your Interviewer                 16 Tuas Ave. 5
                                                     Singapore 639340
   45      Preparing for the Big Day
                                                     © GTI Asia Pte. Ltd, Feb 2019
   48      Managing Job Offers

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KICKSTART YOUR JOB SEARCH ON CAMPUS

Message for Undergraduates                                          Message for Postgraduates

Sim Cher Young                                                      Henry Yeo
Director                                                            Head
Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career                                           Postgraduate Career
Centre                                                              Services

I                                                                   W
    n an ever changing world of work, university education                        elcome to the 2019 edition of the SMU Career
    prepares you for a myriad of possibilities. Here at SMU,                      Guide. In this edition, you will learn about current
    we provide opportunities to strengthen your character and                     job prospects, insights into possible career
values, helping you to build lasting qualities that will take you   pathways as well as tips and strategies to improve your chance
through challenges in your careers to come.                         of landing your ‘dream’ job.
    As we usher in the new year of 2019, the Dato’ Kho Hui              Postgraduate programmes are relatively short and intensive
Meng Career Centre is committed to ensure that you are ready        and many students tend to defer the preparation of their careers
from your first day at SMU to your graduation, by offering          (including job search) thinking they have more than enough
guidance for securing your first internship to your first full-     time. But anecdotal experience do suggest that the time taken
time job.                                                           to secure a role may indeed be longer than you expect. This is
    The SMU Career Guide 2019, which the centre publishes           especially true for students who are switching careers and/or
each year, is a resource for you to begin charting your career      those seeking jobs in a different country. If you also consider
direction as our team strives to empower you with the relevant      the fact that many firm source for talents as early as one year
skill sets and attributes.                                          ahead of time, it becomes essential that you start planning and
    Do keep a lookout for announcements on our profiling            preparing for your career from the get go.
tools, career fairs and career talks by employers across various        Our team of experienced careers professionals in
industries. The Finishing Touch programme includes preparatory      Postgraduate Career Services will work with you and help to
workshops which help you to be career-ready, along with an          improve your chance of securing a career that is closely aligned
elective suite of enrichment workshops.                             to your skills and aspiration.
    At SMU, each undergraduate is assigned to a Career Coach            Besides one-to-one career coaching, Postgraduate Career
who is dedicated to your success. Make an appointment via           Services also run various career development workshops to help
OnTRAC II to meet your coach where you will benefit from            you to brand yourself in the best possible way to the recruiters.
reviews of your resumes and cover letters and other important       These include workshops on resume writing, interview skills,
career advice and preparation. We conduct mock interviews           networking skills, personal branding, digital profiling and
and facilitate employability workshops, in addition to helping      assessment centers. We organize talks where experts would
to link you up with select employers and industries which each      provide insights into their profession and we hold regular
Career Coach is in-charge of. Each summer, most SMU students        information sessions and networking events that would enable
embark on a quality internship opportunity through the centre’s     you to get connected with recruiters from myriad industries. We
efforts, completing a mandatory graduation requirement.             will also provide assistance to foreign students who intend to
    To our freshmen, welcome to SMU. To the Class of 2019,          seek career opportunities back in their home countries.
best wishes for your career adventures. Enjoy the ride.                 The team will support and facilitate your job search but
                                                                    we will need you to take the lead. Your awareness of the skills
                                                                    required as well as your proactive stance to address any skills
                                                                    gap would improve your odds of securing the role. We look
                                                                    forward to working closely with you and we will continue to
                                                                    support you up to one year after graduation. All the best and
                                                                    we wish you success in your chosen career path.

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                                    THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 3
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                   CAREER SERVICES AT SMU

 T
         he SMU Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre (DKHMCC)
         has been serving the student community and partnering
         with leading business organisations for hiring success
  since SMU’s inception in 2000. We are proud of our programmes
  and activities which ensure that our students progress seamlessly
  to the working world.

  Our services
  The centre is an ideal place where both corporate partners and
  students can exchange valuable ideas and first-hand experience
  in pursuit of a professional life with each other.

  Career coaching
                                                                      On-campus recruitment talks, industry
  All students are assigned to a Career Coach upon matriculation
  to support them in their career planning through the four-          talks, and company visits
  year journey at SMU. Our Career Coaches come from diverse           DKHMCC organises recruitment/industry talks and company
  backgrounds with rich industry experience and maintain strong       visits every year. These include on-campus recruitment and
  ties with corporate partners to stay informed of the industry and   industry talks by recruitment teams from global and regional
  the hiring landscape.                                               banks, multinational corporations, government ministries,
      Keeping a watch on industry developments and changes in         agencies, statutory boards, and small and medium enterprises
  the recruitment landscape helps Career Coaches provide insights     from a variety of industries and geographic regions.
  into current industry trends and organisations’ hiring practice         Through these sessions, graduating students will have
  during career coaching. Career Coaches are available to critique    the opportunity for direct interaction with representatives
  cover letters and resumes, facilitate job search strategies,        from members of the top echelon, middle management, and
  and hone interview skills through one-to-one mock interview         line managers.
  sessions. All information exchanged between a student and a
  Career Coach is confidential.
      Career coaching is also provided by student-peer advisors       Networking events
  enriched with valuable internship experience. Career Champions      The career centre hosts several networking events every year,
  are trained and equipped with essential skills to work alongside    bringing prospective recruiters and graduating students together
  DKHMCC as paraprofessionals to serve the undergraduate              under one roof.
  community.                                                             On average, about 120 companies participate in each
      Students can make individual appointments with their Career     networking event. Recruiters will gain direct exposure to
  Coach or Champions via OnTRAC II.                                   graduating students who are pursuing either a single or double
                                                                      degree in Accountancy, Business Management, Economics,
  OnTRAC II                                                           Information Systems, Law, or the Social Sciences.
                                                                         Students should bring along fine-tuned copies of their
  OnTRAC II is SMU’s one-stop portal for career services,             resumes (to which they can also add a QR code using their
  where students register for events, view job postings,              OnTRAC II > Documents > Portfolio) to these networking events.
  submit applications, monitor their progress, and accept
  job offers.
     Students only need a single log-in account to update and view
  their LinkedIn profile from OnTRAC II. Students may integrate
  their LinkedIn profile to their resumes on OnTRAC II by using the
  Resume Builder function in OnTRAC II to import their LinkedIn
  details into their resume in an instant.

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                                                                      Career profiling tools
                                                                      All Career Coaches at DKHMCC are certified in career
                                                                      development facilitation and able to administer at least one
                                                                      personality or career profiling tool. These tools help students
                                                                      better understand their own personalities, career profiles, core
                                                                      business competencies, and motivating factors of career success.
                                                                         Personality and career profiling tools include:
                                                                       • Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®)
                                                                       • DiSC Personality System
                                                                       • Strong Interest Inventory

                                                                      Career resources library and “Suited for
                                                                      Success” wardrobe
UNDERGRADUATE CAREER                                                  DKHMCC maintains a specialised library which houses career
                                                                      preparation and management literature, including the series of
SERVICES                                                              Career Insider Guides from Vault College Publications.
                                                                          The “Suited for Success” walk-in wardrobe is a business
                                                                      wear loan service, offered to students who are attending career
Finishing Touch programme and                                         events and workshops. Accessible to all students, the wardrobe
enrichment workshops                                                  is stocked with men’s and women’s suits, shoes, ties, and belts
                                                                      for students to borrow.
As students progress to their junior and senior years, elective
workshops will be offered at the crucial job application stage in
their final years. These optional workshops are topic-specific to
help penultimate-year and graduating students gain experience
and understanding of the selection process in job applications.
   Additionally, DKHMCC holds a series of complementary
enrichment workshops to equip students with the critical skills
and competencies needed to gain an edge in areas of career
development and employability.
   The Finishing Touch programme is one of SMU’s distinguishing
factors and is well recognised by employers and students in
preparing our graduates for a seamless transition to the working
world.
   For more information, please log in to: OASIS >
Career Devt & Comm Svcs > The Finishing Touch.

Internship programmes
All SMU students are required to complete an internship before
they graduate, and DKHMCC oversees the administrative work
for this programme. Internships allow students to apply their
classroom knowledge to a real-world setting, hone their soft skills
and co-operative abilities, and build their credentials before
starting their journey into the working world.
    Students can find a plethora of internship opportunities by
logging in to OnTRAC II.

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                                       THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 5
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  Career publications                                                  POSTGRADUATE CAREER
  DKHMCC produces a range of publications to cater to each             SERVICES
  phase of the students’ time at SMU. One such publication is
  the Majors and Careers Pathway Guide available for download          Postgraduate networking event
  via OASIS. The guide serves to provide a career's perspective
  for students when deciding on majors.                                The annual postgraduate networking event features a large
      As students go through their educational and career journeys     number of employers across different industries, offering
  at SMU, they can also share their success stories by submitting      various roles and opportunities for the postgraduates.
  stories and photos to placement@smu.edu.sg.                          This is the perfect platform for postgraduates to connect
                                                                       face-to-face with hiring managers and HR representatives from
                                                                       employer partners.
  Graduate Employment Survey
  The Graduate Employment Survey is an important survey that           The Pathways series
  SMU alumni are encouraged to take. The survey is conducted
  annually by autonomous universities to ascertain the employment      The Pathways series is an initiative launched by the Postgraduate
  outcomes of graduates.                                               Career Services team where experienced finance industry
     The survey typically takes place about six months after senior-   practitioners meet up with and give SMU postgraduates insights
  year students’ final examinations.                                   into their respective job functions. These include technology
     The results of this survey are an important indicator of          and operations, wealth management, treasury, risk management,
  the performance of SMU graduates in the job market. More             asset management, and corporate finance.
  importantly, the survey results affirm the value of SMU as an           This series aims to enable students to make a more informed
  educational institution and the worth of an SMU degree. The          decision about their career pathways, thereby leading to a
  information provided will also inform policy-making at the           sustainable and rewarding career.
  national level for Institutes of Higher Learning.                       Anecdotal feedback on the series has been positive, and many
                                                                       students felt that they have gained a deeper understanding of
                                                                       the roles and attributes necessary to do well in their respective
                                                                       line of expertise.

                                                                       The “In Conversation With” series
                                                                       Launched by the Postgraduate Career Services team in June
                                                                       2014, the "In Conversation With" series is a monthly lunchtime
                                                                       event held for postgraduates to interact with and learn from
                                                                       successful professionals at different stages of their careers.
                                                                          Guests come from diverse industries, such as information
                                                                       technology, consulting, logistics, wealth management, finance,
                                                                       and fast-moving consumer goods.

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THE SMU C@R4R GUIDE 2019 - Singapore Management University
THE SMU C@R4R GUIDE 2019 - Singapore Management University
KICKSTART YOUR JOB SEARCH ON CAMPUS

  MEET YOUR CAREER COACHES

      The Undergraduate Career Services Team
      Standing (left to right): Aaron Chong, Veronica Tan, Margaret Koh, Tan Poon Kian, Angela Hoo, Magdalene Lee,
      Prasanthi Guda, Sim Cher Young, Joanne Teo, Jacelyn Tay, Neo Shi Ling, Jasima Aminsah, Wong Soo Mei and Victor Go
      Seated (left to right): Wendy How, Rupert Chan, Catherine Tan and Sam Yeo

  Career Coaches                               MARGARET KOH
                                               Assistant Director
                                               margaretkoh@smu.edu.sg                    Administration
  SIM CHER YOUNG                               Tel: [+65] 6828 0332
  Director, Dato’ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre   LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/margaretbtkoh   JACELYN TAY
  cysim@smu.edu.sg                                                                       Senior Manager
  Tel: [+65] 6808 5271                         JASIMA AMINSAH                            Systems Administrator
  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simcheryoung       Senior Manager                            chtay@smu.edu.sg
                                               jasimaa@smu.edu.sg                        Tel: [+65] 6828 9553
  JOANNE TEO                                   Tel: [+65] 6828 1954
  Senior Assistant Director                    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasimaaminsah   CATHERINE TAN
  joanneteo@smu.edu.sg                                                                   Senior Manager
  Tel: [+65] 6828 0679                         PRASANTHI GUDA                            ASEAN Programme Operations
  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/teojoanne          Deputy Director                           catherinetan@smu.edu.sg
                                               prasanthig@smu.edu.sg                     Tel: [+65] 6828 0056
  WENDY HOW                                    Tel: [+65] 6808 5272
  Senior Manager                               LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/prasanthiguda   NEO SHI LING
  wendyhow@smu.edu.sg                                                                    Manager
  Tel: [+65] 6808 5410                         SAM YEO                                   Employability Skills Training Programme
  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wendyhow           Senior Manager                            slneo@smu.edu.sg
                                               samyeo@smu.edu.sg                         Tel: [+65] 6828 0322
  MAGDALENE LEE                                Tel: [+65] 6808 5385
  Senior Manager                               LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/samyeo          RUPERT CHAN
  magdalenelee@smu.edu.sg                                                                Assistant Manager
  Tel: [+65] 6828 0695                         VERONICA TAN                              Events and Third-Party Relations
  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lee-magdalene      Senior Manager                            rupertchan@smu.edu.sg
                                               veronicatan@smu.edu.sg                    Tel: [+65] 6828 0940
  AARON CHONG                                  Tel: [+65] 6828 0336
                                               LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/veronicatanhl   ANGELA HOO
  Associate Director
  aaronchong@smu.edu.sg                                                                  Assistant Manager
  Tel: [+65] 6828 0149                         VICTOR GO
                                                                                         Internship Administrator
  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aarontcchong       Assistant Director                        angelahoo@smu.edu.sg
                                               victorgo@smu.edu.sg                       Tel: [+65] 6808 5218
  TAN POON KIAN                                Tel: [+65] 6828 0316
                                               LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/govictor
  Senior Manager
  pktan@smu.edu.sg
  Tel: [+65] 6828 0084                         WONG SOO MEI
  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/poonkian           Senior Manager
                                               smwong@smu.edu.sg
                                               Tel: [+65] 6808 5136
                                               LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/soomeiwong

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     The Postgraduate Career Services Team
   Standing (from left to right): Lilian Lee, Tan Yock Lan, Lynette Goh, Tara He, Kueh Sze Yian, Jeanie Leong, Eunice Loke,
   Roopa S, Veronica Yeow and Joanna Tan
   Seated (from left to right): Eric Yee, Soo Chai Chew, Henry Yeo, Andy Chang and Patrick Han

                                                                                          International Career
Career Coaches                                                                            Development
HENRY YEO                                    DAWN TAN                                     KUEH SZE YIAN
Head, Postgraduate Career Services           Senior Manager                               Assistant Director
henryyeo@smu.edu.sg                          dawntan@smu.edu.sg                           sykueh@smu.edu.sg
Tel: [+65] 6828 0693                         Tel: [+65] 6828 0779                         Tel: [+65] 6828 0334
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/henryyeo           LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tandawn            LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kuehszeyian

SOO CHAI CHEW                                ERIC YEE                                     LYNETTE GOH
Senior Assistant Director                    Senior Manager                               Senior Manager
ccsoo@smu.edu.sg                             ericyee@smu.edu.sg                           lynettegoh@smu.edu.sg
Tel: [+65] 6808 7989                         LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/eric-yee           Tel: [+65] 6828 9626
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chaichewsoo                                                     LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lynette-goh
                                             JEANIE LEONG
VERONICA YEOW                                                                             TARA HE LINYI
                                             Senior Manager
Senior Assistant Director                    jeanieleong@smu.edu.sg                       Senior Manager
veronicayeow@smu.edu.sg                      Tel: [+65] 6808 5359                         tarahe@smu.edu.sg
Tel: [+65] 6828 1978                         LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeanieleong        Tel: [+65] 6828 9622
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/veronicayeow                                                    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tarahelinyi
                                             LILIAN LEE
EUNICE LOKE                                                                               JOANNA TAN
                                             Senior Manager
Assistant Director                           lilianlee@smu.edu.sg                         Manager
euniceloke@smu.edu.sg                        Tel: [+65] 6808 5165                         joannatan@smu.edu.sg
Tel: [+65] 6808 5249                         LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lilian-lee         Tel: [+65] 6828 9623
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/euniceloke                                                      LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joannatanby
                                             PATRICK HAN
ANDY CHANG                                   Senior Manager                               Administration & IT
Senior Manager                               patrickhan@smu.edu.sg
andychang@smu.edu.sg                         Tel: [+65] 6808 5166
                                                                                          ROOPA SANKARARAMAN
Tel: [+65] 6808 5295                         LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patrickhan88
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andychangsk                                                     Senior Manager
                                                                                          roopas@smu.edu.sg
                                                                                          Tel: [+65] 6808 7909

                                                                                          TAN YOCK LAN
                                                                                          Manager
https://www.smu.edu.sg/postgraduate/career-services                                       yltan@smu.edu.sg
                                                                                          Tel: [+65] 6828 1927

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                                     THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 9
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                        CAREER RESILIENCE FOR
                            MILLENNIALS
  Why is career resilience important for a millennial entering the workforce? Here is a guide on
   how to nurture and develop into a resilient professional in an ever changing world of work.

  What is career                                Do you have career                           2. Build Relationships
  resilience?                                   resilience?                                  Maintaining a good network helps

  Y
                                                Check yourself! How many of these            you to get industry insights and
           ou need both hard and soft skills                                                 support from those who appreciate
           to navigate the professional         boxes do you tick?
                                                                                             your work, personality and ethics.
           world, as well as strength and                                                    While trends can move and shake the
                                                      I am not afraid of failure and I see
  resilience to cope with unpredictable                                                      industry, having valuable professional
                                                      it as a learning opportunity.
  changes and switches to different                                                          relationships often means that
  career paths along the way. Maintaining             I embrace challenges and keep a
                                                                                             someone can lend you a hand in a
  a positive mindset, identifying how                 positive attitude when I am faced
                                                                                             time of need.
  you can contribute to the industry and              with one.
  organisation, and being ever hungry to              I am resourceful.                      3. Commit to Personal Growth
  learn new things are all part of developing
  career resilience.                                  I am inquisitive about how things
                                                                                             Take charge of your own professional
                                                      work and enjoy learning about new
                                                                                             development by looking out for new
                                                      perspectives.
                                                                                             courses to take, and be thirsty for new
  Why is career resilience                            I am flexible with changes and         knowledge to gain. Other than asking
  important for millennials?                          adapt accordingly.                     your employer to offer you training,
                                                      I have good relationships with         spend your after-work hours wisely to
  Although young professionals usually                contacts in my industry.               keep abreast with industry news and
  have new skills to offer to the market even                                                insights.
  in a changing economic environment,
  there is no guarantee that your career                                                     4. Embrace Change and Seize
  journey will always be smooth-sailing.        Cultivating career                              Opportunities
  Furthermore, transiting from school to        resilience
  the industry involves a big leap, calling                                                  Changes which crop up in the
  for adaptability and self-awareness.          1. Be Adaptable                              professional realm are often
                                                                                             unpredictable, as with other changes
                                                Keeping up with change, be it macro-         in life. Do you view changes as crises
                                                economic shifts or new events and            or opportunities to be tapped on?
                                                manpower movements in your workplace,        Remember that change is where
                                                is key for any professional who wishes to    opportunity lives and new possibilities
                                                remain flexible and positive. Change can     are there for you to grab hold of or to
                                                be unsettling, but knowing that change is    create.
                                                the only constant helps you to adjust your
                                                expectations whenever new situations
                                                arise, reminding yourself to stay afloat
                                                and fit in.

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ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

5. Maintain a Positive Outlook               7. Reflect Often

In the face of failure, your ability to      Taking a step back from your emotions
bounce back is crucial. In good times,       and impulse to pause and reflect
set and crush your goals. Count your         could help you to rejuvenate and make
blessings and make sure your workload is     wiser choices. Reflexivity is a mark of
manageable. Ask for help when you need       mental agility, processing your stress,
it and remember to take care of yourself.    and encouraging you to flex your brain
When things go awry, take it one step at a   muscles to think about what matters in
time and stick to your guiding principles.   your career output. Maintain an internal
                                             rhythm to reflect often so that you keep
                                             things in perspective constantly, in the
6. Have a Sense of Purpose                   face of changes and even when things
                                             are status quo.
Working for a company whose mission
aligns with your personal sense of
purpose can be empowering. While the         8. Develop a Sense of Foresight
correlation between the working world
and your personal goals might not be         Do not rely on just one plan for the
obvious at times, understand the value       unpredictable future. Cultivating a sense
which you are delivering to others through   of vision and foresight to scan for future
your daily work. Your career is a form of    prospects, and forming a positive outlook
service and knowing the impact which         are all part of how you can prepare
you are making leads to higher levels of     yourself for the road ahead.
job satisfaction.

                                                                Chart your own path and maintain your own plan to adapt and succeed.
                                                                You should understand emerging trends and be on the lookout for new
                                                                knowledge to gain. Identify your advantages and risks in each possible
                                                                scenario. If you have an idea of what could possibly happen, you can
                                                                develop responses and action plans more swiftly.

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                                   THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 11
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                   THOUGHT LEADERSHIP:
               DEVELOPING CAREER RESILIENCE
  Resilience is an utmost essential quality for graduates stepping into the changing world of
  work. In this section, we speak to some industry leaders in their respective fields of work to
  learn about how you can navigate changes in your professional journey, set and meet goals,
                                     and overcome setbacks.

                                    1987-1988                        1988-1991                       1991-2015
                                    Audit/Tax Accountant,            Accountant (Payroll &           Various Finance & Accounting
                                    Arthur Young                     Systems), SATS                  Executive roles, Shell Eastern
                                                                                                     Petroleum, Mediacorp, Mondelez

                                                                                                     2015 onwards
                                                                                                     Associate Director (Accounting),
                                                                                                     Clearsource Pte Ltd

                                              "Continually network, keep abreast of current and
                                              new developments, and go for continuous training to
  Angeline Tan                                garner knowledge."
  Associate Director (Accounting)
                                              How I navigated this change                    Advice to graduates
  Clearsource Pte Ltd
                                              I had the blessing of wonderful support        Young graduates must be hungry to
                                              of my parents who tirelessly dedicated         compete with fellow graduates locally
                                              themselves to looking after the well-          and overseas. Before starting a family,
                                              being of our young children, physically,       strive hard to excel in your careers. If they
  The biggest change in my career
                                              emotionally and socially. At the work front,   decide on starting a family, ensure that
  The biggest change in my career was         my organisation was supportive in terms of     there is a good support system.
  starting and managing a family in my        offering flexible working hours, of course         Continually network, keep abreast of
  late 20s and early 30s, and having to       ensuring that work is always dutifully         current and new developments, especially
  keep up with constant changes and           completed. I even managed to complete          in areas that affect your professional work,
  demands in an ever evolving organisation,   my part-time MBA course during the early       and go for continuous training to garner
  which transformed from being locally        years of my children’s lives. Generally, it    knowledge.
  based to being regional and global. It      meant not doing a job that demanded 24
  involved having to continually strive to    hours of my time each day, but having a
  manage changes professionally, as well as   career that was professionally rewarding
  overcoming the challenges of a working      so that non-working hours could be
  mother.                                     dedicated to the family.

12 | THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019                                                                                         www.smu.edu.sg
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                                    1993                  1994                     1995                      1996-2000
                                    Bank Officer,         Broadcast Journalist,    Marketing Officer,        Marketing Manager,
                                    Citigroup             Business Desk,           UOB Asset                 CMG First State
                                                          MediaCorp                Management                Investments

                                    2015 onwards          2010-2014                2006-2009                 2000-2006
                                    Executive Director,   Executive                Director, Market          Vice President,
                                    Head of Business      Director, Business       Sales Management,         Investment Director,
                                    Management,           Management, Merrill      UBS AG                    Citigroup
                                    UOB Private Bank      Lynch International
                                                          Management/Bank
                                                          Julius Baer

Angela Tan
Executive Director,                            "Work on adding value and seeking to gain
Head of Business Management                    knowledge, experience and expand your skill sets.
UOB Private Bank                               Along the way, build your character. "

The biggest change in my career                How I navigated this change                   Advice to graduates
A significant part of my professional          I learnt that we need to embrace failure      For career resilience, you need to have
career was very much focused on financial      as part of our career journey and learn       an “inner game” and an “outer game”.
product sales and advisory in the asset        how to move forward positively. As Alibaba    The “inner game” refers to resilience or
management and wealth management               founder Jack Ma once said, “If you don’t      grit; the ability to rebound from setbacks,
sector. However, the Global Financial          give up, you still have a chance. Giving up   perseverance, humility and the willingness
Crisis (GFC) of 2007 to 2008 was a             is the greatest failure.”                     to learn. The “outer game” refers to
turning point in more ways than one.               After I was retrenched, I took a one-     technical competencies, and skills and
   Before the GFC, I had already               year sabbatical to spend more time with       passion for performance.
experienced two crises – the 1997 Asian        my family, during which I connected               Regardless of which career path you
financial crisis and the dot-com bubble        with my friends and financial industry        take, you need generic strengths such
of 2000 – as well as three corporate           contacts, and kept up with trends. The        as a data mindset and understanding
acquisitions. A strong work ethic and          time away re-invigorated me.                  predictive analysis (you need to know your
performance-focused attitude served me             The opportunity to train new financial    numbers!), problem-solving, decision-
well in those challenging times. I survived    advisers at another global financial          making, interpersonal skills, creative
the crises and takeovers, strengthening        institution surfaced and this role            thinking, sense-making and digital literacy
my ability to withstand uncertainty. In        expanded into a marketing manager role.       (in this aspect, millennials have a head
fact, after the dot-com crisis, my financial   I had bosses who recognised my strengths      start). These are critical employability and
career was on an upward trajectory when        and gave me development opportunities.        transferable skills.
I was specially recruited to make an           It was a transformational change in terms         In each job that you undertake, you
internal transition to the private bank        of my career focus, albeit still within       should not focus primarily on the financial
business in a global financial institution.    private banking.                              rewards; instead work on adding value and
   I was less fortunate in weathering the          In my current role, the level of          seeking to gain knowledge, experience
GFC storm. As a sales manager at one of        responsibility, autonomy and complexity       and expand your skill sets. Along the way,
the global banks at the epicentre of the       is high, as I am required to provide          build your character.
crisis, the collapse of Lehman Brothers        leadership to achieve results, manage             Think of the traditional Indonesian
was a seminal event. I was redeployed          resources, set milestones, drive projects     kueh lapis – a rich, multi-layered cake –
to head Learning & Development for             and ensure business governance. I am          and similarly, build your skill sets layer
Products (Non-Markets). In that role, I        currently also a member of the Private        upon layer. It is through new experiences
had to re-adjust my focus beyond product       Banking Industry Working Group with           and a focus on long-term goals and lifelong
sales to project management and training.      the Institute of Banking & Finance            learning – coupled with an indomitable
Job losses during the GFC were par for the     (IBF), providing guidance in the area         spirit and strength of character – that you
course and I was not spared. That was          of competency development in private          can achieve career resilience.
nearly 10 years ago. My career path also       banking.
changed as a result.

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                                     THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 13
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                                    2005-2008                         2008-2012                          2012-2014
                                    Head (Entrepreneurial             Senior Lecturer, Economics,        Director, Institute for
                                    Development) & Academic           Singapore Polytechnic              Financial Literacy, Singapore
                                    Staff, Republic Polytechnic                                          Polytechnic

                                    2016 onwards                      2014-2016                          2014
                                    Deputy Director (Strategy         Director, Advocacy &               Senior Manager, Advanced
                                    & Planning) & Master              Research, National Council         Analytics, Ernst & Young
                                    Consultant (Future Jobs,          of Social Service                  Advisory Pte Ltd
                                    Skills & Training), National
                                    Trades Union Congress

  Dr Alex Lum                                  "We are always stronger than we think we are."
  Deputy Director (Strategy &
  Planning) and Master Consultant                 I am constantly reminded that the              The most important attribute is not the
  (Future Jobs, Skills & Training)             findings and recommendations, from the        degree which you have, but your attitude.
                                               research that I am overseeing, must be        It's not the degree that will help you get
  National Trades Union Congress
                                               able to translate into actionable steps, to   a promotion.
                                               develop programmes to help workers.               It's your attitude – work hard and
                                                                                             learn fast. Put in the effort to understand
  The biggest change in my career              How I navigated this change                   the tasks and what needs to be done.
  The biggest change in my career was          I had to ask myself, “Do I want my work       Don't slack; don't give up. Don't be
  shifting from a position of imparting        to be only an intellectual exercise or do I   arrogant and think that the tasks or the
  knowledge to actively co-creating            really want to make a difference?”            duties are beneath you. Oftentimes, the
  solutions with clients and people that           Since it was the latter, I had to take    accomplishment of minor tasks indicates
  would use and benefit from my work.          concerted steps to listen more, to take       to the bosses how responsible you are and
      While lecturing did require refining     time to understand more deeply. I sought      whether you can be trusted with more.
  course materials with up-to-date             feedback – which inevitably would result          Constantly upskill and double-skill.
  case studies, once the materials were        in very direct and blunt comments – and       For example, one of my colleagues who
  prepared, the main work was more in the      tried my best not to take the criticisms      is trained in marketing recently took up
  delivery and explanations.                   personally. I have been blessed with good     a course in data analytics and now does
      However, after I left the lecturing      teams and colleagues, so taking the effort    all the visualisation and insightful charts
  profession, there was far more               to work within a team always helps to         when he presents at internal and external
  engagement I had to undergo with             lighten the load.                             events.
  stakeholders, taking in inputs from all          Most importantly, I had to appreciate         We are always stronger than we think
  relevant parties. For example, to design     that my career is a journey and there is      we are.
  financial literacy materials, there was      always room to learn, adapt and improve.
  constant interaction with families to
  better understand how the materials were     Advice to graduates
  applicable to their lives, and then I had
                                               My former students frequently ask me
  to refine the examples and practical tips
                                               which course or degree they should
  accordingly.
                                               pursue in university with the purpose of
                                               increasing their chances of promotion in
                                               their career.

14 | THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019                                                                                        www.smu.edu.sg
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                                     1994                        1994-1998                          1998-1999              1999-2000
                                     Called to the               Broadcast Journalist, Singapore    Interactive            Master of
                                     Singapore Bar as an         Broadcasting Corporation (later    Producer, E-News,      Science in
                                     Advocate and Solicitor      incorporated as Television         MediaCorp News         Journalism,
                                                                 Corporation of Singapore)                                 Columbia
                                                                                                                           University
                                         2004-2005               2001-2004              2000-2001                          Graduate School
                                         Senior Producer,        Producer, English      Deputy Chief Editor,               of Journalism,
                                         English News Output,    Current Affairs,       E-News, MediaCorp News             under MediaCorp
                                         MediaCorp News          MediaCorp News                                            Fellowship

                                         2005-2008               2008-2009               2009-2016                     2016 onwards
                                         Editor, International   Editor, Assignments     Lecturer & Assistant          Media Industry
Lau Joon-Nie                             News Desk,              Desk, MediaCorp         Director, Newsplex Asia,      Consultant,
                                         MediaCorp News          News                    Nanyang Technological         Self-employed
Media Industry Consultant                                                                University
Self-employed
                                                 "Follow your passion, find your calling (it may take
The biggest change in my career                  many attempts but don’t give up) and make that
I turned down an offer in 2016 to head
                                                 difference!"
the communications programme in a
tertiary institution. I felt that after seven    How I navigated this change                   Advice to graduates
years of teaching and administration, it         With the rise of the gig economy, there       A legal education is a terrific asset to have,
was time to return to work in the media          has never been a better time to be self-      even if one does not intend to practise law.
industry and take stock of the seismic           employed. Much of our work these days         I started out covering courts and scooping
changes caused by digital disruption. A          does not have to be done from an office.      rival publications on stories about legal
lot of my work at the university centred         We time-shift, work across time zones         developments and then went on to cover
around preparing students for these              as we travel for business or leisure and      the rise of the internet and how the law
changes: “I am here to teach you skills          collaborate with overseas partners on         was changing to plug the loopholes.
for jobs which have not been invented            conference calls.                                 Covering technology news taught me
yet,” I would tell my students.                     In the last two years, I have worked       to be nimble and to keep an open mind.
    As someone caught in the cross               on a variety of interesting projects. These   The journalist in me is always curious
hairs of “newsroom convergence” in the           include clinching a huge TV assignment        and wanting to learn more. So, grow
early 2000s, I witnessed from a unique           that required building a production team      your network of contacts, keep asking
vantage point and gained many valuable           of 80 people spanning seven countries,        questions and stay on top of trends to
lessons as media bosses struggled with           and researching and producing a reality       seize new opportunities. Technology has
restructuring to best accommodate the            documentary for an Australian broadcaster     made it so easy to find and interact with
new demands of digital production amid           across three countries. Additionally, I ran   interest groups of your choice.
the then-still-profitable and popular            media relations for a large tech start-up         But don’t just wait for events – be
traditional channels of print, television        event at Google, and worked with over a       an organiser. Contribute as well as learn
and radio. Nearly 10 years on, the subject       dozen of the world’s biggest media and        from others. By getting involved, you will
of digital transformation continues to           tech companies to organise four industry      find mentors and role models beyond the
fascinate me and forms the backbone              conferences in three countries.               workplace and perhaps discover a new
of much of my current work as an                    I also edited my first book and            talent or a new job when you least expect
independent media industry consultant            produced my first two issues of an            it. Follow your passion, find your calling
and educator.                                    industry magazine. Working across the         (it may take many attempts but don’t give
                                                 print to digital spectrum, I continue to      up) and make that difference!
                                                 teach and advise at local universities and
                                                 polytechnics as a guest instructor and
                                                 external examiner.

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                                       THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 15
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                                      2006-2010                         2010-2012                          2012-2013
                                      Social Worker, Methodist          Senior Social Worker, MCYC         Assistant Manager, MCYC
                                      Children and Youth Centre         Community Services Society         Community Services Society
                                      (MCYC)                            (formerly Methodist Children
                                                                        and Youth Centre)

                                                             2017 onwards                                  2013-2017
                                                             Assistant Director (Operations                Manager, MCYC Community
                                                             & Admin), Epworth Community                   Services Society
                                                             Services (formerly MCYC
                                                             Community Services Society

  Mary Ng                                        "Be creative when thinking of solutions to your
  Assistant Director                             challenges and problems. Also, be unafraid to roll up
  (Operations & Admin)                           your sleeves and work hard."
  Epworth Community Services
                                                 strategic and forward-thinking. I need to     Advice to graduates
                                                 gather information, and analyse trends
                                                                                               I believe everyone needs to recognise the
                                                 and data before proposing and making
  The biggest change in my career                                                              power of our thinking and the power we
                                                 decisions that affect the organisation’s
                                                                                               have to choose the decisions we make.
  When people used to ask me in university       operations. In the process, I need to
                                                                                               It is important to have the right mindset
  why I chose to major in Social Work, I         consider the budget, financial statements
                                                                                               when facing transitions and challenges.
  would jokingly reply, “Because I only          and statistics. In other words, I need to
                                                                                               Choose to face the challenges squarely
  want to work with people, not numbers!”        work with numbers.
                                                                                               and choose not to give up. Be creative
      Although meant as a light-hearted
                                                 How I navigated this change                   when thinking of solutions to your
  reply, there was a grain of truth in it.
                                                                                               challenges and problems.
  I did not like working with numbers.           I must admit it was not an easy transition,       Also, be unafraid to roll up your sleeves
  Calculations, formulae, equations –            but it was an enriching one. Although I       and work hard. Put in the effort necessary
  please count me out (no pun intended).         had become more comfortable working           for you to obtain the results you desire.
  Personally, I prefer to cultivate              with numbers over the years, there were       There is a common saying, “Work smarter,
  relationships with people and learn the        still skills I had to pick up so that I can   not harder”. Personally, I’m more inclined
  soft skills necessary to engage and help       be effective in my role.                      towards “Work smarter and harder”.
  them effectively. Entering the social work         I believe what helped was my conscious    It probably would not surprise you that
  field as a fresh graduate, I quickly learned   decision to become comfortable working        based on experience, this way of working
  that I still needed to work with numbers       with numbers, and then I took action.         yields even better and more sustainable
  (e.g. developing programme budgets and         I read books and articles. I pored over       outcomes.
  helping clients with financial assistance),    financial statements and budgets, trying
  but only to an extent that I could manage.     to make sense of the figures. I spent time
      My job scope has significantly changed     with colleagues who graciously helped me
  since graduation. My role as an Assistant      in my understanding of unfamiliar terms
  Director now requires me to be more            and concepts. Have my efforts paid off?
                                                 There are certainly more skills to learn,
                                                 but my mind is far from blank when I look
                                                 at financial statements now!

16 | THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019                                                                                            www.smu.edu.sg
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                                      1992                     1996                       1999               2002
                                      Analyst, Great           Associate, Financial       Vice President,    Co-Head, Equities,
                                      American Insurance       Services, Booz Allen &     Goldman Sachs      McLagan Partners
                                      Company                  Hamilton

                                                   2016                             2013                    2004
                                                   Adjunct Professor,               Founder,                Head of Broker Relations,
                                                   Singapore Management             TRQ Advisors            Marshall Wace NA
                                                   University

                                                 "Your network is your most valuable resource in times
Matt Dearth                                      of change, so help your “future-self” by developing
Founder                                          your network today."
TRQ Advisors
                                                     Secondly, and most importantly, I             Let me give you another example.
                                                 made finding a new job my new job. I          When my family and I moved to Singapore
                                                 made sure my CV was the best it could         in 2015, a friend from home connected
The biggest change in my career                  be. In the age before LinkedIn, I made        me to her college classmate who worked
It was late March in 2002, and I was fired       lists of contacts and reached out when I      at GIC Private Limited. I arranged an
as part of a downsizing round at Goldman         was ready (but not before). I introduced      introductory meeting over coffee, which
Sachs. At that point, New York City was          myself to the major executive recruiters      led to a meeting with a Professor at SMU.
still traumatised by 9/11, and layoffs           in my industry.                               He invited me to give a guest lecture to
were a fact of life around Wall Street.              Nine months later, one of those           his MBA class, and when he went back to
But of course I’d never expected to be           recruiters helped me find a new job in        the industry, I was given the opportunity
downsized myself!                                consulting, and two years later, a referral   to become an Adjunct Professor which I
                                                 from one of my clients led me to the best     still enjoy today — all from networking!
How I navigated this change                      opportunity of my career.

Firstly, I tried to put this into perspective.   Advice to graduates
I walked through Battery Park where they
had installed some of the wreckage from          Your network is your most valuable
the World Trade Center and remembered            resource in times of change, so help your
that I had only lost my job, not my life!        “future-self” by developing your network
I called family and friends who gave me          today. Yes, LinkedIn will help you manage
much-needed support.                             your connections, but I find that building
                                                 personal relationships wherever possible
                                                 is much more powerful.

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                                      THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 17
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                                        2001-2006                     2007-2008                         2008-2015
                                        HR & Corporate Relations      Head of HR, BAT Group             Regional HR Director, AME
                                        Director, Danone/Dumex        Service Delivery, British         Fonterra Brands
                                                                      American Tobacco

                                                                                                        2015 onwards
                                                                                                        Vice President, Corporate
                                                                                                        Human Resources, Zuellig
                                                                                                        Pharma Holdings Pte Ltd

                                                "If you love what you are doing, the challenge will
                                                only make you stronger."
  Mohd Fauzi Wahab
  Vice President, Human Resources
                                                was also a lot of excitement. This role         I also relied heavily on one of
  Zuellig Pharma                                was part of the leadership team at the       my strengths which is in building
                                                headquarters, which means I get to shape     relationships. It was important that I
                                                the people and leadership agenda for the     created a safe and open environment for
                                                entire organisation and participate in       people to give and receive feedback. It
  The biggest change in my career
                                                conversations and projects that would        was natural for me to gain trust although
  I would have to say that one of the biggest   have a significant impact to the company.    I also had to learn to be more selective
  changes was when I moved to Singapore                                                      when building my circle of trust given the
  to take on this role with Zuellig Pharma      How I navigated this change                  nature of my work.
  after my previous company, Fonterra, had      I have to say that being closely aligned
  moved me and my family to Dubai just a                                                     My advice to graduates on career
                                                with the company’s purpose of ‘Making
  year before.                                  Healthcare More Accessible’ really helps
                                                                                             resilience
      At the time, the CEO of Zuellig           to motivate my efforts and drives our        My three suggestions are:
  Pharma, John Davison, asked me if I was       collective intention. Having lost both my     1. Join a company and role that is
  keen to join him. He was about to lead the    parents to acute health issues and now           consistent with your values and
  company through a major transformation,       supporting my daughters as they study            purpose. If you love what you are
  which would require building an entire        to become healthcare practitioners, the          doing, the challenge will only make
  organisation behind a new strategy to         purpose resonates with me very strongly.         you stronger.
  improve access to healthcare.                     In the first 90 days, I took the time
      It was difficult decision. Firstly,                                                     2. Learn to diversify your experience.
                                                to understand the organisation, its people
  taking a role in Dubai was already a big                                                       Embrace change. Have courage in
                                                and saw for myself the challenges in how
  change personally and professionally.                                                          seeking new frontiers. Diversification
                                                we were working together. The concept
  Many people were depending on me to                                                            of knowledge, skills, and working
                                                of “Forming, Storming, Norming and
  establish the People agenda there and I                                                        environments will make you stronger
                                                Performing” proved useful here. It was
  felt like I would be disappointing many                                                        and wiser.
                                                important for me to unlearn my past,
  people whose relationships I treasure.        while I dealt with my new realities. I was    3. Build sustainable relationships with
      Secondly, moving to Zuellig Pharma        curious about how things worked and took         the people around you. Learn how to
  also means getting out of my comfort          an inclusive and unassuming approach to          deliver results through others. Good
  zone and starting all over again, with a      just about everything.                           relationships will help steer away
  new business model, strategy, challenges,         That said, it also meant that I had to       stress and boost your physical and
  people, system, structure and culture to      put in the time to get things right, but         mental health.
  adapt to.                                     I think the investment was worth every
      The transformation agenda, while          minute. The real challenge was to stay
  exciting, was very challenging too,           balanced between acting too soon versus
  and I was very clear about that. It           listening for too long.

18 | THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019                                                                                        www.smu.edu.sg
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

                          SECTORS ON THE RISE
Discover the different career sectors available in the job market and explore the various
                                  opportunities out there.

          Accountancy and Financial                                                          Analytics
                Management

  A
                                                                     Data analytics, the sector dealing with the collection and
            ccountancy and financial management                      analysis of huge amounts of data, is very much an engine
            qualifications open doors to career opportunities        of growth for the future economy. As Singapore continues to
            in a range of organisations, from the ‘Big Four’ to      prioritise digital transformation in its Smart Nation initiative,
  smaller accountancy firms, as well as in corporations and          delivering high-value information technology services is of
  the public sector.                                                 top-notch importance.
      In recent years, businesses have embraced cloud                    Data analytics is significant for rising industry trends
  accounting softwares and applications to increase efficiency       such as e-commerce, artificial intelligence and the Internet
  for accounting and financial management. Accounting                of Things. The Infocomm Media 2025 masterplan, the
  professionals are encouraged to upskill constantly to pick         government’s road map for the information communications
  up data analysis and be well-versed in digital accounting.         and technology (ICT) sector for the next decade, considers
      Accounting firms offer a diversity of services, such as        big data as a key strategic thrust of growth.
  consulting, assurance, risk assessment, corporate recovery,            The demand for data analytics roles is ever growing.
  tax, and forensic accounting, aside from the customary             Data analytics is widely used commercially, as well as in
  accounting and auditing services.                                  public policy and non-profit organisations, for safeguarding
      Employers are constantly on the lookout for candidates         cybersecurity, tracking user behaviour to maximise earnings,
  with good analytical skills, attention to detail, and an ability   or using data to further social causes.
  to convey financial data clearly. Graduate accountants often           The work in data analytics is mainly of inference,
  join firms as trainees and will be required to take professional   experiments and visualisation to achieve goals for
  qualifications to enhance themselves. It is mandatory to go        stakeholders, with data that has already been mined. Career
  through the Singapore Qualification Programme (Singapore           pathways in data analytics can be grouped according to
  QP) in order to practise as a chartered accountant here.           management and specialisation, depending on the skill sets
                                                                     which individuals bring to the table.

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                                 THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 19
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

    Banking and Finance                       Consulting and HR                             Education

   Some possible areas of work in          Graduates looking to embark on
                                                                                  Teaching is a noble profession given
   banking and finance include             a career in consulting can choose
                                                                                  its long hours and multifaceted
   asset management, hedge funds,          from different areas of expertise
                                                                                  demands, entailing the heavy
   private banking and equity, risk        such as HR, integrated solutions,
                                                                                  responsibility of nurturing the
   management, venture capital, and        management, and strategy
                                                                                  future generation. A career in
   corporate restructuring.                advisory work. They are also able
                                                                                  education is highly rewarding as
       While the banking and finance       to specialise in consulting work for
                                                                                  it gives you the satisfaction of
   sector may be a volatile one affected   a particular sector such as HR, IT,
                                                                                  helping others to achieve their
   by fluctuations in the economy, it      or finance.
                                                                                  aspirations.
   continues to be a popular career            Many employers offer graduate
                                                                                      Major employers include the
   choice in the financial hub of          specialist programmes, where you
                                                                                  Ministry of Education, public and
   Singapore, causing stiff competition    will be assigned to work in teams
                                                                                  private institutions, and tuition
   for graduate hires.                     with a mentor. You will also be
                                                                                  centres. Besides becoming a
       A good way to increase your         involved in projects and experience
                                                                                  teacher, you may also consider
   value as a jobseeker is by seeking      the day-to-day business to help you
                                                                                  roles such as a career counsellor,
   out internships during your             pick up skills on the job. There are
                                                                                  an educational psychologist, or
   university days to gain relevant        numerous perks to working in this
                                                                                  corporate and administrative roles
   work experience. It is also a good      industry, such as a variety in job
                                                                                  in the ministry.
   idea to actively participate in co-     roles and travelling opportunities,
                                                                                      Upon graduating with at least
   curricular activities and to join the   but be prepared to work in a high
                                                                                  a bachelor’s degree, aspiring
   relevant societies to develop the       pressure environment.
                                                                                  teachers will need to obtain a
   necessary skills required in the            Client interaction is a key
                                                                                  postgraduate diploma in education
   sector. For instance, employers         component of a consultant’s
                                                                                  at the National Institute of
   value candidates with problem-          day-to-day work, hence good
                                                                                  Education. Graduates from all
   solving ability and have excellent      communication skills are essential.
                                                                                  disciplines are welcome to apply.
   communication, organisational and       Strong organisational, teamwork
                                                                                      Good organisational, time
   teamwork skills.                        and problem-solving strengths are
                                                                                  management, interpersonal, and
       You should also read the            also most crucial, as well as the
                                                                                  effective communication skills are
   financial business news regularly       ability to work well under immense
                                                                                  crucial for this sector.
   to update yourself of any changes       deadline pressures.
   in the sector. While numerical and          You may also need professional
   business degrees are preferred by       certifications and licences to
   employers, it is not a necessary        practise in certain fields, so do
   requirement.                            your research and consult the
                                           relevant parties to help you plan
                                           your career pathway.

20 | THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019                                                                         www.smu.edu.sg
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD

          Healthcare                         Hospitality and                        Innovation and
                                                Tourism                               Technology

  Other than for medical careers,       Home to two integrated resorts        Singapore, home to some of
  non-medical graduates can join        – Marina Bay Sands and Resorts        the best IT infrastructure in the
  the healthcare industry as well.      World Sentosa – as well as world-     world, also acts as an IT hub in
  While most medical careers will       renowned attractions such as          the Asia-Pacific region. Given the
  require specialist knowledge and      the Singapore Flyer and the           pervasiveness of technology today,
  training, applicants from other       Singapore Zoo, the hospitality and    the expertise of IT professionals is
  degree backgrounds can also           tourism industry in Singapore has     not needed only in the tech sector,
  explore a number of career options    experienced steady growth, even in    but in the non-IT industries as well
  such as healthcare operations/        the midst of economic downturns.      (e.g. finance, health, media, and
  management, medical and                  Career opportunities are           legal services).
  pharmaceutical sales/marketing,       ample in the hospitality and              Among some of the more
  medical product management,           tourism sector, ranging from hotel    popular roles that graduate
  and healthcare informatics.           management, catering, leisure,        candidates can consider include
     Long hours and heavy               and events management. Support        technology consulting, systems
  workloads are commonplace in          roles for this growing sector such    analysis, network engineering,
  the healthcare sector. However,       as IT, marketing, and HR, need to     software testing, and technical
  those working in administrative       be filled as well.                    sales.
  or research roles typically have         Work in this industry can              While numerate and IT-
  regular and stable hours. A           also be trying, demanding a lot       related degrees are preferred by
  passion for serving and helping       of patience, energy, diplomacy,       employers in this sector, it is not
  those in need is imperative, as       and EQ control. You should also       mandatory – graduates seeking
  well as being meticulous and          expect work hours to go beyond        to enter this industry can take
  patient, especially if you are in     the usual 9 to 5 during seasonal      up technical modules in school
  a services role in the healthcare     peak periods.                         or go for professional technical
  sector.                                  Traits that hospitality and        qualifications part-time as they
     Graduates keen on a career in      tourism employers look out for in     work.
  this sector can consider applying     their candidates include excellent        A common way in is through
  to public/private healthcare          communication and interpersonal       graduate programmes, especially
  providers, biomedical firms,          skills as many roles are client-      if you are applying to major
  research consortia, or local          facing in nature.                     organisations, although many
  healthcare start-ups that focus on       Also, most graduate employees      smaller employers prefer to
  specialised products (e.g. hospital   start out from the bottom or          hire directly. Employers greatly
  management software, medical          through graduate programmes,          appreciate candidates with
  robotics).                            obtaining training and professional   good problem-solving and time
                                        qualifications on the job.            management abilities as these
                                                                              are vital to helping them meet
                                                                              project deadlines, as well as good
                                                                              interpersonal and communication
                                                                              skills due to the team-based nature
                                                                              of this sector.

www.smu.edu.sg                                                                  THE SMU CAREER GUIDE 2019 | 21
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