“I Want To Land The Perfect First Job”

When Clarine Lim graduated with a double major in communications and marketing, she knew exactly what kind of first job she wanted.

A full-time role at a multinational corporation or government agency.

“I had high expectations because my seniors and siblings were able to find one during their time, so I was really expecting that for myself too,” says the 24-year-old.

She isn’t the only one.

“I really want to land the perfect first job, so I’m taking my time to find the right one for me,” says Roy Lim, a 22-year-old undergraduate.

Thaveesha Thenuwara, 26, has felt those expectations too.

“People have always stressed the importance of a first job, and how it will impact your career trajectory. So the pressure is definitely real,” she says.

Indiependence is an F ZINE initiative featuring honest conversations about things that matter to young Singaporeans. In this edition, editor-in-chief Noelle Loh chats with young professionals and hiring managers to unpack the anxieties and pressures of job hunting. Our take? Nobody knows what they’re doing (and that’s okay). Watch the conversation below.

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For student Chloe Lim, much of that pressure comes from what young people see around them. 

“I set myself to a certain expectation, but I wouldn’t want to make it into something that’s unrealistic. In the end, it should be something I like to do – not something I should be doing just because society expects me to.

“Honestly, I think it’s more social media because of what is being deemed by society as a good job,” says the 20-year-old psychology student.

For many fresh graduates, landing a first job isn’t just about finding work.

It’s about finding the right one.

But after four months of sending applications, Clarine had not landed a single interview.

The pressure is understandable, says a career coach from the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA). (Psst, SWDA is a government agency that brings jobs and skills support into one place, after Workforce Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore joined forces in July.)

Many fresh graduates leave school believing their first job will determine the course of their career. A big-name employer is seen as a springboard, while accepting a lower starting salary is often thought to hurt future earning potential.

“But a career isn’t an exam,” says the coach.

“There’s no correct answer, and the first job is often not a destination, but a doorway.”

Good enough can still move you forward

That was the mindset shift Clarine eventually had to make.

Realising she had to change course, she widened her search to include graduate contract roles, despite her earlier reservations about the lower starting pay and the less certain path to a permanent role.

Soon, recruiters began reaching out and she eventually received an offer.

Next month, she will start work at a Swiss bank.

“I hope to use this time to learn, gain new skills and make connections,” she says.

F ZINE asked young Singaporeans what they really feel about job hunting and the pressure to have their careers figured out.

The coach says some graduates hold out for their ideal job for months, often at the expense of their confidence, finances and experience.

To illustrate the point, the coach shares a Chinese saying: “Qi lu zhao ma (骑驴找马) – ride the donkey while searching for the horse. The goal isn’t to settle permanently; it is to keep moving forward wisely, without letting the pursuit of the perfect cause you to miss what is genuinely good.

“Being employed gives you breathing room and keeps your confidence intact. It puts you in rooms and conversations that can open unexpected doors. It also means you won’t be forced into a rushed decision out of desperation.”

Clarine no longer sees the graduate programme as a compromise. Instead, she sees it as a structured first step into full-time work.

“With this experience, I think I’ll be in a stronger position to grow into the next stage of my career,” she says. 

Rather than seeing a first job as a “verdict on your worth or potential”, the coach encourages graduates to see it as an opportunity to learn, contribute and discover.

“Sometimes the job that moves you forward isn’t the one you dreamed of and that’s okay.

“Your first job won’t be the last. It is just the first chapter and the best way to approach it is with an open mind and a willingness to learn.”

The skills you take with you  

After graduating with a diploma in Game Art & Design and completing National Service, Zulhazli Samsuri spent months looking for a creative role. But with no offers coming in and his savings running low, he accepted a full-time contract position at a call centre through a recruitment agency.

It wasn’t where he imagined he would begin. At the time, it felt like a practical decision rather than a career one. Looking back, however, the 26-year-old says the experience taught him valuable lessons.

“It pushed me to be adaptable and think quickly,” he says, adding that the job also taught him how to work with people across different age groups.

When an opportunity to join a social media content creation and marketing agency as a full-time video editor came along a few months later through a friend’s referral, Zulhazli took it.

Today, he freelances while exploring opportunities that offer greater room for growth after feeling he had reached a ceiling in his previous role. 

“Having worked on the creative side, I’m aware of the ‘ceilings’ in this field,” he says. “Moving forward, I think picking up marketing or business skills will make me more of an all-rounder, with a broader set of skills under my belt.”

Angelica Teo, 26, learnt a similar lesson: your first job doesn’t have to be your forever job to be worthwhile. 

After leaving a marketing agency to pursue music, she realised many of the skills she picked up in her first job continue to serve her.

“I sent my bosses a really long message, thanking them for the opportunity because the skills I learnt at the agency really helped me navigate my music career now.”

Fashion graduate Wyona Pang, 26, also found herself taking an unexpected path.

She once hesitated to enter public relations as she had no formal qualifications in the field, but the past few years in the industry have reaffirmed her decision to step out of her comfort zone.

“Sometimes, the best opportunities come to you quite unexpectedly, so maybe it’s best to not be too fixated on one thing.”

Others in a similar position need not navigate these decisions alone.

Speaking to an SWDA volunteer career advisor, for instance, can help graduates gain industry perspective and identify adjacent roles.

Annabel Yee, 20, says speaking to a career coach at her school “has widened our perspective on what we can explore in the future, instead of only looking at one thing at once.”

The SWDA coach agrees. “Careers are built through iteration. You need to try something, learn from it, pick up new skills along the way, adjust and grow.

“The goal at this stage isn’t certainty. It’s about taking the next step with what you know right now.”

Head to SWDA’s page for more tools, tips and programmes, or reach out to an SWDA career coach for personalised career and skills advisory.