Life After School: Gen Zers On Lessons Learned From The Workforce
Six creative Gen Z‑ers who have each embarked on a career within the past three years share the lessons they’ve learnt from navigating the professional world and how they define success in it.
FARAH SUDIRO, 27
Growth doesn’t necessarily mean climbing the corporate ladder, says Farah Sudiro, who has been working her first full‑time job as a fashion stylist at a local accessories label for a year. “For many of us in the creative field,” she shares, “growth is more about deepening our expertise and creating work that feels meaningful to us. I do see the value of moving up the ranks if it means new challenges that allow me to grow personally.”
YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2023
WHAT SHE STUDIED: BA (Hons) in Fashion Design and Textiles at Lasalle College of the Arts
FIRST JOB: Part‑time fashion assistant in 2019 CURRENT JOB: Fashion stylist at a local bag and shoe brand – her first full‑time job, which she started in July 2024
HER TRAJECTORY: “After graduating, I started freelancing in a bid to figure out my path. I focused on building experience and connections, so I tried a bit of everything. Eventually, I learnt to be more intentional, taking on jobs only for money or to build my portfolio. Some of the lower‑paying but creatively fulfilling jobs shaped my portfolio the most and helped to lead me to where I am now. A year in, I realised that freelancing was no longer serving me. I was also finally getting interviews for jobs I had applied to … This process taught me to let go of the idea of following a linear path and to embrace change and uncertainty … I’ve come to accept that flexibility is a necessity when working in fashion.”
ONE THING SHE WISHES SHE HAD LEARNT IN SCHOOL: “I wish I knew that you’re expected to be multi‑faceted, which seems pretty obvious, but school didn’t really prepare me for that. In school, I trained to be good in one specific area, but I later struggled to find opportunities in that niche. Looking back, I wish I had more chances to explore and hone a wider set of skills before entering the workforce.”
A VALUABLE LIFE LESSON SHE LEARNT FROM WORK: “Not every job has to be a dream job. Sometimes, you just need to start somewhere and along the way, you’ll realise there are different paths to where you want to be – or something even better.”
HER DEFINITION OF SUCCESS: “Success to me is finding the balance between being creatively fulfilled and making ends meet without burning out. I used to measure success by how much validation I got from others, but that has changed completely. Now, I prioritise leaning into experiences that will serve me better in the long run, focusing on small, steady growth to protect my peace.”
LISSA SPENNINGER, 25
For junior creative strategist Lissa Spenninger, real‑life professional experience has been the best way to learn about what she calls “harder‑hitting, non‑skill‑related lessons”. She started working at the digital creative agency that she’s at now first as an intern five years ago, then became a part‑timer before joining the company full‑time after graduation in 2023. “I realised that this was something that I was pretty decent at and decided to just stick with it,” she explains.
YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2023
WHAT SHE STUDIED: BA (Hons) in Fashion Media and Industries at Lasalle College of the Arts
FIRST JOB: Part‑time waitress in 2017
FIRST FULL‑TIME JOB: Junior creative strategist at a digital creative agency, which she started
in 2023 and continues to hold
A TYPICAL DAY AT WORK: “There’s none … One day can be spent crunching numbers and analysing data, another spent at a shoot, and another hosting guests at an event. I could never describe a day on this job as mundane.”
ON KEEPING MOTIVATED IN SUCH A MULTI‑FACETED ROLE: “It really boils down to the mantra, ‘Never try, never know’. Having the desire to keep learning and pick up new skills is so important (she did mainly writing when she started out at her present job, but has since expanded into strategising content as well as data analysis). Consider it good old‑fashioned kiasu‑ness, especially with how competitive the job market is nowadays. I hope I don’t sound like a career coach right now.”
HOW WORKING LIFE HAS CHANGED HER: “I’ve learnt that it’s impossible for me to be a one‑person show. I need to let go of certain things and not micromanage in order to preserve everyone’s sanity as well as my own.”
A VALUABLE LIFE LESSON SHE LEARNT FROM WORK: “It’s so important to have confidence. I’m naturally very shy and hate talking to people, but this is a client‑facing role. I’ve had to brush up on my social skills quickly and, while there’s still much to grow, there’s definitely a difference in how I carry myself now compared to when I started out. You can have the perfect idea, but you won’t be able to convince any client about it if you lack confidence.”
HER HOPES FOR THE FUTURE: “I hope nothing stays the same besides my friendships. Wild words from a Taurus, I know. I’ll be 30 in five years, which is crazy to think about. I hope that by then, I’d have learnt, tried and done so much more that I’d be a completely new person – Lissa 2.0.”
LUKAS LEE, 23
Lukas Lee left his first full‑time job in exhibition design after three months to do freelance work in the same field. It has allowed him to dabble more in 3D motion graphics – what he ultimately hopes to have a career in – as well as focus on his own label Yum World, another passion of his. “I did have moments of self‑doubt, unsure if I was good enough to go solo only after three months of full‑time experience,” he says. “But I realised that if I don’t try, I’ll never know if I can make it.”
YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2022
WHAT HE STUDIED: Diploma in Product & Industrial Design at Temasek Polytechnic
FIRST FULL‑TIME JOB: 3D exhibition designer from August to November last year – he took a gap year before that after completing his national service
CURRENT JOB: Freelance exhibition designer, airbrush artist and aspiring 3D motion designer
ON WHAT LED HIM ON HIS CURRENT PATH: “My passion is 3D‑related design, so during my gap year, I searched for jobs that would require my skills in 3D software. While doing so, I also started my own brand, Yum World (it specialises in tops and accessories airbrushed with surrealist flora and fauna motifs), as a side hustle and because I’ve always wanted to have a brand of my own. From all of these endeavours, I’ve decided that what I really would like is a career in 3D motion graphics.”
ON HIS FIRST FULL‑TIME JOB: “I think the company was in need of a 3D designer who was willing
to learn and was okay with a fast‑paced job, and even though I had a product design background, I still had transferable skills such as 3D visualisation … The field of 3D exhibition design isn’t my absolute passion, but it has offered me exposure, a stepping stone and a practical source of income as I save up for university.”
ON NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTY AS A FREELANCER: “Speaking with others really helps, giving me different perspectives on issues I face … I’ve consulted my lecturers and former colleagues, confided in friends, and have even learnt lots from random conversations with strangers. Gaining insight into the realities of the design industry from those who know it better than me has allowed me to better understand what lies ahead and helped me create my own path.”
HIS DEFINITION OF SUCCESS: “Doing what I love, being able to make anything I want, and making
a living out of it – all while savouring the joys of life”
MANASI NAIR, 25
Since graduating two years ago, the arty, visual communications‑trained Manasi Nair has changed full‑time jobs once. Joining the workforce, she shares, has made her “incredibly impressed” by people who have their lives in order. Her idea of success? “Right now, it’s to become an art director,” she says, “though I’m sure that five years down the line, my answer will be vastly different.”
YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2023
WHAT SHE STUDIED: BFA in Design Art (Visual Communication Pathway), with a minor in Photography, at Nanyang Technological University
ONGOING PART‑TIME JOB: Model, starting in 2019
FIRST FULL‑TIME JOB: Her first permanent position was as a junior designer at what she calls a “small marketing agency”, starting in March last year. In August of the same year, she joined another company as a graphic designer.
ON CHANGING JOBS: “My first full‑time job was a rough one … The unpleasant few months I spent there left me dejected and when it didn’t work out, I couldn’t rid myself of the awful feelings of self‑doubt and shame … I even contemplated changing industries. However, I think not forcing myself to get over it and be happy helped. It’s okay to feel terrible about something like this. I also did not let that stop me from applying for other jobs and doing mini projects. Friends and family who supported me through this period played a huge part too … It’s important to know that in moments of doubt and failure, you’re not alone.”
A VALUABLE LIFE LESSON SHE LEARNT FROM WORK: “Navigating a work environment is a skill that’s
difficult to teach and even more difficult to learn. Toeing the line between being polite and professional yet also warm and personable is tough.”
A MINDSET THAT HAS KEPT HER GOING: “Although having a creative identity is incredibly cool, learning to be flexible and adopting different visual approaches has its benefits. You can have your own consistent and distinctive style, or not. Each comes with its own share of research, hard work and practice.”
IRSYAD DAWOOD, 26
Instead of a full‑time job, the charming Irsyad Dawood toggles three professions within the world of theatre: actor, theatre maker and teaching artist. “In my eyes, success means doing work that aligns with who I am as a person and an artist. That, and having plenty of time to myself and the people I care about,” he tells us.
YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2023
WHAT HE STUDIED: BA (Hons) in Acting at Lasalle College of the Arts
FIRST FULL‑TIME JOB: Not had one
CURRENT JOBS: Actor, theatre maker, and teaching artist who integrates art into curriculums and development programmes for youths up to the age of 18
ON HIS TRAJECTORY: “The School of the Arts (or Sota, where Dawood studied pre‑university) offers the International Baccalaureate Career‑related Programme to those who wish to pursue a career in the arts. At 16, I decided that theatre brought me joy and purpose in a way that no other subject could, so I committed towards happiness and opted for it.”
ONE THING HE WISHES HE HAD LEARNT IN SCHOOL: “I wish I had learnt how to manage anxieties and insecurities. It’s one of the biggest obstacles in any artist’s journey and life, and every artist should be equipped to manage them.”
HOW WORKING LIFE HAS CHANGED HIM: “I’ve learnt that coming up with clear and consistent systems helps to manage things such as scheduling and money, and in turn set me up for success. I’ve realised I can’t leave them to chance.”
THE MOST SURPRISING THING ABOUT PROFESSIONAL LIFE: “It’s how nothing is certain, and the only way to cope is to adapt and prepare to adapt, especially as a freelancer. It’s like playing cards. No matter what hands you’re dealt or whatever strategy you’re playing, the game can shift at any moment and sometimes, all you can do is to react and re‑strategise.”
ON CLIMBING THE CORPORATE LADDER: “The cost of living is becoming so high, climate change is getting worse and political instability around the world is becoming more common. We’re facing a future that feels near impossible to thrive in, so the corporate ladder just doesn’t cut it anymore. We’ve been forced to become more radical in how we live our lives, redefining wealth beyond monetary gain and arbitrary titles. Life is not just short anymore – it’s really hard, so we might as well have fun struggling.”
RYNNA SHAZRINA, 25
Rynna Shazrina landed her first full‑time job as a textiles graduate trainee at a German‑owned retail conglomerate after a rigorous selection process that included three rounds of interviews and assessments. Her curiosity about different roles and skills in the company has kept her excited about each department that she gets rotated to, and one of her most valuable lessons from work has been what it really means to be adaptable. “It goes beyond adjusting to a physical environment,” she says. “It’s also about adapting to the work culture and new processes, and collaborating with team members who have different working styles.”
YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2024
WHAT SHE STUDIED: BA (Hons) in Fashion Design and Textiles at Lasalle College of the Arts
CURRENT JOB: She’s now a textiles graduate trainee at a German multi‑national retailer – her first full‑time job. Since joining last August, she has worked in Kidswear Product Development and is now in the Toys & Office Product Development team. Every rotation is meant to expose her to a different side to working with textiles.
HOW HER ACADEMIC BACKGROUND HAS COME IN USEFUL: “Having a strong foundation in fabric, garment construction and prints gave me a head start … I’ve been able to confidently contribute ideas and make proposals. This has also led to clearer, more effective communication with others, making collaboration smoother and more productive.”
HOW WORKING LIFE HAS CHANGED HER: “It has taught me to value patience and maintain a positive mindset. Unexpected changes are inevitable and staying adaptable while maintaining an optimistic outlook makes them easier to navigate. Patience and positivity are essential for handling pressure, meeting deadlines and sustaining a healthy work‑life balance.”
THE MOST SURPRISING THING ABOUT PROFESSIONAL LIFE: “It’s that it can be fun too. Through work, I’ve met people who are now close friends. We often lunch together and share our work experiences, offering one another support. These are little things that bring joy to my working life.”
PHOTOGRAPHY CLEMENT GOH & ATHIRAH ANNISSA HAIR & MAKEUP SARAH TAN TEXT & COORDINATION TRICIA TEONG ART DIRECTION JONATHAN CHIA
A version of this article first appeared in the July 2025 The Look Of Success Edition of FEMALE