Starting earlier, searching longer: How the first-job hunt has changed 

For many students today, the pressure to get their first job “right” starts long before they send out an application.

There are internships to secure, skills to build and, before any of that, a more fundamental question: What path should they choose?

For 20-year-old Chloe Lim, the answer is not always clear. Having more options can also bring uncertainty over which path is right for her. Her friends, who come from different educational backgrounds – some creative and artistic, others more science-driven – are also taking time to figure out where they fit.

Chloe, who was among several young Singaporeans who spoke to F ZINE about career pressure, observes that her parents’ generation seemed to have a more straightforward path into work, with clearer expectations of what counted as a “good” office job.

But when parents and their children have different ideas of what starting a career should look like, it can be hard to understand each other’s experiences. 

Roshini Kumaravelu, 25, who works in tech consulting, says this gap in understanding can be frustrating. 

“I think for my parents, in their time, it was: you apply for three jobs, you get one out of the three, and then you just go to work.

“So if you tell them ‘I sent 100 applications and didn’t get a job’, they think something is wrong with your approach and don’t necessarily question the system,” she says. 

How much the job hunt has changed became clear to Neeta Vendargon when her son, Philip, began applying for jobs 10 months before graduation – a timeline she initially thought was too early. 

Despite graduating with a business degree and completing four internships, Philip eventually sent close to 200 applications before landing his first role as a compliance associate. Many of those applications disappeared into silence, with companies often not replying at all – not even with a rejection.

“Now that I’ve seen how things have unfolded, I didn’t realise the process from application to offer would take so long,” says Mrs Vendargon.

A career coach at the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) says fresh graduates can find the job search particularly frustrating when they encounter entry-level roles that ask for experience they have yet to build.

He adds that coming from a structured school environment where there is often a clearer link between effort and results, adjusting to the uncertainty of a job search can take time.

The pressure starts earlier

That lack of structure can make young jobseekers wonder if they are falling behind. This is why generic advice such as “just apply for more jobs” may not fully capture what they are facing.

Family expectations and comparison with peers on social media can add to the anxiety. But for some young people, the pressure also comes from within. 

Annabel Yee, a 20-year-old student, says: “I feel like I have to achieve a certain thing at a certain age, such as finding internships and a career, and then be able to achieve the financial goals I want.

“And with social media, it’s very common for us to feel like we have to compare ourselves with other people.”

That pressure is also changing how young people prepare for work, even before they enter the full-time job market. 

For John Swee, whose son Timothy is still in university, the shift is visible. Timothy is on his second internship and will be deferring a term to complete it, which means he will graduate later. 

John initially questioned his son’s decision, feeling that completing his degree first would have been a better choice. The retiree says, “We used to build our CVs on full-time jobs. 

“However, the current generation seems to build their resumes based on internships accumulated while they are studying, and even way before graduation.”

After learning that many of Timothy’s peers were making similar choices, he realised how much the career and job-search landscape for graduates had changed. He adds: “Ultimately, what matters is finding what is purposeful for the individual and enjoying the journey.”

The first job won’t be the last

For many young people, career preparations now begin earlier, take longer and involve more trial and error. Still, the answer is not necessarily to lower expectations but to rethink what a “good” start looks like. 

Says the SWDA career coach: “The biggest misconception is that career planning is an action they do once, get it right and then execute. It rarely works that way. Careers are built through iteration and experience. You can try something, learn from it, pick up new skills along the way, adjust your plans and grow from there.”

For instance, this could mean embarking on a traineeship, a contract role or an industrial attachment (See below: Resources to help fresh graduates take the next step). These can serve as stepping stones to gain work experience, build confidence and explore an industry without the pressure of a long-term commitment. They can also help young people build transferable skills and expand their professional networks. 

After all, the career coach says, a first job is unlikely to be the last. And even if a job turns out not to be the right fit, the experience can help young people better understand their strengths, interests and the kind of work environment in which they thrive. 

Fresh graduates who are unsure about their next step can also seek structured support  from a career coach to explore their options, identify their strengths and navigate their job search.

The career coach advises: “The key is to stay curious, recognise the skills you already have and keep building on them while keeping an eye on how opportunities and skills needs are changing in the job market. Don’t let a setback define what comes next.”

Visit SWDA’s page for more resources and support to explore your career options, build your skills and navigate your job search.