A common concern of Singaporean students everywhere is how to attain the necessary qualifications to get a job which sustains their lifestyle. Singapore is a country where academic qualifications matter – as such, there is immense stress and pressure to do well academically and go to the best academic institutions and attain the best grades. However, having the best grades and going to the best schools do not always mean better job prospects – in a tough job market, even good candidates may not get the high-paying, prestigious jobs they want.
Valuable Advice on Future Career Paths for the Average Student in Singapore
1. Connections may mean more than grades when getting good career prospects
There is a saying that goes, “It does not matter so much what you know, but who you know.” Connections are highly important as it opens the door to many opportunities – even being acquaintances with someone can help get prospects. Businesses and companies have needs they must meet, and if someone knows someone suitable for the job, they can leverage the connections they have to find the right person. When businessmen meet for leisure, they discuss ideas and think about how they can solve business problems. Even though someone has poor grades, they may be good at solving problems in other ways, which may open doors for them if they are opportunistic, clever, and go about networking to know the correct people.
2. Learn for the sake of learning instead of studying blindly from the textbook
The Singaporean education system favours people who are good at rote memorisation. Many students cope with A and O Levels by doing the 10-years’ series and memorising the answers. This is not helpful to develop critical thinking skills which will serve an individual well in university and future employment. Studying blindly from the textbook will not be as effective as learning for the sake of learning – students need passion and intellectual curiosity if they are to do well in a subject. Choosing to learn more independently and absorb more information is a positive quality to have, which will help them do independent research when needed in future.
3. Follow your interests to enjoy your work in the long term
Many people burn out choosing careers which they hate just for the sake of prestige or pay. However, as humans spend most of their lives working, it is important to at least enjoy or not hate the things we do for work. Students should try to follow their interests as much as possible so they can enjoy (or, at least, not detest) their work in the long term, avoiding burning out or excessive mental stress. There is more to life than a position or a high ranking, or a high pay – time with the people you care about and passion for what you do is important as well.
4. Internships and seeking opportunities are very important to advance
Although students do not need an internship every year, they should seek out opportunities whenever possible and when they have the mental bandwidth to do so. When taking an internship, students need to absorb information like a sponge. Talking to different people and asking for advice as a student is very useful – people like talking about themselves and being listened to, so they will be more likely to give good advice. Having a good mentor in a good working environment is more important than the pay or the brand name of the company.
Employers want to see that a potential candidate is worthy for the job – they want to see genuine interest, passion, and intellectual curiosity in someone. They will likely ask about the candidate’s interests and any personal or side projects the candidate has been involved in. Remember – it would be highly unrealistic for employers to only hire straight A students. Everyone, if they are clever and resourceful, can carve a spot for themselves in the Singaporean job market.
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Focus Chemistry boasts 30 years of experience in teaching Chemistry to all levels of students. Whether you are looking to prepare for exams, go for Chemistry competitions, or simply bolster your foundation of basic Chemistry concepts, Focus Chemistry is the go-to Chemistry specialist in Singapore.
With time and effort, every student will surely be able to achieve their desired grades in Chemistry. Focus Chemistry has a tried-and-tested teaching method and specially curated materials and question banks to help you prepare for every Chemistry exam.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
a) Which is the best H2 chemistry tuition in Singapore?
Focus Chemistry is the best H2 Chemistry tuition in Singapore as they are a Chemistry specialist catering to various levels. Focus Chemistry has curated materials and a tried-and-tested teaching style which enables students to achieve true understanding of the concepts tested.
b) How much does tuition cost in Singapore?
The cost of tuition depends on how many classes taken, and whether they are group classes or individual one-to-one tuition classes.
c) What is the difference between H1 and H2 Chemistry?
H2 Chemistry is more difficult than H1 Chemistry as H2 Chemistry focuses more on organic Chemistry concepts. H1 Chemistry does not place a heavy emphasis on Organic Chemistry, instead focusing more heavily on polymerisation and nanomaterials.
d) Is H2 Chemistry easy?
H2 Chemistry is challenging for students without a good foundation of Chemistry concepts. Focus Chemistry can help H2 Chemistry students improve their grades by helping them achieve true understanding of the concepts which are being taught at school.