Charting Unconventional or Alternate Career Paths

Exploring different options is vital to eventually finding the perfect role for yourself, so do not be afraid to pluck up the courage to play the field when it comes to your career.

Work overseas

Have you ever wondered if there are other career options you can explore? Although overseas exposure is becoming increasingly viable with reopening borders, keep in mind that some countries may still request that you commit to a certain period of time in quarantine.

So, how about being your own boss? If that appeals to you, you have the opportunity to plan your own work schedule and pick only the work you want to do.

Transitioning to the working world can be stressful, but even as you navigate your way, remember that it is all right to break the mould and explore other options that may better fit you and your aspirations.

Here are some alternative pathways you can keep in mind.

If you cannot find anything that suits you in the local job market, there is no harm in turning your sights to opportunities abroad. On top of that, graduates with a good command of English are highly sought-after on the international market. Although travelling can be rather inconvenient with vaccination requirements and the occasional quarantine order, there are plenty of English-speaking countries and international companies in non-English speaking nations to choose from. Your options are unlimited!

Why you should go for it

• You can pick up and hone skills that are useful and increasingly valued in today’s globalised world, such as an international outlook and adaptability

• You will have the opportunity to meet and work with people from diverse backgrounds and develop an international professional network, something which will come in handy the further you progress in your career

What you should consider

Location: It is vital that you consider the country you will be moving to. Are they accepting foreign travel at the moment? What are their vaccination requirements? What are their procedures when you land? Think about the distance from home, too. While this may break the deal for some – especially if you plan to shuttle home often over the duration of your employment – others may actually want the distance.

Another aspect you should reflect on is the country’s culture. No matter where you decide to go, there will be different cultures and business practices. The good thing, however, is that this can help you develop open-mindedness and the ability to adapt to diverse environments – traits you can bring up and talk about with your future employers in job interviews.

Visa/work permits: Make sure to ask prospective employers if they provide the necessary visas or permits you need to legally work in the country they are located in.

As a prospective expatriate, you will find immigration procedures to be a taxing and complex process, so it is important to find out if employers are at least able to give you the support and guidance you will need to get through.

Cost of living: Living costs vary from country to country, so it is important that you conduct thorough research on day-to-day expenses such as food, transport, accommodation and utilities.

But keep in mind that exchange rates also fluctuate, particularly if you will be transferring money regularly across countries. Consider these factors and assess if your pay would be able to sustain such costs.

Be your own boss

Although it is common for graduates to work in an industry for a few years before striking out on their own, you can think about starting your own company while you are still in school if you have something workable.

If you need advice and funding, SPRING Singapore’s entrepreneurship page is a good place to begin. There are also other useful links to organisations like the Acton Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE).

Why you should go for it

• You will have the freedom and flexibility to work at your own pace

• You will be able to pick up and hone essential business skills, much like bookkeeping, collecting debts, marketing and filing tax returns

What you should consider

Risks: All entrepreneurs face the same risks with uncertain market conditions and financial struggles, especially when working within tight budgets. As a result, a lack of funds and market volatility can make it difficult for a business to run smoothly and effectively.

This drives home the importance of having a good and effective business plan, and conducting thorough research before taking the plunge to becoming an entrepreneur.

Attitude: Resilience and determination are two of the most important qualities you will need in the face of building your business.

If you do not have the attitude to remain upbeat and positive throughout, this may not be the path for you.

Network: Before you choose to walk down this career path, it is a good idea to understand the level of commitment needed.

One way to gauge this is to get in touch with other entrepreneurs, whether they have succeeded or failed. Their experience and advice will give you valuable insights and context into your endeavour to become a successful business owner.

Clarence Seah (second from right)

Bachelor of Arts (International Trade)

SIM-UB, Class of 2021

Clara Chang (first from left)

Bachelor of Arts (International Trade) and Bachelor of Science (Geographic Information Science)

SIM-UB, Class of 2021

Co-Founders, Ezit

Ezit is a one-stop service hub that fills the gaps in the current service industry. Ezit’s app has an infrastructure built specifically with services in mind, featuring an integrated booking system for services and tools for free advertising. The app provides a social platform for user interaction and networking, and also functions as a marketplace for hiring services with a simple, convenient and transparent booking process. Service vendors can save on cost and offer more competitive prices as the platform does not take a cut from their earnings.

What was your motivation behind starting your own business?

Clarence: We realised that there was no aggregate platform for services that requires face-to-face (F2F) interaction in the market currently. Instead, options were mostly product marketplaces that freelancers had to pay hefty advertising fees to advertise themselves on to attract business.

Hence, I hoped to create a platform that aggregated the various services into one that was more convenient, affordable and seamless for vendors and consumers alike.

Clara: I believe in Ezit’s vision to transform society, in changing how people can list and hire services. Another key motivation is the desire to make it personal, as working for another company becomes very impersonal. I wanted to create something from the ground up and to be involved in many aspects of a company’s operations.

The sense of accomplishment and achievement at the various stages of the business also really keeps me motivated, and pushes me further to set new goals, innovate, improve and explore new boundaries.

How did your time in SIM prepare you for this journey?

Clarence: I switched Majors from Business Administration to International Trade, and have not looked back since. International Trade helped me to view objectives at a macro level.

A good friend of mine introduced me to the Esprimere Singing Club in my final year, and I am very grateful, as this experience helped me form friendships and networks that have played a part in my startup journey today.

Clara: When I first started in SIM, I was taking a Double Major in Communications and International Trade. My time as a communication student really helped me to develop strong visual, organisational and digital communication skills. It prepared me to build awareness of how to convey information to a diverse set of audiences, and to provide entertainment.

I also developed filming, directing and video editing skills, and we were encouraged to be creative in curating and disseminating information in engaging and relevant ways. This skill helped me in my journey to market our app.

After I switched over to Geographic Information Science, I had to take on a heavier workload, and learned to manage my time more efficiently. I developed my research skills, as well, learning how to quickly gather, obtain and compile research information.

Additionally, although programming was not a core subject, nor was it my strong suit, my time in SIM gave me insight into basic programming, and it helped me greatly in understanding the basics of building and coding the app.

Describe some benefits and challenges

Clarence: You get to meet and share your ideas with likeminded individuals who share your vision. You also get a sense of satisfaction when everything falls into place, and most importantly, love what you do.

Creating a startup, and getting it to work is always going to be difficult. Most early stage startups would probably face challenges like initial capital raising, or concept validation. Fret not, however, as there are actually many investors looking to invest in the next big thing.

Clara: Starting a business is full of exciting challenges, and potential learning opportunities gained from the risks that come with it. Besides the sense of achievement and making it personal, one of the most common benefits is no doubt the ability to enjoy autonomy and flexibility. I was able to enjoy the passion and joy of working for myself and not others.

It may look easy and glorious on the outside, but there is really a lot of hard work and determination involved, as oftentimes, we have to work harder and longer hours. Be prepared to work nights and weekends.

We do not get the luxury of “clocking out” and forgetting about work until the next working day, as well. This is one of the most distressing challenges of entrepreneurship, as it will cause burnout and affect your relationships with the people around you.

Some words of advice

Clarence: To be an entrepreneur, you have to adopt a nevergive-up attitude. Failures, disappointments and setbacks tend to occur more for entrepreneurs than for the ordinary. For a start, try bootstrapping your startup. Alternatively, you can look to crowdfunding platforms to raise some capital to begin.

My first project in 2018 failed, but my team and I pivoted and found something else. Today, we are working on Ezit, simplifying the process of hiring services across various industries, to make it as seamless as possible.

Clara: There will be a lot of times when you will battle with self-doubt. I struggled really hard for quite a while. I could not shake off feelings of imposter syndrome, and it really got to me. It even reached a point where I did not think I could continue.

My advice is to always seek support and advice from people around you, and from other entrepreneurs. The feeling of selfdoubt will never completely go away – but that is not always a bad thing. You do not have to completely bat away these feelings, as they can sometimes open your eyes to hidden problems that need fixing.

In entrepreneurship, there is also no set path to follow. You will always have to keep learning, and keep adapting.

Jay Wadhwani

Bachelor of Science (Honours) Business Management

SIM-UOB,

Class of 2022

SIM EDGE Award Recipient

Founder, LS Technical Training Center

LS Technical Training Center (LSTTC) is an education institute that offers internationally recognised English and Business courses to individual students and corporate trainings in Vientiane, Laos. LSTTC aims to provide quality education at an affordable price to promote education, increase employability and inspire entrepreneurship amongst the Lao community.

What was your motivation behind starting your own business?

When I was in high school, I realised that Laos did not provide quality education beyond the secondary level. Therefore, most locals needed to travel overseas to pursue further education. However, as Laos is currently ranked as one of the most underdeveloped countries in SEA, many students do not have the resources to travel and pursue quality education elsewhere.

Initially, my brother and I planned to work in the corporate world and learn how businesses are run on a large scale in the service industry. However, when the global pandemic affected employability around the world, and markets were at their alltime low, we thought it would be the perfect time to start our business.

How did your time in SIM prepare you for this journey?

Joining CCAs has taught me how businesses are run, to some extent. After all, CCAs are essentially student-led clubs. Joining Student Ambassador (SA) and International Affairs Society (IAS) taught me two different aspects of running any business.

Firstly, IAS was a smaller club in comparison to SA. Hence, the main goal was to build the foundations of the club, and attract students to join.

SA, on the other hand, focused more on increasing engagement and satisfaction of the members. Furthermore, the SA community represents SIM in events, which taught us to create a respectable brand image.

Lastly, the 360 Degree Development Programme (360°) from Career Connect provided me with the necessary skills to become more professional, from the way I presented myself at work, and more.

Describe some benefits and challenges

The benefits of becoming an entrepreneur at a young age is that it taught me the difference between a job and a career. People often mistake both as the same.

A job is when a person is hired and compensated for their time. But in a career, the sky is the limit. A person’s earnings depend on their effort towards their career, and how much they are willing to work for it.

The challenges are always the risk of failure. Becoming an entrepreneur means you must be willing to undertake risks and make decisions under pressure when required to.

Some words of advice

There are many people who want to become entrepreneurs, but there are very few people who even start. That is because the ones who start are the ones who recognise an opportunity.

If you are one of the people who can recognise an opportunity, learn to take things slow and step by step. Also have someone you can trust and consult with when you are stuck or lost, so that you can figure out what should be done next.