What career advice would you give fresh graduates?

Jeff Chatfield, Executive Chairman, Avation PLC

Fresh graduates should do whatever it takes to broaden their real world knowledge and jump towards expanding their world view. That means they should strive to get the best job they can that will give them genuine expanded experience. In terms of concrete advice there are three specific things I can offer. Graduates should as early as possible get a grasp on financial literacy; this is a key skill in any modern career in any industry. Jump on a “rocket ship” business if you see one that’s enjoying explosive growth and get involved by taking any role that you can on that rocket ship. Keep learning all the time, make sure you learn one new thing each year, one that is not tied directly to your day to day work. Be it playing chess, writing Java script, learning Russian, or programming an app, keep learning!

John Tan, CEO, Saturday Kids and Co-founder, Collision 8

Optimise opportunities by picking up hard skills such as design, coding and digital marketing. Universities are not teaching students the technical skills they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world. Employers struggle to find skilled talent for the roles they need to fill. Graduates should continuously learn at home and at work. A graduate job that gives you opportunities to learn hard skills is far more valuable than one that pays. Move on when you think you’re no longer learning. Find a job that teaches you a new skill. Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can accomplish in 10.

Philip Yuen, CEO, Deloitte Southeast Asia and Singapore

Ideally, you already have an idea of your chosen career by the time you graduate. Next is finding a mutually beneficial match. Focus your efforts on finding an employer that provides opportunities to learn and grow your skills, which might not necessarily be the highest paying or biggest name. Attend career fairs, meet as many employers as you can, and use social media such as LinkedIn to build connections and be visible to prospective employers. If you’re still unsure of what you want to do, look for internships which help build your CV as you explore options. Employers also get a chance to assess you and may offer a position if the fit is right. Ordinarily, it does not take a Masters degree to make the first step onto a career path so leave this to later unless it is required for your vocation.

Candice Aw, Founder and CEO, Venn

My advice to fresh graduates is to figure out what they are interested in and play to their strengths - whether it’s with people, words or numbers. Internships are a great way of getting insights into what a job involves, what a company is like and the working styles different managers adopt. The most important thing is to find a boss who sees your potential and is willing to help you grow professionally. Companies increasingly hire for cultural fit and train for skills especially for fresh graduates. They understand that two of the biggest reasons why people leave are 1) poor cultural fit and 2) not being able to work with their boss. I would also suggest taking online or part time courses to pad out your skill set, be it in design, coding, copywriting etc.

Thomas Brochier, Founder & CEO, SeeChic

Follow your dream or at least spend time understanding what you really want to do in five years. Why? Because usually we dream big and we need to find the right path to get there. Once you know, prioritise your three main drivers: industry, geography and function. It is not so much about now, but how you will get there. For example, if what you really aspire to is managing a team, it may be easier to do so in a startup than at McKinsey. No clear idea? Find a mentor who you respect and who can challenge your thought process. Finally, when you have landed two great opportunities and you do not know which one to take, throw a coin in the air. Before it touches the ground, you will know on which side you would love it to land.