As a fourth-year sociology student at the National University of Singapore, a growing concern is what options do I have when I graduate in a few months’ time.  

A typical conversation with my schoolmates would revolve around questions such as “What you want to do after university?” and “What kind of jobs are you looking for?”

While our educational pathways from primary school to university have been smooth, we know that finding similar success in one’s career will be more tricky.

Internships, while useful in providing a glimpse of a particular industry or job, will never quite provide one for the full realities of a working life.

Take for example office politics.

“It’s not the work that is difficult but it’s the people,” a friend told me recently, adding that she felt that some of her superiors and colleagues have made things difficult for her in the company.

She also recounted how her superior is not impartial towards some colleagues, causing some unhappiness within the company.

So as my schoolmates and I start our final semester in university, we share some apprehensions about our future.

Most of us are not 100 per cent sure what kind of industry we want to go into, and are quite prepared to try different things to see what we like.

We do worry about how jobs might change in a few years with fast-evolving technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality.

Will we become obsolete or stuck with low-paying jobs?

My friends and I also discuss about the motivations behind our job choices – Money, fulfillment or work-life balance.

Most of us conclude that we can at most have one or two out of three.  

If you are a doctor, you will probably have money and fulfillment.

If you work as an investment banker, you will probably have money. If you work in an advertising or PR agency, there will be fulfillment, and if you work in a public sector, there will be probably be work-life balance.

Ultimately, it is about choosing which of these three suits you best. For me, at this stage of life, it is about fulfillment first and money second.

I started job-hunting at the beginning of Year 4 in August, looking for jobs in human resource, education and marketing.

I have been called up for several interviews, but have not found anything suitable.

At some of the interviews I attended, I found that what the companies wanted were quite different from what they advertised.

Others gave me the sense that they were less interested in the development of the new employee than whether he can deliver results for them.

As I still have time, I have not quite pressed the panic button yet.

In fact, I am toying with the idea of taking a course to learn Data Science (Python) as I find computer science intriguing.

Some of my friends are luckier, having found full-time jobs even before they graduate.

A few others want to enjoy their final year of university life and find a job only after graduation, while some friends are looking to further their studies.

I guess this is really a case of to each his own.

For me, what is more important than finding a job is finding one that I love.

So I am prepared to invest in a proper search.

I am lucky in that I already have some sources of income, having been a private tutor for four years.

My father also permits me to use his car to drive for Grab and Go-Jek.

I also take up paid music gigs from time to time to earn pocket money.

I reckon that I can earn between S$3,000 and S$4,000 a month from these freelance work.

While the money may seem good, I know that I cannot do this long-term if I want to build a good career.

So finding a full-time job I love remains a priority.

I hope to go into teaching, because I enjoy tutoring students and interacting with those younger than me.

A logical step would be to apply to join the Ministry of Education as a teacher.

But I have also heard about how teachers can be bogged down by administrative work. That will certainly kill my interest in teaching.

One alternative I may explore is to teach in private schools, though I am not sure if there is less administrative work.

I am glad that my parents are supportive of what my sister and I chose to do.

They respect the fact that I love teaching and guiding people, just as they are fine that my sister is pursuing a full-time career as a singer-songwriter. They just want us to make an honest living.

As I embark on my final few months in university, I will try to enjoy my last few modules in school as well as my co-curricular activities.

The uncertain world of work awaits me thereafter, but I guess this is all part of growing up and becoming independent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Louis Wong is a fourth-year sociology undergraduate at the National University of Singapore.