Insights of young Singaporeans perceptions on jobs and careers

• Main Author: Thong, Daryl Zhen Ye
• Other Authors: Andy Ho Hau Yan
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Humanities
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/67337
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This study examines the career approach and perceptions of young Singaporean undergraduates. Research sought to establish (i) how a career was construed, (ii) how a good career was quantified, and (iii) how emerging graduates aspired to approach their career. Eight undergraduates, aged 22 to 26 took part in semi-structured interviews designed to elicit meaning and narratives on their career perception. Using directed content analysis, four major themes with relevant subthemes were identified. First, a career was defined as a ‘Journey’, which includes the subthemes of (i) meaningful purpose, (ii) life integration, (iii) time investment, and (iv) financial providence. Second, participants drew two distinctions of a good career including ‘Sustained Growth’, which consists of (i) active engagement, (ii) learning opportunities, (iii) acknowledgement, and (iv) supportive guidance; as well as ‘Workstyle Lifestyle’, which consists of (i) comfort, (ii) convenience, (iii) performance bonuses, and (iv) work environment. Finally, the participants’ strategies towards realizing their ideal career was captured under the theme of ‘Testing the water’, which includes (i) verification, (ii) research, (iii) contingency plans, and (iv) spring boarding. Implications of these findings serve to enhance our understanding on the younger population’s contemporary perceptions about, advance education programs on career development, as well as inform talent recruitment and retention policies.