CareersCompass by MyCareersFuture Podcast

What Happens and What to Do When Your Employer Has a Retrenchment or M&A Exercise (Tenacity)

Jamie Ong leads the People and Communication function for HAVI Southeast Asia cluster and Freight Management Asia business.
But her two decades in the workforce has not always been so smooth sailing. In fact, Jamie revealed to us that in the course of her career, she’s experienced five merger and acquisitions (M&As)!
These can be fraught with uncertainty, with outcomes ranging from an outright retrenchment by new company investors,  internal restructuring that leads to joining  a new department or team, to performing a completely different job role, she shared.
In this episode, Jamie reveals more on the circumstances of these moments in her career, and puts on her HR director cap on to share tips on how to deal with such situations.
She also talks about how to bounce back, whether it’s moving to a new job or staying in the organisation, and how to settle into the new reality fast.
Key Highlights to Listen to:
(2:45) To be retrenched, or reassigned to a new role during an M&A: Which is worse?
(3:52) How to improve your chances being retained in such situations
(5:23) If your career path changes, how can you settling into your next job fast?
Listen and learn more here!

Trying to Figure Out Gen Z and Younger Workers? Here’s Some Advice From an SME Boss (Insights)

Let’s face it — there’s a big disconnect between younger workers and employers these days.
How bad can this gap be, you ask?
Well, a recent study by Becoming You Labs , an academic research organisation in New York, asked 2,100 hiring managers to understand what they looked for in candidates. They also reached out to Gen Z employees to learn about their professional priorities.
And here’s what hiring managers prioritised in what they wanted in candidates and workers:
Achievement (30%)
Learning (22.8%)
Hard work (22.4%)
However, only 2% of the Gen Z employees surveyed ranked all three of these values among their top priorities. Instead, they preferred:
Well-being and self-care
Authenticity and expression
Helping people
Even though this survey was done overseas, these sentiments aren’t too far off touch from Singaporean’s Gen Z’s and younger workers.
In a recent survey conducted by CNA’s Money Mind among youth aged 21 to 28, 53% of Singaporean respondents in viewed flexible work arrangements as their top priority when it came to choosing an employer. 
“Gen Zs in general just want to feel like their boundaries are respected and their work is being valued,” fresh graduate Charlotte Ang said to CNA.
“That’s why I think to a lot of Gen Z, a work-from-office mandatory arrangement might not make sense because you feel very controlled. It seems to convey a lack of trust.”
In this podcast, we speak with Andy Poh, managing director at PAL Line, a global shipping and logistics company in Singapore.
He spoke at a recent Workforce Singapore Employers Connect event on managing the needs of Singapore’s Gen Z employees.
In this podcast, he shares with us more tips to help both local employers and younger employees bridge their differences. Learn more here!
Key Highlights to Listen to
(2:50) Understanding the psyche of Gen Z workers
(3:49) "If the company isn't loyal to me, why should I be loyal to them?"
(4:21) Why Gen Z workers are different, and how to manage them to success
(6:53) What these younger workers can bring to the table, and why it's your loss not to use them

New Collar Jobs: Why Skills-Based Assessments Are So Important (Readiness)

“A quiet revolution is reshaping the global workplace”, according to recent industry reports. It was only apt that industry leaders at the recent Economic Times Future Forward Singapore Chapter 2025 discussed the rise of new-collar jobs, which emphasises skill over traditional qualifications.
Panellists at the event shared the following:
Employers need to move towards a more “purposeful agenda”, looking beyond simple profit margins; and
Employees need to build their ability to “unlearn and relearn” continuously, given the pace of tech changes in all industries.
A McKinsey study cited also showed that hiring for skills is five times more predictive of job performance, compared to hiring based on traditional qualifications. Christina Lu Maxwell, Head of HR, APAC at Neste Asia Pacific, added: “The more skills each one of us have, the easier we can pivot (to a changing employment market).”
The big question
Which industries are employers adjusting hiring requirements and introducing skills-based assessments for jobs available, then?
Nilay Khandelwal, Senior Managing Director, Michael Page Singapore, talks of which ones are doing so. He also shares how jobseekers can adjust their CVs and resumes to showcase their demonstrable skills, not simply showcase job titles.
He also mentions the mindset changes that Singaporean workers need to make to nab new collar roles, particularly in terms of
Attitude and willingness to learn;
Staying connected and networking;
Aptitude-building to show problem skills; and
Adaptability to market shifts.
Of course, potential employers may compare you with other candidates that follow a more traditional path. The trick is to show how your commitment to lifelong learning has made you a worker who matches genuine interest in the industry with skill.
In this new job market, he adds, the bottom line for talent is the marketplace is tight. As such, workers must show they’re continually updating their “software”, and showcasing how those skills can add value to current and future employers.
Key Highlights to Listen To:
(1:06) Are Employers Really Hiring Based on Skills Yet?
(2:36) And for Singapore Workers- Are their CVs and Expectations Reflective of Their True Skills?
(3:53) Which Industries Are Hiring for New Collar Jobs, and What are Skills-Based Assessments Focused On?
Listen to this podcast and learn more!
Need personalised guidance in your job search? Register for a complimentary session with WSG’s Career Matching Services today and get the support you need.

Bridging the Talent Gap in Singapore: What's the HR Leader's Gameplan? (Insights)

In this day and age, internal mobility matters — employees want the chance to learn new skills and a fresh change of job scope. Because without that, greener pastures and the possibility of a pay bump are very powerful push factors.
Companies that successfully ensure employees can move to different roles within the same organisation, but still maintain promotion and growth prospects, enjoy benefits such as reduced hiring costs, increased retention, and a more adaptable workforce.
That’s why there was quite a gasp in the room when Kritvi Kedia, an associate partner at global management consultants McKinsey & Company, shared at Workforce Singapore’s Career Health Summit, that her firm had managed to achieve 21% internal mobility, which was high compared to other peers in their industry.
In this podcast, she shares the following:
How McKinsey achieved their internal mobility rate;
McKinsey’s playbook that HR leaders can use to improve their in-company talent; and
How a structured framework like the SkillsFuture taxonomy can help Singapore companies learn flexibly, and evolve their workforce to market demands.
Listen to this podcast to learn more!
Key highlights to listen to: 
(1:43) The mindset of Singaporean workers when it comes to change can be a challenge for Singapore HR leaders
(2:57) Good frameworks to organise change at your organisation for its business strategy
(6:15) If leaders don't mirror the change they want in their organisation...
(8:55) Understanding skills-based hiring and learning journeys for workers in the age of career health
Find out more about WSG's programmes and services to help you, as an employer, invest in your workforce and boost business outcomes:https://www.wsg.gov.sg/home/campaigns/career-health-employers
 

Hard Truths for Young Workers Trying to Get Their First Job (Readiness)

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong recently acknowledged many younger workers and fresh graduates are worried about jobs and employment, because of the current uncertain economic outlook.
He then revealed the launch of a new and similar traineeship programme, called the GRaduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) Programme.
It aims to offer traineeship opportunities for a period of 3 to 6 months across various sectors, with these key benefits:
Gain valuable industry experience through structured on-the-job training;
Boost employability by preparing for full-time job transition; and
Receive a traineeship allowance co-funded by the Government and the host organisation.
While GRIT will help young workers get a foot in the door, there also needs to be a mindset change for them to start building career health as early on as possible.
Key highlights to listen to: 
We spoke to two young workers, Li Jiayue and Xiao YiXuan, who share their take on:
(1:30) Being open to job market changes, and needing to pivot quickly
(2:12) Career health is not about having good mental health at the workplace
(4:56) There are no fixed ways for career success
(7:00) The kind of skills you’ll need to learn after you enter the workforce
For those interested in GRIT, traineeship opportunities will be available from October 2025 when the GRIT programme is launched.
Fresh graduates are encouraged to register their interest  to be among the first to know when the programme is launched and opportunities become available.
Looking for career guidance? If you are exploring career changes and need professional advice, register for a complimentary session with WSG’s Polaris Career Coaching today.
Find out more about WSG's programmes and services to help you in your career:https://www.wsg.gov.sg
Read about the latest career tips and advice | Apply for Jobs | Register for events here:https://go.gov.sg/podcast-careerscompassbymcf 

Why Skills-Based Hiring for Singapore Employers is No Longer an Option, But a Must (Insights)

Speaking at Workforce Singapore’s Career Health Summit, Joseph Fuller, Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, was unequivocal about how important managing the career health of employees. That, as well as adopting a skills-based approach to hiring, was at a crucial turning point for Singapore employers.
Professor Fuller began his opening keynote on Career Health as Business Strategy: Building an Agile Workforce to Navigate Economic Uncertainty, saying: “The paradigm of work that evolved in the industrial era is over, and the system of learning and training that evolved in support of it, obsolete.”
To Singapore employers, he revealed that systems to develop and sustain talent in an era of unparalleled disruption will be essential to raise the prospect of workers and their families, as well the competitiveness of local employers. He then concluded by saying he was immensely impressed with the vision embodied in Singapore’s Career Health initiative, and excited to contribute to its launch.
We spoke to him after his keynote on Day One of the Summit, and he shared further on:
Why employers can’t afford to hire workers who provide maximum output only with careful supervision, and cannot deviate
What kind of workers and roles will come to the fore when it comes to skills-based hiring
How to go about a skills-based hiring strategy that is effective in Singapore
Listen to the podcast below and find out more!
Key highlights to listen to: 
(1:59) Why Singapore employers need workers with skills and flexibility to use them, not "robots"
(3:44) Is the culture you've set at your company to be career health-friendly?
(4:28) If you aren't hiring with a skills-based focus, your company is in trouble
Find out more about WSG's programmes and services to help you, as an employer, invest in your workforce and boost business outcomes:https://www.wsg.gov.sg/home/campaigns/career-health-employers

Feeling Stressed About Your Career or Job Search? Here’s How To Calm Down (Tenacity)

Dr Christopher Fong, Managing Partner and Lead Consultant at Psych.line Consultants, shares some better ways to better mental health hygiene.
Key highlights to listen to: 
(0:36) How's the current state of your mental health?
(0:45) What are the benefits of building resilience? 
To listen to the full podcast, head here.
Looking for career guidance? If you are exploring career changes and need professional advice, register for a complimentary session with WSG’s Polaris Career Coaching today.
Find out more about WSG's programmes and services to help you in your career:https://www.wsg.gov.sg
Read about the latest career tips and advice | Apply for Jobs | Register for events here:https://go.gov.sg/podcast-careerscompassbymcf 

Skills-based Hiring: Which Sectors Are Moving Fast to Secure Top Talent? (Readiness)

Is skills-based hiring happening in the Singapore job market, you ask? According to Nilay Khandelwal, Senior Managing Director, Michael Page Singapore and India, the straight answer is “yes”. In our podcast, he shares that:
Skills-based hiring is gaining traction, especially in sectors like tech, logistics, and sustainability.
Employers are rethinking job descriptions and introducing skills-based assessments in hiring.
Listen to learn more about how hiring and jobs are changing in this new skills-based culture!
Key highlights to listen to:
(01:13) How are Singaporean employers moving towards skills-based hiring?
(01:39): And how should Singaporean workers and jobseekers put themselves in the best position for jobs they want?
(2:20) The value of lived experience when it comes to jobs and careers
(3:06) What are the emerging market trends when it comes to job descriptions and CVs for skills-based hiring?
Need personalised guidance in your job search? Register for a complimentary session with WSG’s Career Matching Services today and get the support you need.
Find out more about WSG's programmes and services to help you in your career:https://www.wsg.gov.sg
Read about the latest career tips and advice | Apply for Jobs | Register for events here:https://go.gov.sg/podcast-careerscompassbymcf 

Understand How and Why Personality Can Hold Back Professional Success (Insights)

We all assume we know what our professional skills and strengths are – but what if there's a mismatch with our innate personality? Here’s how Polaris helped this mid-life, mid-career Singaporean. 
In this episode of our Listen and Learn series, which covers the most popular content on CareersCompass, Workforce Singapore Principal Manager Kelvin Tan shares his second session with Polaris, a suite of personalised career guidance programmes delivered by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and its appointed providers, Ingeus and AKG.
If you haven’t heard about Polaris, here’s a quick rundown: It’s a suite of personalised career guidance programmes delivered by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and its appointed providers, Ingeus and AKG.
It is designed for those who are:
Exploring career opportunities;
Seeking clarity before making crucial career decisions;
Looking to move up in their career; and
Contemplating to hone their expertise in a specific role.
Listen here for some key takeaways that he learnt from his career coach, Joey Kang on his work-related behaviour, linked to his communication style and approach to work, as well as preferences and energy for specific roles and tasks!
You can also read and listen to how his three Polaris sessions went:
(Session 1) Career Guidance for the Middle-Aged: How This Singaporean Got Started on Polaris by WSG
(Session 2) Career Growth for the Middle-Aged: How Polaris by WSG Helped This Singaporean Discover His Real Competencies
(Session 3) Career Guidance for the Middle-Aged: Why Coaching Helps With Motivation
Key highlights to listen to:
(2:00) What is the Workplace Big Five, and how does it help with your career?
(2:41) Why personality is linked to professional success
(3:23) Job security: have we been defining it incorrectly?
(4:29) Your industry and your job function are two separate things!
Need personalised guidance in your job search? Register for a complimentary session with WSG’s Career Matching Services today and get the support you need.
Find out more about WSG's programmes and services to help you in your career:https://www.wsg.gov.sg
Read about the latest career tips and advice | Apply for Jobs | Register for events here:https://go.gov.sg/podcast-careerscompassbymcf 

How This Middle-aged Singaporean Improved His Career Health With Polaris by WSG (Readiness)

In this podcast, we speak with Malcolm Chen, who recently attended a career guidance programme called Polaris by Workforce Singapore.
If you haven’t heard about Polaris, here’s a quick rundown: It’s a suite of personalised career guidance programmes delivered by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and its appointed providers, Ingeus and AKG.
It is designed for those who are:
Exploring career opportunities;
Seeking clarity before making crucial career decisions;
Looking to move up in their career; and
Contemplating to hone their expertise in a specific role.
He shares more about his career journey, how he found value in speaking with a career coach to uncover his workplace personality, and gain clarity on actionable steps for his long-term career health. Learn more about his experience here!
Key highlights to listen to:
(2:00) While it’s surprising that Polaris is for those who currently have jobs, rather than the unemployed, here’s the reason why.
(4:41) What exactly goes on in Polaris, and why Malcolm found it helpful.
(6:13) Understanding what we can do better in our jobs and planning our career are the key parts of Polaris
(9:29) Malcolm: “Our focus on comparing each other on salaries and career achievements is hurting us more than we realise.”
Need personalised guidance in your job search? Register for a complimentary session with WSG’s Career Matching Services today and get the support you need.
Find out more about WSG's programmes and services to help you in your career:https://www.wsg.gov.sg
Read about the latest career tips and advice | Apply for Jobs | Register for events here:https://go.gov.sg/podcast-careerscompassbymcf