What I did after I graduated from university
I majored in English Language and Literature at the National University of Singapore and wanted to be a writer – while most of my classmates were aspiring teachers or public servants. I was very active in writing film and theatre reviews for a newly launched but already well-regarded arts review website. After I graduated from university, I worked for a couple of internet service companies producing website content until the ‘dotcom’ bubble burst (Bubble #1).
I then pursued my love for the arts by joining a dance company as their general manager which lasted for just a year when I realised my world revolved round chasing after funding that was never enough. I then decided to become a bit more focused on what I could do with my degree. I did a CELTA course and went to China to teach English for two years, then returned to Singapore in my late twenties and felt it was time to finally get serious about a career!
My first serious job
My first ‘serious’ job was a conflict management trainer at the Singapore Mediation Centre where I developed workshop facilitation skills and learning from Singapore’s top mediation and negotiation experts. I then took up a role as a business communications lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic where I taught topics such as cross-cultural communications, job searching, presentation skills, report writing, and events management. I was also a liaison officer for students on overseas and local internship programmes, regularly provided professional development training for colleagues, and emceed and facilitated several large-scale school events.
While I was teaching at the polytechnic, I did my Master of Arts in TESOL and was inspired by the learning theories of language learning identities and culturally relevant pedagogies. I moved to New Zealand and did a PhD in Education, focusing on understanding how international students engaged in academic learning through peer brokering. (For more about my PhD research, check out my presentations and this open access article). I had big dreams of becoming an academic, but that bubble also burst (Bubble #2).
Academic roles were scarce and it seemed that other types of university roles fell into the laps of those who knew the right people. Feeling deflated but not yet defeated, I signed up for the Work Connect programme, a career support service for new immigrants. I was surprised to learn about the hidden job market and what Kiwi employers were expecting to see on a CV. While I thought of myself as a natural networker, there were yet more insights to uncover about networking and informational interviewing! This was another aspect of brokering at play: someone unpacking valuable insights from one culture and making sense of it to people from other cultures.
Getting my foot in the door
In a serendipitous turn of events, soon after I completed the programme, I was ‘shoulder-tapped’ for a fixed term role as a Work Connect career development consultant. All my previous training experience, my PhD research insights, and newly acquired knowledge of job searching in New Zealand rolled into a perfect combination at the right time and right place.
Using all the job searching and application techniques I learnt as well as taught, I landed my next role as a senior advisor in a NZ government agency, and subsequently, several other advisory roles relating to education and workforce development over the next five years. Over that time, I grew my advisory and analytical skillset, engaged actively in employee-led networks for Asian public servants, and participated in several training programmes including leadership development, agile project management methodology, and futures thinking skills. I also became a board trustee of English Language Partners, an English language school for immigrants and former refugees. It felt like I had finally found what I was looking for: after all that sacrifice and struggle, I had finally attained ‘the good life’, a meaningful professional career that had great prospect and promise (read more about it in this blog post).
The advancement from one public sector role to another, however, came to a sudden halt in early 2024 when a change in government and their priorities meant my role (along with many, many others) were made redundant. Bubble #3 was the biggest burst of them all!
Dealing with Redundancy
This was a huge shock to my system, mentally, emotionally and physically. It was a roller coaster ride through emotions high and low, hopes raised and dashed, and fending off well-meaning comments of how ‘you’ll find something soon’ and ‘they’ll be lucky to have you’. Well, soon was never soon enough and no one seemed lucky enough to have me either! I started reflecting on career theories from my Work Connect career consultant days and did the VIA Character Strengths survey to get a fresh take on who I was. I thought about the dearth of public sector jobs and wondered what else I could do with my work experience and interests. I started to get in touch with people outside my immediate circle for advice about delivering training and coaching as a career. I conducted my own Zoom workshop for PhD students looking for non-academic careers (watch video recording here). As a result of reflecting, researching and testing ideas, informational interviewing and experimenting, I applied successful for the role of Career Consultant at Victoria University of Wellington. Reflecting on my journey, I wrote a couple of blog articles about making your own career luck and using the STAR approach to nurture hope in challenging times.
Today, after multiple career transitions including moving countries, three bubble bursts, and deep reading and thinking about the future of work and our long career lives, I don’t ever want to feel unprepared and taken by surprise. Even as the economic, political, technological and global landscapes continue to be choppy, uncertain and chaotic, I firmly believe having an agile mindset, the right tools and wide networks are key to having a long, productive and enjoyable career life.
Resilience through Character Strengths
In building up my career resilience, it is my signature (top 5) character strengths that I turn to for inspiration and action:
Spirituality: I believe my encounters with people and places are meaningful and purposeful.
Creativity: I seek innovative ways to translate knowledge into practical insights.
Zest: I bring energy and enthusiasm when engaging with people.
Love of learning: I continuously add knowledge and skills to my domains of interest.
Judgment: I think critically about what I’ve learnt and experienced and aim to keep an open mind.
As a career coach, my coaching is based on principles, techniques and tools that I have personally used and benefitted from or researched thoroughly and endorsed by career practitioners. If my career journey has resonated with you, and you’d like me to be your career coach, I’d love to hear from you.
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