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.

Earlier, he had his first session of Workforce Singapore’s Polaris programme, which is designed for those who are:

• Exploring career opportunities;
• Seeking clarity before making crucial career decisions;
• Looking to move up in their career;
• Contemplating to hone their expertise in a specific role.

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.

You can read how the first session went here, but 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!

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

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

In this podcast, we round up the key highlights from the Committee of Supply (COS) 2025: What do Singaporean workers and employers have to look forward to and benefit from?

There’s much to unpack, such as the below and more:

• Career Health SG, a new nationwide initiative to empower Singaporeans to develop meaningful and resilient careers;
• The introduction of a new SkillsFuture Workforce Development grant, which provides funding support of up to 70% (with the current cap at $30,000 to be reviewed and raised) for companies to engage pre-approved consultants on job redesign.

It's clear that helping Singaporean employees and their employers start to build career health strategies is a big priority of COS 2025, and this podcast covers some of the programmes and schemes towards that end, and what employers and workers need to take note of to get the best use of them.

We speak with Adrian Choo, CEO/Founder of Career Agility International. Formerly from Shell and GE Plastics, and with more than a decade in C-suite headhunting, he shares on how all these goodies can help employers and workers meet halfway in building greater career health and longevity, in terms of skillset and competitivity for our local workforce!

Key highlights to listen to:

• (2:25) Figuring out exactly what new skills are needed is something both employers and workers need to align on
• (4:38) If employers can offer gym access to improve employees' physical health, what can they do to improve their career thealth?
• (6:25) Career health and upskilling needs to be more than a top down initiative, with leaders leading by example
• (8:43) Job redesign: whose jobs need to change, and quickly?

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

For many of the industries that we work in, the economic and technological changes in the business landscape will definitely impact our career outlooks.

As such, it is important to roadmap our future career progression, keeping in mind our personal and professional aspirations.

But of course, as the saying goes: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.

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 personal experience with Polaris, 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.

Learn about about his experience here, and read 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:

• (2:45) Why inertia and complacency can hit us all with in mid-life and mid-career
• (5:21) Why Polaris by WSG is a good way to audit your career so far
• (7:10) What can career coaching do to help with the insights you've gleaned for a bigger and better career after

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

We're starting another new year, and the key buzzword professionally is career health. It's about being on track for a sustainable career, while also staying relevant and fulfilled in Singapore's fast changing job market.

With industries changing fast from digitalisation, green goals, and global competition, employers' needs are changing, and in this podcast episode we explain a few key aspects to stay on top of it all:

• What is skills-first hiring, and why does it matter to you?
• How to audit your career path and whether its truly got the legs to last you your professional lifespan
• No one builds a career in isolation- how to get help if you need it!

Key highlights to listen to:

• (1:20) What are employers focused on when it comes to hiring?
• (3:10) A tool that can help you figure it all out
• (4:30) For those who are employed- where does your employer factor into your career health?

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

Whether you’re younger, middle-aged, or senior, career and skills planning to remain competitive to employers is growing in importance, particularly to maintain employability past 50.

As such, our guest for today’s podcast is Simon Siah, an advisor with Courage Chapter, an organisation founded with a mission on changing the narrative around aging in the Singapore workforce.

We’ll discuss how to your average Singapore worker can use design thinking – a popular buzzwork at workplaces these days - for better career health even into their later years!

Key highlights to listen to:

• (1:20) Why are Singaporeans unprepared when there’s a sudden change in job status?
• (5:00) Reinventing oneself career-wise.
• (8:29) Design-thinking: what is it, and how does it help map out your career?
• (9:00) Skills for the future to learn today

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

Here’s a term you might not have heard of, whether you’re an employer or worker: fractional roles.

To explain simply, they are job positions that aren’t quite full-time positions, but not quite part-time either.

According to Kai Ning, the co-founder of Courage Chapter, an organisation founded with a mission on changing the narrative around aging in the Singapore workforce, some Singaporean companies are actually making changes to their employment structure to hire in this manner.

She’s on our podcast to share further on fractional roles, and how older or senior workers fit better into such positions, compared to younger workers who might prefer traditionally full-time positions for several reasons.

Key highlights to listen to:

(1:20) What exactly are fractional roles, and why employers are starting to hire for them?

(5:00) What kind of positions do fractional roles tend to be hired for?

(8:29) Senior and older workers considering fractional roles - here’s why they work for you.

(9:00) The pros and cons of fractional roles, and who they’re best suited for.

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

At an event presented by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and Jobstreet, which was packed with fresh insights, career opportunities, and of course, plenty of chances to network with local hospitality pros, CareersCompass by Workforce Singapore had the opportunity to speak to these veterans on new workplace trends.

We spoke to Jessie Lim, Director of Guest Experience and Sustainability, Pullman Singapore Orchard, Alice Lee, Complex Director of Human Resources, JW Marriott Singapore South Beach and The St. Regis Singapore, and Syed Musaddiq, Chef Concierge, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore.

They shared how the hospitality industry has changed in the aftermath of Covid-19, and how new tech and working systems are helping to provide more cost-efficient services and solutions. Nonetheless, these changes will require the workforce to gain new skills and mindsets.

For employers, they also shared thoughts on why reskilling and upskilling, as well as an emphasis on the career health for their workers, is ultimately a win-win proposition, and some examples of how their companies are working towards that end.

Key highlights to listen to:

• (1:20) Expectations from customers means that nothing should be “tak jadi” (missing the mark in Malay).
• (5:00) How stickers are helping one employer to aid their employees in reskilling and upskilling.
• (8:29) Mindsets for workers in the hospitality industry have to change to learn new skills.
• (9:00) Why career health is a win-win for employers, workers and jobseekers in the industry.

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