This week, as I bade farewell to the NTU undergrads I supervised for their FYPs (final year project), I gave them some advice on how to deal with entering the adult world of 2025. Here’s a fuller version:
Dear young person, I don’t need to tell you that things are getting bad, you can read the news for yourself. (If you haven’t been reading the news, please start doing so.) Gen AI and climate change were already disrupting industries, then came along the US tariffs to slow down the world economy. As businesses get hit with slower growth and consumption, it’ll be harder to find, or to hold on to jobs.
Every generation that enters adulthood faces its own unique problems. I’m not dismissing your challenges or worries, but telling you that we’ve all had to confront our own bad scenarios. Some things I recommend you to do:
Get busy
Finding the ideal job takes time. Sometimes it can take years. But keep busy while you look for the ideal job.
Do part-time jobs. Do internships. Do contract work. Do freelance work. Do volunteer work. Do housework. Build a start-up*.
Whatever it is, fill your hours with meaningful activity. If you don’t, you will start to ruminate on why there are so many successful people on social media, why your friend has a wonderful job offer, and why you’re missing out.
If our world descends into absolute chaos, the idle mind will crumble first. Don’t let that happen to you.
*While I recommend everyone to work in a start-up at least once in their life, the failure rate is extremely high. So, please do your homework.
Earn your keep
Adulthood (or adulting, as you may call it) is about being independent.
Even if you don’t find your ideal job this year, you should strive to pay your own bills. That’s why any work that pays you some money is better than having no earnings.
Once you start earning your own keep, you will realise that money is actually not easy to earn, especially if you don’t have the right connections and opportunities (I sure didn’t!).
Don’t get upset that other people have it easier than you, strive to create the same conditions for success on your own terms. That takes time, effort and patience.
Also, be prudent with your spending. There’s no need to take ride-hailing everywhere if you live in a city like Singapore with a great public transport system, and you can burn some calories if you walk out to buy food instead of getting it delivered.
We must be good at saving money for a rainy day, and the forecast for the next few years doesn’t look sunny.
Get people to like working with you
I love this quote from Neil Gaiman’s commencement speech, which applies to all types of workers, not just freelancers.
“You get work however you get work, but people keep working in a freelance world (and more and more of todays world is freelance), because their work is good, because they are easy to get along with and because they deliver the work on time.
And you don’t even need all three! Two out of three is fine. People will tolerate how unpleasant you are if your work is good and you deliver it on time. People will forgive the lateness of your work if it is good and they like you.
And you don’t have to be as good as everyone else if you’re on time and it’s always a pleasure to hear from you.”
Really, it’s all about your attitude. But please don’t be unpleasant in any circumstance…
During job interviews…
Gen Z will not like to read this, but please don’t go into job interviews demanding to “work from home”. I’ve had peers in different industries tell me that whenever they hear young job applicants bring up WFH, their eyeballs start to roll.
Like it or not, the pandemic is over, we’ve mostly gone back to the office. WFH is a nice-to-have, and before the pandemic, was usually offered to people who have proven they could deliver top quality work no matter where they worked.
In my own opinion, whether you are a fresh grad or a seasoned worker, it’s always better to spend time in the office because you need to build relationships, learn from experienced people and understand the office culture. Yes, commuting to work is a pain for everyone, and many meetings can be a waste of time, but the benefits of being in the office far outweigh the cons.
Also, if you are applying for a job in an intense industry (eg. advertising), please don’t ask “What is the work-life balance here like?” All good bosses value work-life balance for their workers, but you’re sending the wrong signal if that’s your key concern during an interview.
Embrace your fate
The Bible teaches Christians to be content in any circumstance by relying on God. “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:11-12).
If you are not religious, you can consider the Latin phrase “Amor Fati” (Love your fate) that I learned from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s book “Be Useful”. It’s a great phrase, because we should recognise that there are many things we cannot control, but we can control how we deal with them.
You’ve also heard this before – If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. It’s cliched, but it’s true. Make the best of your situation, and never lose hope in your abilities and potential.
All the best, and God bless you!
25-Apr-2025
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