Businesses are constantly disrupted by technological advances and economic changes. So do workers, who may find their skills less relevant or their jobs no longer needed.
It is bad enough to have your career disrupted after years of working. But what happens when that disruption comes before you have even started?
For some fresh graduates, this is becoming a real concern, even as Singapore’s economy continues to grow.
If you graduated in 2026 and are still looking for your first job offer as the year draws to a close, I do think this might really be the time to start panicking.
The Job Market Is Getting Much Harder For Those Trying To Get Started
The signs are not encouraging for fresh graduates who are still looking for work.
To begin, retrenchments in Singapore rose from 3,830 in the first quarter of 2026 to 4,620 in the second quarter. Among retrenched residents, the proportion who found employment within six months also fell from 60.7% to 54.9%. This means even experienced workers are taking longer to find their next job. It also means that while some employers are open to hiring fresh graduates with limited experience, many experienced workers may also be competing with them for the same job.
The figures for younger workers also show why Singapore’s low overall unemployment rate does not tell the whole story. While Singapore’s unemployment rate stood at just 1.9% as of June 2026, it was 5.7% among residents below 30, up from 5.1% a year earlier.
The latest Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey similarly paints a gloomy picture. Among 2025 graduates in the labour force, 74.4% were in full-time permanent employment about six months after their final examinations, down from 79.4% in 2024. For certain sectors such as Arts, Design & Media, the full-time permanent employment rate is even lower at just 50.0%.
For the class of 2026, the concern is whether these weaker employment outcomes will persist as AI changes the work that employers need junior staff to do.
AI Could Change The Jobs Available While You Are Still Looking
Beyond competition from other jobseekers, fresh graduates also face a job market that is changing as they search.
Given the pace of AI development, spending another six months or a year looking for work could mean that some roles previously open to entry-level graduates may have evolved and are no longer available.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also raised this concern in October, warning that AI could break the “bottom rung” of the career ladder. His point is that routine work has traditionally been given to junior employees, giving them opportunities to learn. Automating these tasks, however, could also remove some of the opportunities through which graduates gain experience.
Getting a job offers no immunity from disruption, but it allows graduates to gain experience and learn to work with AI. Waiting for a better offer risks the opportunity disappearing before they get started.
Your First Job Is Just A Starting Point, Not Where You Finish
For fresh graduates still looking for work, it may be time to worry less about starting salary and company size and more about getting started. A job that lets you learn new skills, gain experience, and build relationships with colleagues and clients in your industry is a great starting point, even if the salary is lower than you wanted.
Even if it falls short of your expectations, a first job can help you secure your next opportunity.
The next month or two may bring further delays as hiring managers finish their year-end work and take leave. Looking ahead to 2027, another batch of graduates will enter the job market, likely with more AI experience than the class of 2026. For roles that can be done remotely or offshore, Singapore graduates may also face competition from candidates beyond our shores.
Waiting doesn’t guarantee a better offer. If you receive an offer for a role you applied for, seriously consider taking it, even if it doesn’t check all the boxes.
Read Also: Should Young Singapore Workers Accept A Lower Starting Salary To Get Started In The Age Of AI?
Photo Credit: iStock/kim willems
Street Smart
Singapore Gym Membership Price Guide (2026 Edition)
