{"id":2444,"date":"2025-04-22T23:58:26","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T23:58:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev-alumn-nus.pantheonsite.io\/alumnus\/?p=2444"},"modified":"2025-07-31T14:05:43","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T06:05:43","slug":"crushing-your-first-job-with-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/2025\/04\/22\/crushing-your-first-job-with-confidence\/","title":{"rendered":"Crushing Your First Job with Confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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You\u2019ve got your degree, your LinkedIn profile is polished, and you\u2019re ready to take on the working world \u2014 or so you think. The truth? Your first job can feel less like a launchpad and more like a rollercoaster. That\u2019s why NUS Alumni Relations and the National University of Singapore Students\u2019 Union (NUSSU) hosted “Crushing Your First Job”, a candid panel discussion designed to help young graduates navigate the transition from campus to the workplace setting.<\/p>

Held on 16 April 2025 at the Shaw Alumni Foundation House, the event featured two inspiring NUS alumni: Ms Sadhana Rai (Law \u201912), Chief Representation Officer at Pro Bono SG and criminal defence lawyer; and Dr Jackie Tan (Science + USP \u201912), a four-time tech startup founder, and the CEO and co-founder of Border Dollar. Moderated by Mr Sebastian Wynter Bryan, Deputy Director, (Alumni Relations & Community Engagement), NUSSU, the conversation pulled no punches \u2014 touching on burnout, office politics, setting boundaries, and what success really looks like.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dr Jackie Tan (Science + USP \u201912), CEO and co-founder of Border Dollar <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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KNOW YOURSELF, PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Dr Tan entered Life Sciences at NUS because his father had cancer and he wanted to understand the condition. But he quickly discovered he wasn\u2019t cut out for memorising biology facts. \u201cI was terrible at memory work,\u201d he admitted, \u201cbut I found I loved research. I spent most of my time in labs, and that hands-on experience prepared me for real-world problem-solving.\u201d He credits a critical thinking and writing course at NUS for shaping his ability to navigate work challenges. \u201cLearning how to think is the most valuable thing you can get out of university.\u201d<\/p>

Ms Rai, who double-majored in political science and law, agreed. \u201cBoth taught me how to argue and analyse,\u201d she said. But no amount of coursework could have prepared her for the 16-hour days and high-pressure culture at her first law firm. \u201cI had seven sets of clothes in my office. I didn\u2019t see my parents for days,\u201d she shared. \u201cI just thought if I worked hard, everything would fall into place. But I was burning out.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ms Sadhana Rai (Law \u201912), Chief Representation Officer at Pro Bono SG <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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LEARNING THE HARD WAY AND DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

After nearly quitting law to join an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, Ms Rai was persuaded by a senior lawyer to pursue meaningful work instead. That led her to Pro Bono SG, a charity offering free legal aid. Today, she heads the organisation and leads a team of in-house community lawyers and officers. Young graduates should also note that their first job is less about climbing the corporate ladder and more about building inner resilience. \u201cLearn to manage stress and take care of yourself before entering the workforce,\u201d Ms Rai advised. \u201cI didn\u2019t, and I ended up with an autoimmune condition. I even lost my eyesight temporarily.\u201d<\/p>

To cope with stress, Ms Rai sees a therapist monthly, which she described as \u201cmental maintenance,\u201d and encouraged students who could afford it do the same or speak to someone regularly. \u201cTherapy is not just for people with depression. It\u2019s for anyone who wants to grow,\u201d she emphasised.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Moderater Mr Sebastian Wynter Bryan, Deputy Director, (Alumni Relations & Community Engagement), NUSSU<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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HOW TO BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

When moderator Mr Bryan raised the topic of maintaining authenticity in competitive environments, both speakers shared refreshing perspectives. Dr Tan encouraged students to understand their own personalities and to find work that aligns with who they are. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to fake it to get ahead. But you do need to know your boundaries.\u201d Ms Rai added, \u201cIt\u2019s okay to have a different work persona. I\u2019m loud and assertive at work, but at home, I just want to lie down with my dog and read a book.\u201d For young women, Ms Rai had an additional note: \u201cTake care of your body. We\u2019re built differently. If you don\u2019t protect your physical and emotional well-being, your body will force you to.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Enthusiastic audience members participate in the Q&A session<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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LEARN HOW TO SET BOUNDARIES & STEER CLEAR OF OFFICE POLITICS\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Mr Bryan also asked about setting boundaries without seeming \u2018lazy\u2019. Dr Tan explained that saying \u201cno\u201d is a skill \u2014 and the most effective people know how to do it well. \u201cYou can say no by offering alternatives. For example, \u2018I can\u2019t finish this today, but I\u2019ve spoken to a colleague who can support me on this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>

Ms Rai shared that her junior lawyers are now better at this than she is. \u201cThey say \u2018no\u2019 so nicely, I end up doing the work myself!\u201d she laughed. \u201cBut they\u2019ve earned that trust by showing me the value they bring.\u201d When asked by the moderator about navigating office politics, both speakers agreed that it\u2019s best to stay focused on what really matters. \u201cI\u2019m mindful of office dynamics, but I don\u2019t get involved in office gossip or power plays. I just focus on doing great work \u2014 it speaks for itself,\u201d said Ms Rai. Dr Tan added, \u201cIt\u2019s best to steer clear of unnecessary drama. Be professional, be kind, and smart about what you choose to share in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Q&A HIGHLIGHTS: GAP YEARS, TECH ANXIETY & COMPANY SIZE\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Q: Is it okay to take a gap year after graduation?<\/em>
Ms Rai:<\/strong> \u201cYes, but don\u2019t expect to get all the answers at the end of your gap year. Use the time to live and explore. Your purpose will evolve.\u201d
Dr Tan:<\/strong> \u201cSpeak to people in the field you\u2019re curious about. A five-minute chat can give you more insight than months of overthinking.\u201d<\/p>

Q: How can we stay relevant in tech when AI is replacing coding jobs?<\/em>
Dr Tan:<\/strong> \u201cFocus on creative problem-solving and working with people \u2014 those are harder to automate. Potential graduates can also look into jobs in cybersecurity, which is harder to [replace] by AI. \u201d<\/p>

Q: Should I start in a big or small company?<\/em>
Dr Tan: <\/strong>\u201cSmall companies give you exposure to everything, which is great early on in your career. But big companies give structure. It depends on your learning style.\u201d<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Photos by Roy Yap<\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From burnout to breakthroughs, two NUS alumni share what matters in your first job\u2014and what doesn’t.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2445,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","category-news-events"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2444"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2444\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9333,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2444\/revisions\/9333"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}