Grades Versus Experience: SIM Explains What Students Should Consider When Preparing for Their First Job
SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 30 October 2026 - Singapore's shift towards skills-based hiring is broadening how candidates are assessed. Yet published graduate recruitment criteria show that academic achievement and practical experience can sit alongside each other, rather than represent competing routes to employment.
Singapore Institute of Management supports this broader approach through Career Connect, helping students connect academic learning with career preparation.
The Ministry of Manpower's Job Vacancies 2025 report found that academic qualifications were not the main determinant in hiring for 79.6 per cent of vacancies. However, this covers the wider labour market. It does not directly compare grades with internships or establish that academic performance no longer matters in graduate recruitment. Academic results, internships, projects and interviews provide different forms of evidence, with their relevance shaped by the role and recruitment process.
Academic achievement remains relevant alongside experience
OCBC's Graduate Talent Programme illustrates how academic and non-academic achievements can feature within the same recruitment framework. Its published criteria include a degree with Second Upper Honours or above, while also highlighting extracurricular or internship achievements, leadership and problem-solving. These criteria relate to the specific programme rather than every role within the bank.
The distinction is between eligibility and suitability. Where a programme specifies an academic standard, experience does not automatically replace it. Equally, meeting that threshold does not demonstrate every quality an employer seeks.
Internships and projects make a candidate's contribution visible
Practical experience becomes more useful when candidates can explain their responsibilities, decisions and contribution. An internship title alone provides limited insight into what an individual can do.
The same applies to university projects. For an aspiring marketing professional, this could mean explaining how audience research shaped a campaign recommendation. A computing graduate might demonstrate how an application was designed and tested. A data analyst could explain how data was cleaned, interpreted and translated into recommendations.
Both coursework and internships can therefore provide evidence for applications. The emphasis should be on what candidates learned, contributed and can explain, rather than simply the number of activities listed on a résumé.
Recruitment assessments reflect the demands of different roles
GIC's Professionals Programme shows how recruitment assessments can vary according to the nature of the role. Candidates applying to its investment and corporate services tracks undertake a business case study, while technology candidates go through technical assessment rounds tailored to the relevant domain.
Both routes also involve interviews, demonstrating why graduate preparation needs to extend beyond academic results and résumé-building. Students preparing for recruitment should therefore understand the requirements of the roles they are targeting and be ready to explain their thinking, problem-solving approach and contribution through relevant examples.
SIM supports career preparation alongside academic study
At SIM, Career Connect offers career workshops, individual guidance, résumé reviews and mock interviews. Employer engagement includes career fairs, company visits and networking events. The CareerSense app enables students to browse and apply for internships, jobs and career events.
These services help students explore career options and practise presenting their experience before entering graduate recruitment. They complement academic study rather than replace it.
For students preparing for their first job, the question is not whether grades or experience always matter more. It is whether their learning, practical work and ability to explain their contribution provide credible evidence for the role they hope to enter. Further information on graduate employment is available through the Graduate Outcome and Employability section of SIM's Parent Resource Hub.
References:
- Ministry of Manpower. Job Vacancies 2025: Labour demand gradually shifting to growth areas as firms adjust hiring plans - https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2026/0320-job-vacancies-report-2025
- OCBC. Graduate Talent Programme - https://www.ocbc.com/group/careers/students/programmes/graduate-talent-programme.page
- GIC Professionals Programme - https://gic.careers/programmes/gic-professionals-programme/
- SIM Career Services - https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/career-services
- SIM Graduate Outcome and Employability - https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/parent-resource-hub/graduate-outcome-employability
https://www.sim.edu.sg/
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About SIM Global Education
SIM Global Education (SIM GE) is a leading private education institution in Singapore and the region. We offer more than 170 academic programmes ranging from diplomas and graduate diploma programmes to bachelor's and master's degree programmes with some of the world's most reputable universities from Australia, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, and the United States. SIM GE's cohort is made up of 17,000 full- and part-time students and adult learners, of which approximately 41% are international students hailing from over 50 countries.
SIM GE's holistic learning approach and culturally diverse learning environment aim to equip students with knowledge, industry skills and employability competencies, as well as a global perspective to succeed as future leaders in a fast-changing, technologically driven world.
For more information on SIM Global Education, visit www.sim.edu.sg
