Beyond Paper Chase in Singapore

Traditionally the emphasis has always been on paper qualifications- it's like a passport to a good job, good pay etc... Well at least it gets you a foot in the door, an interview at the very least. But should it be the only criteria to define one's ability?

There has been a shift in the mindset of many employers, or so I've read. We often heard of success stories - people without a degree armed only with personality ,skills & experiences making it BIG. Academic qualifications became only one of the multi criteria that determine one's ability.

My dad stress very much on job performance & attitude . He has a mid size company & he often come back complaining of the  "youth of today". Paper smart but nothing other than that! Is he being too critical & harsh? Cant blame him though, I sometimes help out in his office & got to know some of the workers.

We have some new comers, who quit after like only a week. During interview some will complain it's too far, or the hours are not what they want (& we are talking of normal working hrs) what were they thinking???? My dad gave up & he ended up hiring a poly grad.

So the question is, is a degree enough? After all unlike olden days, everyone has a degree now. My dad said the present degree is the past "o" levels (roll eyes.....) . So what will set you apart during an interview? The results don't seem to matter also , unless its govt section ( they are still 'old school' I guess, still think good grades = good performance & ability) . Maybe it's safe to choose someone base on grades. But we all know, often good grades = only good memory/exam smart or good tutor (who is good  in spotting exam questions for you....lol...).

Back to results & interview. It seems the personality is very impt- during an interview, the one with the better personality stands out. The one who only could code from books & without some creativity & originality pales in comparison with some one who's more interesting but not so good results.

Conclusion, yes study hard but get some experience, travel a little if you have the budget, expose yourself more .... get a personality !!!!