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:

1. 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
2. OCBC. Graduate Talent Programme - https://www.ocbc.com/group/careers/students/programmes/graduate-talent-programme.page
3. GIC Professionals Programme - https://gic.careers/programmes/gic-professionals-programme/
4. SIM Career Services - https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/career-services
5. SIM Graduate Outcome and Employability - https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/parent-resource-hub/graduate-outcome-employability

Hashtag: #SIMGlobalEducation #SIMGE

https://www.sim.edu.sg/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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

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KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 30 October 2026 - MediaQuiz Marketing Solution Sdn Bhd, a global media company specialising in content distribution, cross-border advertising and media technology, has been appointed as the exclusive media advertising agency for TBS Bus Terminal (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan) under a multi-year licence.

TBS is Malaysia's largest bus terminal. Spanning 20 hectares and designed to handle 1,000 daily trips, it serves 40,000 passengers daily and reaches 14 million passengers annually. Operating 24 hours a day, TBS connects travellers to more than 150 destinations across southern, eastern and northern Peninsular Malaysia. Since opening in 2011, it has handled approximately 100 million passengers.

Under the appointment, MediaQuiz holds exclusive rights to manage and market advertising across the terminal's media assets. Advertisers will gain access to premium digital and static placements, as well as outdoor billboards, supported by integrated campaign planning, multicultural creative adaptation and performance reporting. The agreement also provides advertisers with a coordinated approach to reaching commuters at multiple touchpoints throughout the terminal, from arrival and departure areas to high-traffic passenger zones. This terminal-wide presence allows brands to build sustained visibility across the entire passenger journey, from initial arrival through waiting periods and final departure, while supporting coordinated messaging across digital, static and outdoor formats within a single campaign today and beyond. MediaQuiz will support brands in developing campaigns that reflect Malaysia's multicultural audience while delivering measurable outcomes and clear performance insights for all brands.

The partnership strengthens MediaQuiz's cross-border and out-of-home advertising capabilities, offering brands high-visibility access to a large and diverse commuter audience. It also reinforces the company's position as a media partner capable of combining content, technology and advertising expertise across markets. By bringing together terminal-wide media assets with integrated planning and reporting, the appointment creates new opportunities for brands seeking to engage travellers in a high-footfall environment. The terminal's round-the-clock operations and destination network make it a strategic out-of-home advertising location for brands targeting travellers, commuters and passengers. This is valuable for consumer, retail and travel brands.

Hashtag: #MediaQuiz #TBSBusTerminal #OutOfHomeAdvertising

https://mediaquizmy.com/

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About MediaQuiz Marketing Solution Sdn Bhd

MediaQuiz helps OTT platforms and brands adapt, scale and grow through content licensing, cross-border advertising and media technology. The company works with partners to extend audience reach, localise content and advertising for diverse markets, and apply media technology to improve campaign delivery and measurement.

** This press release is distributed by Media OutReach Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **