For many students, the path to employment begins with submitting applications through job portals. For SIM-University of London UOL BSc (Hons) Business and Management alumnus Shivank, it began much earlier — through mentorship, networking and a willingness to explore opportunities beyond the classroom.
Having moved from India to Singapore for his studies, Shivank knew he would need to build his professional network from the ground up. Rather than waiting until graduation, he began attending industry events early in his university journey to better understand the local job market and connect with professionals across different sectors.
By the time he graduated, Shivank had secured a full-time role as a Sales and Marketing Associate at Perx Technologies. He credits much of that success to the support and opportunities he accessed through SIM Career Connect, which helped him develop the skills, confidence and industry connections needed to stand out in a competitive job market.
BUILDING EMPLOYABILITY BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Throughout his three years at SIM, Shivank took an active approach to developing his career readiness. Alongside his studies, he participated in student clubs, volunteered with non-profit organisations, and attended networking events.
Rather than focusing on a single industry from the outset, he intentionally explored a wide range of sectors to better understand where his interests and strengths aligned.
Shivank shared, "I wanted to speak to people across different fields, understand what their roles actually looked like day to day, and then figure out what direction made the most sense for me."
That curiosity led him to attend more than 35 networking events across Singapore during his time at SIM. These experiences not only broadened his understanding of different industries but also helped him build a professional network that would prove invaluable later.
LEVERAGING CAREER CONNECT OPPORTUNITIES
Many of the opportunities Shivank pursued came through SIM Career Connect, which provides students with mentorship, career development resources and industry engagement opportunities designed to enhance employability outcomes.
Among the initiatives he participated in was Project Protégé, Career Connect's mentorship programme that pairs students with industry professionals, providing a platform for students to learn from the experiences and insights of their alumni.
Shivank joined the programme during his penultimate year, at a time when he was still exploring potential career paths.
"My mentor helped me narrow down what direction I wanted to pursue," he recalled. "The conversations gave me a clearer picture of what the industry actually looks for."
Importantly, the timing allowed him to act on the advice he received before graduation. Armed with greater clarity, he became more intentional about the internships he pursued and the choices he made during his final year of study.
He was also awarded the SIM EDGE Award, a prestigious certificate that SIM developed in partnership with employers to recognise students who actively develop professional competencies beyond academic achievement. Through initiatives such as these, Shivank was able to build a stronger portfolio of experiences that complemented his academic qualifications.
TURNING PREPARATION INTO OPPORTUNITIES
When Shivank began his job search at the start of his final year, Career Connect continued to play a key role.
"The first thing I did was make sure my resume was properly aligned to applicant tracking systems," he shared. "The Career Connect team was really helpful in putting my experiences together into a well-formatted résumé, which gave me a solid starting point."
With a polished resume in hand, he adopted a strategy that went beyond traditional job applications. He began reaching out directly to professionals for informal coffee chats, using these conversations to learn more about industries, roles, and organisations.
By graduation, Shivank completed more than 80 coffee chats with professionals, including senior leaders across multiple industries.
"Honestly, when I first started, I wasn't sure how many people would actually respond or be willing to give their time," he admitted. "I was genuinely surprised by how open people were to help out."
One of those conversations proved particularly significant. During a coffee chat, Shivank met the Senior Vice President of what is now his current company. That initial conversation eventually led to an interview and, ultimately, a job offer.
"Looking back, it really came down to consistently putting myself out there."
FROM STUDENT TO PROFESSIONAL
Today, Shivank works at Perx Technologies, a behavioural loyalty SaaS platform serving the banking, financial services and insurance sectors across the Asia-Pacific region.
In his role as Sales and Marketing Associate, he leads account-based marketing initiatives, develops personalised marketing campaigns, and works closely with the sales team to improve commercial processes. He has also built an automated lead-generation system and contributes to revenue operations and partnership development efforts.
Reflecting on his journey, Shivank believes employability today requires more than strong academic results.
"In today's job market, it's not just about grades," he said. "Employers are looking at how well-rounded you are and how much you already understand about the industry you're trying to get into."
His advice to current students is simple: start early, stay curious, and take advantage of the opportunities available.
"Beyond networking, make sure you're actively involved in CCAs and explore different internships," he concluded. "Each experience adds something to your profile and, more importantly, helps you figure out what direction you want to go in before you graduate."
SIM Career Connect supports SIM students to develop a competitive edge in their career and build industry networking and professional connections through initiatives like Project Protégé and SIM EDGE Award.