If you haven’t heard about Polaris, here’s a quick rundown: It’s a suite of personalised career guidance programmes delivered by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and its appointed providers, Ingeus and AKG.
It is designed for those who are:
- Exploring career opportunities;
- Seeking clarity before making crucial career decisions;
- Looking to move up in their career; and
- Contemplating to hone their expertise in a specific role.
Over the course of two to three months (or less, if you’re a quick study), you will receive personalised support from a certified career coach. He or she will work with you to craft your career development plan, tailored exclusively to fuel your professional growth, while factoring in your strengths, values and aspirations.
With AKG, its programme includes Knowdell Career Values and Motivated Skills Online Card Sorts assessments and Emotional Intelligence EIQ 360 online assessment, while Ingeus uses tools such as RIASEC, Johari Window, and some other assessment tools that are included in its microlearning modules.
These help participants complete a personal career plan and gain clarity on a personal skills plan that aligns to their overall career goals and aspirations.
For those curious about Polaris and how it can help, we spoke to Veronica Teh, a coaching and development Specialist at Ingeus, and Evelyn Chua, a team and project lead at AKG’s Career Matching Programme and Career Guidance division.
Why does Polaris aim to help you audit and reflect on your career? Is it really important to do that?
Evelyn: Most Singaporeans I encounter tend to audit or reflect on their careers only when prompted by external circumstances, such as retrenchment, workplace challenges, job insecurity, or family obligations requiring a change.
Auditing and reflecting are crucial but serve different purposes:
- Career audit: This focuses on understanding how external socioeconomic and technological trends impact your career. Questions to consider include: Are your skills still relevant? Is your industry set to grow or decline? How will workplace changes affect your role? Regular audits enable you to anticipate and prepare for changes, challenges, and opportunities.
- Career reflection: This involves internal evaluation, such as aligning career choices with personal values, work-life balance, and mental well-being. Reflecting helps you determine whether your career path aligns with your aspirations and physical capacities, fostering job satisfaction and motivation.
By combining both practices, workers can navigate their careers more proactively and meaningfully.
Veronica: Reflecting on one’s career is a crucial practice for professional growth and satisfaction. In Singapore, while there is a growing awareness of the importance of career reflection, many workers may not engage in this practice as regularly or deeply due to our hectic lives, leaving little time for introspection. Importance of career reflection include:
- Enhanced self-awareness: Understanding one’s strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations enables more informed career decisions.
- Improved performance: Reflecting on past experiences can highlight areas for improvement, leading to better job performance.
- Informed decision-making: Self-reflection aids in making career choices that align with personal values and long-term goals.
- Continuous learning and growth: Regular reflection encourages a mindset of continuous improvement and adaptability in a dynamic job market.
What are some of the misconceptions about career coaching that Singaporeans have?
Evelyn: Many Singaporeans hold misconceptions about career coaching, such as:
- A career coach will directly help you secure a job.
- A career coach will provide ready-made solutions to all career-related challenges.
- A career coach has all the answers and precise information to address every query.
- A career coach can influence employers or resolve broader societal challenges affecting employment.
These beliefs often underestimate the collaborative nature of career coaching, which empowers individuals to discover their own solutions and build resilience in navigating their career journeys.
Veronica: In my view, some common misconceptions I’ve heard local workers and jobseekers have included:
- Career coaching is only for those in crisis: Many Singaporeans believe career coaching is only for those who are unemployed or facing major career changes. However, coaching can benefit anyone at any stage of their career — from those just starting out, to seasoned professionals looking to advance their career, or contemplating a career change.
- Career coaching is unnecessary in the digital age: With abundant online resources, some assume that career coaching is redundant. However, personalised guidance from a career coach can provide tailored strategies and insights that generic online information cannot offer.
- I can get the same advice from friends and family: While well-meaning, friends and family may not have the objective perspective or specialied knowledge that a professional career coach can offer. Coaches are trained to assk insightful questions, challenge your assumptions, and provide unbiased guidance.
- Career coaching is a one-time fix or yields immediate results: Some expect significant changes after just one session. However, meaningful career development is a gradual process that requires time, effort, and multiple sessions to achieve substantial progress. In reality, career coaching is an ongoing process that involves setting realistic goals, developing action plans, and continuous self-improvement.
What are some of the industries Polaris participants have come from, and what are the career challenges that Polaris has helped them with?
Veronica: The Polaris programme is designed to benefit workers across a wide range of sectors in Singapore such as Education, Social Service, Financial Services, Information & Communications, F&B, Hospitality, Retail, etc.
In my experience, here are some common career conundrums and how Polaris helped:
1. Stagnation and lack of career growth
Issue: Workers feel stuck in roles with limited advancement.
Solution: Polaris provides a structured plan for identifying new opportunities and pathways for upward mobility.
2. Skills mismatch
Issue: Existing skills do not match current or future industry demands.
Solution: Personalised advice on upskilling or reskilling to meet evolving job market needs.
3. Job security and fear of redundancy
Issue: Roles threatened by automation or digital transformation.
Solution: Career reinvention strategies and guidance on pivoting into future-ready roles.
4. Uncertainty in career transitions
Issue: Difficulty moving to a new sector or role.
Solution: Support in identifying transferable skills and crafting a transition plan.
5. Balancing career aspirations with personal commitments
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- Issue: Struggling to integrate career growth with personal and family life.
- Solution: Customised planning to achieve a sustainable work-life balance.
Evelyn: Polaris by AKG participants come from diverse industries. Despite their varied backgrounds, they often share similar career challenges:
- Career transitions: Many participants are unsure how to start or navigate a career change.
- Career doubts: Younger participants often seek clarity about their chosen career paths.
- Affirmation and progression: Some participants aim to reaffirm their current career choices and develop a roadmap for growth within their roles.
Polaris helps participants address these conundrums by offering personalised guidance, self-discovery tools, and actionable strategies for their unique situations.
With the career psychological tests used in Polaris, what are their benefits and why are they used in the programme?
Veronica: Career psychometric assessment tools such as MBTI, RIASEC and Big 5 are valuable tools for career development. Each serves unique purposes helping individuals understand their strengths, preferences, and potential career paths.
The benefits of Psychometric Assessment Tools in Ingeus’ Polaris Programme include:
- Self-awareness: These tools can help you gain a deeper understanding of your personality, values, interests, and strengths.
- Career exploration: They can broaden your perspective on potential career paths and help you identify occupations that align with your personality.
- Decision-making: The insights gained from these tools can assist you in making informed career decisions, such as choosing a major, selecting a job, or pursuing further education.
- Personal growth: Understanding your personality can help you develop strategies for overcoming challenges, building effective relationships, and achieving your career goals.
Evelyn: All assessment tools serve as starting points for self-discovery. It is critical to emphasise that these results are not definitive or prescriptive but rather provide insights to guide personal and career exploration.
Career coaches play a vital role in unpacking these results, helping clients interpret them, and aligning the findings with their goals. The ultimate purpose is to empower individuals to take actionable steps based on a deeper understanding of their strengths, preferences, and potential.
How does Polaris benefit different workers of different career and life stages, eg the fresh grad, the middle-aged worker, and the senior worker?
Evelyn: Polaris by AKG is designed to cater to the unique needs of workers at different stages of their careers:
- Fresh graduates: The programme helps them evaluate their career choices post-graduation and assess whether their roles align with their aspirations. It provides guidance on upskilling for progression or exploring alternative career paths early.
- Mid-career workers: Polaris supports them in reflecting on their career values and past experiences to identify fulfilling tasks. It helps them assess career risks, address skills gaps, plan for reskilling or upskilling, and plan for career transitions.
- Senior workers: For those seeking to remain active, the programme aids in exploring enjoyable roles at a comfortable pace. For those transitioning into retirement, Polaris prepares them mentally by exploring volunteering, part-time opportunities, and strategies for maintaining mental agility and active engagement.
Polaris tailors its approach to meet the specific aspirations and challenges of each demographic.
Veronica: Ingeus’ Polaris Programme can offer distinct benefits to Singaporean workers at different career and life stages:
Fresh graduates:
- Clarity and direction: It helps define career goals, explore potential career paths, and create a structured job search strategy.
- Skill development: The programme identifies areas for improvement and guides on acquiring necessary skills through training or further education.
- Networking and job search: Ingeus’ Polaris Programme provides resources and guidance on building professional networks and navigating the job market effectively.
Middle-aged workers:
- Career transition: The programme assists in exploring new career options, identifying transferable skills, and developing a plan for a successful career change.
- Upskilling and reskilling: It guides on identifying and acquiring in-demand skills to remain competitive in the evolving job market.
- Work-life balance: Polaris helps integrate career goals with personal and family commitments, promoting overall well-being.
Senior workers:
- Career reinvention: It supports in exploring new career paths, developing a fulfilling second career, or transitioning to a phased retirement.
- Leveraging experience: The programme helps identify and articulate valuable skills and experience gained throughout their career.
Lastly, what are some of the signs Singaporean workers should look out for to consider tapping on Polaris to help rejuvenate their careers?
Veronica: Singaporean workers may experience various signs indicating the need for career rejuvenation, making programmes like Polaris a valuable option. Here are key signs to watch for:
1. Feeling stagnant or unchallenged
Indicators: Boredom at work, tasks feeling repetitive, or lack of new learning opportunities.
Why Polaris helps: Career coaching can help identify growth areas, new skillsets to develop, and potential career advancement strategies.
2. Uncertainty about career direction
Indicators: Confusion about long-term goals or whether your current role aligns with personal values and aspirations.
Why Polaris helps: The structured career development plan focuses on aligning career paths with personal strengths and long-term goals.
3. Skills mismatch or outdated skillset
Indicators: Feeling left behind in a rapidly changing job market or recognising a gap in digital or specialised skills
Why Polaris helps: It provides guidance on upgrading skills and leveraging emerging job market trends.
4. Poor work-life balance
Indicators: Persistent stress, long hours without fulfilment, or burnout symptoms.
Why Polaris helps: Coaches can help reassess priorities and develop a balanced career strategy.
5. Desire for a career change
Indicators: Thinking about exploring new industries but unsure how to start.
Why Polaris helps: The programme offers structured pathways to navigate career shifts with confidence.
If individuals recognise one or more of these signs, Polaris can provide personalised guidance, actionable plans, and a fresh perspective to help them rejuvenate their career. This proactive step can lead to greater satisfaction, growth, and long-term success in your professional life.
Evelyn: Career planning is essential for everyone in the workforce. However, key signs that you should consider Polaris include:
- Persistent burnout and fatigue;
- Frequently questioning your purpose and direction in your work;
- Feeling insecure about your job or unsure about career progression;
- Contemplating a career change but feeling lost about where to start.
Polaris by AKG offers a structured approach to address these concerns, helping you regain clarity, confidence, and control over your career journey.
Interested in trying out Polaris? Check out AKG and Ingeus’ programmes now!
