According to the Ministry of Manpower’s Labour Market Second Quarter 2025 report, resident employment growth was driven mainly by Financial & Insurance Services, as well as Health & Social Services — with the latter continuing to expand steadily.
As Singapore’s population continues ageing and more people require ongoing care, the need for skilled healthcare professionals is expected to stay robust. Minister for Health, Ong Ye Kung, has also shared that healthcare education programmes continue to see healthy intakes.
This means distinguishing yourself is just as important as meeting baseline qualifications. So the question remains: how can you distinguish yourself from your peers?
In this article, you will learn more about what healthcare employers look for in fresh graduates, including:
- How to stand out in the competitive healthcare job market
- What supplementary or advanced skills provide an edge
- What types of courses can help build those skills
- How you can prepare to interview with confidence
How to make your resume stand out to healthcare-sector employers
To make a strong first impression, Stef Chua, Managing Director and Principal Consultant at Vault Personnel, recommends opening your resume with a concise two-to-three-sentence career summary that clearly conveys your aspiration to serve in the sector. This helps anchor your purpose and signals to hiring managers why you’re pursuing this path.
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Ann Marie Christopher, Director, Life Sciences at Ethos BeathChapman, emphasises that employers understand fresh graduates may have limited hands-on experience. What matters more is your potential, commitment, and alignment with healthcare. To stand out, you should focus on showcasing meaningful exposure and transferable strengths.
Start by highlighting internships, lab attachments, or research stints. Be specific about the techniques you’ve used, the equipment or software you’ve handled, and any collaboration with clinicians or research teams, as these details help demonstrate practical readiness. Stef adds that even short internships during semester breaks are valuable in healthcare, and exposure in nursing homes, hospices, or community care environments can further show your understanding of real-world care settings.
Next, include independent projects, academic papers, or presentations you’ve contributed to. Spotlight outcomes, achievements, or recognition where relevant to show initiative and genuine interest.
Soft skills are also equally important for entry-level roles. Ann Marie highlights communication, teamwork, adaptability, and a willingness to learn as key differentiators. Stef further emphasises the importance of empathy-driven strengths, such as volunteering with seniors or completing psychology or counselling coursework, as these behaviours reinforce your suitability for care-focused roles.
Technical and soft skills that give a hiring edge in healthcare
In a sector as broad as healthcare, Ann Marie stresses the importance of first identifying the function you want to enter — whether it be clinical research, regulatory or quality roles, biomedical or research and development (R&D), or HealthTech. Once your direction becomes clear, you can tailor your job search and skills accordingly. For example:
- If you’re leaning towards clinical research, courses in Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Clinical Research Coordinator certification, and Clinical Data Management will be beneficial.
- If you’re interested in regulatory or quality roles, look into International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) standards training, medical device regulations, and Quality Management Systems (QMS) certifications.
- For biomedical or R&D paths, it can be valuable to strengthen your data analytics capabilities using tools such as Python or R, build familiarity with lab automation, and deepen your understanding of biostatistics.
- For HealthTech-focused roles, basic coding and data visualisation skills can help you stand out as the industry becomes increasingly tech-driven.
Alongside technical knowledge, Stef highlights the critical importance of soft skills. She notes that multicultural communication, resilience, stress management, and strong teamwork are essential in healthcare environments. The ability to actively listen, stay composed in fast-paced settings, and manage diverse situations mindfully can strongly differentiate you from the rest.
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Beyond building skills, Ann Marie recommends increasing your visibility by attending seminars, webinars, and networking events, and joining professional organisations or LinkedIn groups. These not only expand your understanding of the field, but also help you build meaningful industry connections.
Courses that build the capabilities healthcare employers look for
Strengthening your technical know-how is more manageable than it seems. Here are a few programmes that may be helpful:
- Good Dispensing Practice by Republic Polytechnic
Advance your dispensing and clinical skills, apply knowledge through prescription assessments, make interventions and product recommendations, and perform specialised counselling for certain disease conditions. - Medical Device Regulation in ASEAN and Asia-Pacific by the National University of Singapore (NUS)
Gain a comprehensive review of medical device regulation in the ASEAN countries, China, and the Asia-Pacific, and see how harmonisation efforts translate into regulatory requirements. - Data Analytics and AI for Healthcare by Tertiary Infotech
Learn to apply AI insights to improve healthcare outcomes, manage healthcare data to inform strategies, and communicate results using advanced AI and data science methods. - Master Class in Advanced MedTech and HealthTech by the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech)
Get in-depth knowledge on emerging technology trends and innovations and practical skills in the advanced applications of MedTech and digital healthcare.
How to make a strong impression during industry interviews
Once shortlisted for an interview, Ann Marie emphasises that preparation is essential: research the company’s therapeutic areas, products, and pipeline then review your CV and the job description carefully, and be ready to answer fundamental questions such as:
- Why healthcare?
- Why this company?
- Why this position?
Stef adds that you should apply for roles closely related to your academic background or internship experiences to present a clearer fit. To perform well in interviews, Stef suggests preparing simple case studies from your internship experiences using the “traffic light” method:
- Green: What you did well
- Orange: What could be improved
- Red: What you would avoid in the future
This framework helps you articulate lessons learnt, while also demonstrating reflection, self-awareness, and a commitment to growth. During the interview, Stef also highlights the importance of asking meaningful questions, such as:
- “What does a typical day in this role look like?”
- “What qualities are most important for someone to succeed here?”
- “Are there opportunities to learn across functions or contribute to the wider patient journey?”
These questions show curiosity, a growth mindset, and an eagerness to understand holistic care — all of which will help you make a strong and lasting impression.
In a competitive healthcare landscape, differentiation comes from presenting your experience clearly, building the right combination of hard and soft skills, committing to continuous learning, and entering interviews well-prepared and self-assured.
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