A new survey has found that DBS Bank is the most desired employer among Singapore graduates, followed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Microsoft, highlighting continued interest in established institutions and global technology firms.
Source: DBS
The findings come from the annual Gradsingapore survey conducted by GTI Media Singapore, which ran from June 2025 to May 2026 and gathered responses from 10,526 students and graduates across 22 local universities and colleges.
The top 10 employers reflect a mix of local financial institutions, public sector organisations, multinational technology companies, and lifestyle brands.
After DBS, MOE, and Microsoft, the remaining employers in the top 10 were Marina Bay Sands, Micron Technology, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), J.P. Morgan, Mandai Wildlife Group, Mastercard, and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).
Source: Shlok Rana on Pexels, for illustration purposes only
Among respondents, the most common fields of study were IT and technology (23.1%), business and management (22.5%), and engineering (21.6%).
These were followed by natural sciences (10.7%) and economics (5.4%).
The survey also found that 61.1% of respondents had participated in student society activities lasting at least three months, while 48.4% had held formal leadership positions in student organisations.
Source: Mastercard, for illustration purposes only
Volunteer experience was reported by 46.5% of respondents.
When choosing employers, respondents ranked salary and remuneration, career progression prospects, job security, working under a good leader, and friendly colleagues as their five most important considerations.
However, many graduates also reported difficulty finding key information about employers.
The most commonly cited gaps were day-to-day job responsibilities, salary and remuneration details, remote or flexible work arrangements, leadership and managerial style, and workplace culture.
The survey also found that 50.9% of respondents evaluate employers based on their stance on social, environmental and political issues.
Source: Mandai Wildlife Reserve on Facebook, for illustration purposes only
Meanwhile, 34.0% believe it will take more than 40 job applications to secure a job after graduation, reflecting cautious expectations amid a competitive hiring environment.
LinkedIn remains the dominant platform for employer research, with 78.8% of respondents using it to gather information about employers.
Work-life balance continues to be a major consideration, with 54.4% of respondents expecting to balance their work and personal lives harmoniously in their first job.
Source: Gradsingapore
However, 43.0% also agreed that taking time out for family or personal relationships could negatively affect their careers, highlighting an ongoing tension between professional ambitions and personal priorities.
Elsewhere, 78.8% of respondents said they wanted the flexibility to move across different industries throughout their careers, while 58.1% were willing to make sacrifices in their personal lives to support career development.
With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, 63.3% of respondents also expressed concern about AI adoption and the impact it could have on their chosen career fields.
Also Read: Fewer fresh graduates from local universities found full-time work in 2025, according to survey
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from DBS, CBM, and Google Maps, for illustration purposes only.