In the Singapore Chinese community, there is a saying — 行行出状元. Every profession has its silver lining. No matter how lowly the perceived job is in society, it serves a specific function.
After I graduated from university, I contemplated my options. I knew that I always wanted to experiment with deeper knowledge. A PhD would afford me the chance to tinker with the frontiers of knowledge, and to use that knowledge to provide value.
The PhD route is not easy one. At the start, I had no idea how to get in. Thankfully, I had connected strongly with some of my professors back in the university. Going to lessons with a smile and ready to ask questions is paramount. I also genuinely enjoyed the lessons and was amazed by the difficulty of the content I learnt in Business School.
One of my professors, Dr Tan pointed me to a scholarship route which would be funded by the school and the Singapore government. In return, I would have to serve 6 years of bond. It felt like a dream come through, being able to study in a prestigious university overseas, live another 4 years of student life, and do research while earning money. I was interested in blockchain and data analytics topics, with a strong focus on commercialising the fruits of my studies and make it available to society.
Yet, there was a long lead time of a year before the interviews began. I then decided to pursue my fundamental goal of learning knowledge — doing start-ups. Within a year, I transitioned from an accounting and data analytics graduate to a hair stylist, to a personal assistant dealing with forensic accounting and legal matters, to a healthy snacks start-up.
The first interview for the PhD soon came. I was grilled on whether I could successfully complete the course. Given that I had so many interests but still left with no concrete results, it was the only conclusion that the panel drew from my resume. I do not blame them.
Although I left the interview with my utmost attempt to convince the panel, I knew that it was a tough run. I do not mind. I am thankful to my professors who recommended me.
As a start-up owner today, I feel that I am not restrained by the profile of a doctorate student anymore. I can do the things I enjoy doing, challenge my brain and emotions to greater extents and best of all, not care about expectations of others. I learnt to never look down on all professions.