As part of HRnetGroup, we are pleased to share that the Group has once again been recognised as a Gold Winner of Singapore’s Best Managed Companies 2025 — marking our fourth consecutive year receiving this honour.
This award by Deloitte Private celebrates organisational excellence, strong business performance, and entrepreneurial leadership. It is a testament to the collective dedication of our people, whose passion, innovation, and commitment continue to shape a stronger future for our organisation and all whom we serve.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Deloitte Private for this continued recognition, and to every member of HRnetGroup for their contributions. We are also deeply grateful to our clients, candidates, and partners for their trust and support. This milestone strengthens our resolve to uphold the standards of excellence that define our Group, and to keep driving innovation with agility and purpose as we advance our industry together.
RecruitFirst Taiwan is proud to share that we have achieved outstanding results in the Taipei City Government’s Accreditation of Private Employment Service Agencies for 2025. This marks our fifth consecutive year receiving a Grade A rating since our establishment in 2019.
This accreditation evaluates private employment service agencies on the rigour of their contractual processes and the strength of their personal data protection practices. Receiving this recognition once again affirms RecruitFirst’s unwavering commitment to compliance, ethical standards, and service excellence within Taiwan’s recruitment landscape.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Taipei City Government and the Central Government for this honour, and to our clients and candidates for their continued trust. This achievement reflects the dedication and professionalism of every consultant in RecruitFirst Taiwan, whose efforts uphold the high standards we are known for.
We’re delighted to share that RecruitFirst Pte Ltd has been awarded the Tripartite Alliance Award 2025 for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices.
This recognition is especially meaningful to us, as it reflects our long-standing commitment to non-discriminatory hiring, an inclusive and respectful workplace culture, structured development, and merit-based advancement. Since RecruitFirst Singapore’s founding in 2013, RecruitFirst has grown into a trusted HR solutions provider across both public and private sectors, supporting clients in a wide range of industries.
What makes this award truly special are the voices of our people, who speak to the clarity of career pathways, open communication, professionalism, and equal opportunities that shape their daily experience at work. Their reflections remind us of the importance of building an environment where every individual can grow and thrive.
To learn more about this milestone, read the full press release here.
At RecruitFirst, the safety and well-being of our people, clients, and community are always at the heart of what we do. We’re proud to share that we are certified by the Tripartite Alliance for Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council with bizSAFE Level 3.
This certification reflects our commitment to maintaining a safe, healthy, and supportive workplace for everyone.
What bizSAFE Level 3 Means
Awarded by the Tripartite Alliance for WSH Council, the bizSAFE programme helps companies build workplace safety and health capabilities. Attaining Level 3 means that RecruitFirst Singapore has conducted risk assessments for every work activity in our workplace, in compliance with the requirements in the WSH (Risk Management) Regulations.
By attaining this certification, we demonstrate that workplace safety and health are integral to how we operate. Safety isn’t an afterthought, it’s embedded in the way we work.
Why This Matters to Us
As a people-first organisation, we believe that creating a safe environment allows our consultants, staff, and clients to focus on what matters most. Building meaningful connections, empowering careers, and driving business success. Attaining bizSAFE Level 3 also reaffirms our role as a responsible employer and partner, one that values accountability, trust, and care in every interaction.
This certification is just one step in our ongoing journey. We remain committed to strengthening our workplace safety practices, continuously reviewing our processes, and ensuring that our people feel supported both inside and outside of work.
At RecruitFirst Singapore, safety is not just about compliance, it’s about care. And we’re excited to continue raising the bar together.
A poor hiring experience can cost you top talent. In today’s digital world, job seekers often share their application experiences publicly, which can affect your employer brand. If you’re in human resources, recruitment, or talent acquisition, it’s time to see candidates not just as applicants, but as individuals forming their first impression of your company.
A strong recruitment strategy involves more than sourcing candidates. It includes providing a smooth, respectful, and transparent experience throughout the process. In this article, you’ll learn what candidate experience means, why it matters, and how to improve your hiring process using a practical checklist that guides you from job posting to job offer.
What is Candidate Experience?
Candidate experience is the overall impression that job seekers develop during the hiring process. It includes every stage of the candidate journey, from reading your job post and submitting an application to interviewing and receiving follow-up. It’s not just about being quick or polite, it’s about treating candidates with respect, keeping them informed, and ensuring every step is clear and fair, no matter the outcome.
This experience is often shaped by multiple touchpoints, including communication with the hiring manager, the structure of your application forms, and the clarity of your interview process.
Why Candidate Experience Matters?
Builds Employer Reputation
A poor experience can damage your reputation on platforms like LinkedIn or Glassdoor. On the other hand, a thoughtful candidate experience leaves a positive impression, even for those not selected.
Increases Offer Acceptance Rates
When candidates feel valued and respected, they are more likely to trust your organisation and accept your offer.
Reduces Time and Cost per Hire
Candidates who have a positive experience tend to respond faster, attend interviews as scheduled, and move through the process smoothly. This helps improve your hiring process by reducing delays and lowering costs.
Attracts Top Talent
Strong candidates often have multiple options. A negative experience could lead them to choose a competitor before you’ve had the chance to make your offer.
Common Candidate Experience Mistakes
Even the most well-intentioned HR or recruitment teams can accidentally create a difficult candidate journey. Common missteps include:
Job descriptions that are unclear or overly complex
Lengthy or confusing application forms
No confirmation or updates after application submission
Disorganised or inconsistent interviews
No feedback or closure after interviews
These issues are more common than you might think. But with the right approach, they can be corrected.
Improve Your Hiring Process with Our Checklist
We’ve created a free, downloadable Candidate Experience Checklist to help hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals build a consistent and thoughtful hiring experience. It covers the entire candidate journey, helping you fix the gaps and build a stronger recruitment strategy.
Download the checklist now and start creating an experience that attracts and retains top talent.
We are proud to announce that RecruitFirst Singapore has been appointed by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to provide relief staff services to the Early Childhood (EC) sector. This partnership is effective from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2027.
With this appointment, RecruitFirst Singapore can now assist preschools across the nation in meeting their relief manpower needs. Whether you’re facing unexpected staff shortages or require temporary assistance, we are here to support your preschool with trained and qualified relief teachers.
Are You Interested in Becoming a Preschool Relief Teacher?
If you’re passionate about early childhood education and eager to contribute, we are seeking both assistant relief teachers and trained relief teachers to join our team. Whether you’re just starting your journey in early childhood education or are a qualified professional, we invite you to explore available opportunities and become part of our network of dedicated educators.
Preschools in Need of Relief Staff?
If your preschool is in need of relief manpower, we are ready to support you. Get in touch with us to discuss your requirements.
For more information on bill rates to Preschool Centres, click here.
As a brand of HRnetGroup, we are delighted to announce that HRnetGroup is a 2024 winner of Singapore’s Best Managed Companies, sponsored by Deloitte Private. This prestigious award recognises companies for their organisational success and achievement, and we’re thrilled to maintain our Best Managed status for the third consecutive year. Over our 32-year journey, we have strived to shape the industry through the synergistic blend of technology with a profound understanding of the talent landscape.
This accomplishment is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our exceptional team, who have navigated a challenging macro environment with resilience, propelling us forward. Their invaluable contributions have been instrumental to our continued success.
We express our heartfelt gratitude to our clients, candidates, and partners for their trust. This recognition further motivates us to remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence, driving innovation with agility and precision as we continue to pursue excellence in our industry.
As a fresh graduate or final year student, you may have spent the last few years studying hard, participating in internships, and building a network of contacts. Yet, have you given much thought to your long-term career goals? Crafting an effective career plan can help to pave the way for a fulfilling and successful career. In this article, we will explore what career planning is, why it is important, and provide steps to help you create an effective career plan.
What is Career Planning?
Career planning is the process of setting career goals and creating a roadmap to achieve them. It involves a self-assessment of your skills, interests, and values, exploration of different career paths and industries, and planning for professional development opportunities. The key to effective career planning is to have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve in your career and how you can use your skills and talents to reach those goals.
The Importance of Career Planning
Career planning plays a crucial role in shaping your professional journey. Let’s dive deeper into why it’s so valuable:
Facilitates Better Decision Making
Career planning plays a crucial role in improving decision-making abilities. When you have a clear career plan, you can consider various factors like job opportunities, training programs, and career paths that align with your goals. For instance, instead of randomly applying for jobs, you can evaluate each opportunity based on whether it contributes to your long-term career objectives. This way, you can make informed decisions that bring you closer to your desired professional outcomes.
Prepares You for Future Opportunities
Having a well-developed career plan empowers you to actively seek out future opportunities. With a clear roadmap, you can proactively explore paths that align with your aspirations. For example, let’s say you want to transition into a leadership role. Through career planning, you can identify the necessary skills, experiences, and training that can propel you towards that goal. By strategically pursuing such opportunities, you increase your chances of achieving long-term career success.
Supports Career Satisfaction and Growth
Having a clear career plan instils a sense of direction, confidence, and motivation in your professional journey. It provides a roadmap that guides your actions and helps you stay focused. As you make progress towards your career goals, you experience a greater sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. For instance, imagine that you initially planned to work in marketing but discovered a passion for data analysis. By reassessing your career plan and updating it accordingly, you can refocus your efforts and pursue a career path that aligns with your newfound passion. This flexibility and adaptability contribute to your overall career growth.
By understanding the vital role of career planning, you can pave the way for a more fulfilling and successful professional journey. It not only helps you make better decisions but also prepares you for future opportunities while supporting your long-term career satisfaction and growth.
Steps to Create an Effective Career Plan
1. Self-assessment
Start by identifying your skills and interests. Taking stock of your abilities, both technical and soft skills, can help you determine areas where you excel and have potential to grow. Your interests and passions also play a significant role in shaping your career path. By pursuing a career that you are genuinely passionate about, you are more likely to find fulfilment and enjoy your work. You can use tools like personality tests, career assessments, and self-reflection to gain insights into your skills and preferences. Here’s an example of list of skills and interests:
2. Career exploration
After you have a better understanding of yourself, it’s time to explore the career options that align with your skills and interests. This involves researching different industries, job roles, and companies. Look at the skills and qualifications required for these roles, potential career paths, and future job prospects. Networking events, informational interviews, job shadowing, and internships can provide valuable insights during this phase.
Let’s take a look on a career exploration process in the advertising and marketing industry:
3. Setting career goals
Once you’ve explored various career options, it’s time to set your career goals. These should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Your career goals should include both short-term and long-term objectives, such as gaining a particular skill, landing a specific job, or reaching a certain position within a specified period.
4. Developing a career action plan
After setting your career goals, you need to outline the steps you’ll take to achieve them. This is your career action plan. It should detail the actions you’ll take, such as enrolling in certain courses, applying for specific jobs or internships, or attending networking events. Each action should have a timeline associated with it, which will help you stay on track. Here’s a simple way to outline your career action plan:
5. Implementing your career plan
Now, it’s time to put your plan into action. This might involve pursuing further education or training, gaining work experience, building your network, or developing necessary soft skills. Remember, achieving your career goals takes time and effort, so be patient with yourself and stay persistent.
6. Regular review and adaptation
Career planning doesn’t end once you’ve created your plan. It’s an ongoing process that requires regular review and adaptation. As you gain more experience and your life circumstances change, your career plan should evolve too. Regularly reviewing your career plan allows you to assess your progress, celebrate your achievements, and adjust as needed.
Crafting an effective career plan is one of the most important steps you can take towards building a successful and fulfilling career. By taking the time to assess your skills, explore different career paths, and set clear goals, you can achieve greater clarity, focus, and motivation as you work towards achieving your career aspirations. So, don’t wait any longer, start planning your career journey today.
To help you create your own career plan, download our free template below. And, be sure to check out our other articles on career development and job search strategies to support your career growth.
🚀 Unlock Your Success: The Fresh Graduate Starter Kit!
Embark on your professional journey with our exclusive guide, “Acing Your First Job Interview.” Packed with wisdom from 100,000+ placements since 2013, this kit is your ticket to a stellar career launch.
Topics covered:
Researching the Company
Dress to Impress
Mastering Basic Interview Questions
Handling Difficult Questions
Mastering the Art of Nonverbal Communications
Online Interview Tips
Ready to conquer your interviews? Download the full article now for insider tips and tricks!
