AI is making entry-level jobs out of date, leaving many recent grads caught and jobless. In line with The Straits Instances, solely half of Singapore’s recent graduates managed to land jobs. These aren’t encouraging numbers.
For anybody who has exhausted months on and a whole lot of resumes later, and nonetheless hasn’t had any luck in getting employed, then it is likely to be time to begin occupied with creating your personal job.
The AI Takeover Has Begun – and entry-level jobs are its first casualties
For recent school grads at the moment, even first-class honours and a LinkedIn profile stuffed with internships not assure employment. You’re up in opposition to a whole lot of candidates, all combating for fewer roles… as a result of entry-level duties that was dealt with by junior employees —like information entry, copywriting, even customer support —are actually being performed by machines.
The end result? Fewer openings for junior roles, fiercer competitors, and extra grads feeling like they’re “not ok” when the true difficulty is a structural change within the economic system.
Job postings have declined yr over yr and up to date school grads are discovering it tougher to seek out an entry-level place with the rise of synthetic intelligence. Solely 30% of those that graduated in 2025 and 41% of 2024 graduates have discovered entry-level jobs of their area, in accordance with the Cengage Group 2025 Graduate Employability Report. One other Stanford report means that the AI revolution is starting to have a big and disproportionate influence on entry-level staff within the American labor market.
So if you happen to’re questioning why you’re caught in utility limbo regardless of doing all the things “proper”…the issue isn’t you. The job market has modified.
Ought to You Begin a Enterprise As a substitute of Making use of for a Job?
Right here’s a radical thought. In case you can’t discover a job, possibly it’s time to cease making use of altogether.
Give it some thought: as a substitute of ready for somebody to rent you, why not rent your self?
I do know, this isn’t for everybody. Maybe you’ve not considered being your personal boss earlier than. However for these of you who’ve the danger urge for food, resilience and a solution to elevate capital (be it out of your mother and father or your friends), then beginning a enterprise could possibly be your quickest path out of job limbo.
This 27-year-old selected to turn out to be a enterprise proprietor as a substitute of looking for somebody to make use of her. As a substitute of constructing her personal model from scratch, Cheryl Quak began her personal enterprise as a 7-Eleven franchisee, paying $80,000 in franchise charges for two shops in Tanjong Pagar. The profit? Her younger age and lack of expertise didn't matter to clients since she was working a widely known model, and she or he didn't must supply for her personal location or arrange a brand new retailer from scratch (since franchisees get to decide on and take over a retailer that has been corporate-run for at the least a yr).
Whenever you begin your personal enterprise, you’re the boss. No extra ready for another person to “provide you with an opportunity”. You resolve the product, the service, the model, the technique. It will possibly appear terrifying, however it’s additionally extremely liberating. What’s extra, beginning a enterprise forces you to study gross sales, advertising and marketing, customer support, financials, operations—suddenly. Even if you happen to shut it down ultimately and resolve to return into employment later, you’ll be miles forward of your friends when it comes to abilities and expertise.
And sarcastically, the identical AI that’s making it arduous so that you can land an entry-level position within the workforce can now turn out to be an ally. You need to use it to assist run your enterprise extra effectively— automating duties, managing buyer chats, creating content material, and extra.
Dangers of beginning a enterprise
After all, beginning a enterprise isn’t for everybody…and it isn’t with out its dangers.
As an worker, you’ll seldom bear the complete brunt (or prices) of your errors. As a substitute, you solely must do your job and wait in your month-end paycheck to be handed to you.
However as a founder or a enterprise proprietor, there’s no such factor. You’ll be working across the clock (particularly to start with) and there isn’t anybody else to ensure you a paycheck. You’ll must work for it, and if there are issues, it’s a must to resolve them. If the enterprise fails, nobody goes to provide you your a refund.
However apparently, there generally is a shortcut.
As I just lately learnt, beginning your enterprise through a franchise may be a better solution to overcome the widespread obstacles that new enterprise homeowners sometimes run into. Whereas on podcast duties on the Franchising & Licensing Asia Expo final weekend, I obtained to study from varied enterprise homeowners and grasp franchisees concerning the variations between constructing your personal enterprise vs. working a franchise.
P.S. No, that is NOT a sponsored submit. I merely discovered my expertise so insightful that I made a decision to doc my takeaways on this weblog.
As a brand new enterprise proprietor, beginning your personal model means it is advisable to check all the things —product-market match, R&D, security assessments or certifications, branding, gross sales and advertising and marketing channels, and many others. That takes up time, cash, and loads of trial-and-error. Get it proper straightaway and you could possibly be wealthy. Get it improper, and the prices are on you.
In distinction, once you begin a enterprise by going with a franchise, you’re handed a playbook and a model that clients already belief. Your age or (lack of) expertise doesn’t matter. Take into consideration the franchises Anytime Health or Shilin Taiwan Avenue Snacks – their clients patronise them for the model and might barely the distinction between which shops are HQ-owned vs. run by franchisees.
Apart from model recognition and belief, most franchises present operational steering and manuals, employees coaching, advertising and marketing templates, provider connections and reductions, in addition to enterprise teaching and extra. That is gold, particularly if you happen to’ve by no means run a enterprise earlier than! Not like being a solo founder, you get to be a part of a wider community of franchisees. It’s like becoming a member of a college alumni group, besides everybody’s constructing the identical enterprise as you and sharing what works. You don’t must construct up your personal model and visibility as a result of so many extra folks like you might be on the identical journey and constructing it collectively.
So if the concept of beginning your personal enterprise (and model) from scratch feels overwhelming, franchising is likely to be value occupied with.
However…are franchising charges value it?
There are at all times trade-offs once you run a enterprise. Constructing your personal doesn’t contain having to pay for any franchising charges, however it’s a must to do quite a lot of issues from scratch and also you in all probability received’t be capable of profit from economies of scale. For example, you’ll have to determine your personal provider networks (and negotiate with them, with much less bargaining energy too because you’ll have smaller quantity).
In distinction, once you franchise a recognized model, you’re shopping for right into a recognised model and a confirmed enterprise mannequin, along with securing enterprise consultants for your self who’re there to information and make sure you succeed. In any case, their model and status can be at stake. What’s extra, they’ve larger bargaining energy with suppliers given their scale and mixed quantity, so that you get to learn from decrease costs and better high quality moderately than if you happen to tried to tug it off by your personal.
How a lot would all of this value? Relying on the model and business, franchise charges differ extensively . Right here’s a couple of examples:
If we have a look at the value tag alone, a college diploma from NUS or NTU already units one again by the identical prices of at the least $30,000 – $50,000. That appeared like a worthy funding previously when paper {qualifications} virtually assured college students a job upon commencement. However in at the moment’s job market, that’s shortly disappearing…to the purpose the place a rising variety of Singapore’s recent graduates have determined to spend much more cash to get certified to turn out to be a plumber.
Nobody is aware of what the state of graduate employment can be like within the subsequent few years. However within the meantime, folks nonetheless must discover a solution to work and earn cash.
To place this into context, franchise charges could appear costly, however they usually include real-world enterprise mentorship, direct revenue potential, steering from others (or a staff) who has already succeededin addition to a recognised model which clients already belief.
Will we see extra folks select to put money into beginning a franchise and forgo a level within the close to future? Solely time will inform.
Do you have to arrange your personal enterprise or function a franchise?
| Side | Franchise Enterprise | Personal Enterprise (From Scratch) |
|---|---|---|
| Startup Value | 💸 Larger upfront value (franchise payment + setup prices) | 💡 Can begin small with decrease preliminary capital |
| Model Recognition | ✅ Instantaneous model credibility and buyer belief | ❌ Have to construct status and consciousness from scratch |
| Enterprise Mannequin | 📘 Confirmed programs, SOPs, and playbooks supplied | 🧪 It’s essential check and refine your personal programs and mannequin |
| Inventive Freedom | ❌ Restricted – should observe model pointers | ✅ Full freedom to innovate and pivot |
| Advertising and marketing Help | 📣 Usually supplied by franchisor (nationwide campaigns, supplies) | 📱 You deal with all advertising and marketing, branding, and technique |
| Product/Service Management | ❌ Fastened product/service choices | ✅ You resolve what to promote, change, or introduce |
| Coaching & Mentorship | 🎓 Offered by franchisor, particularly at first | 🧭 No formal steering – you’ll have to seek out mentors or study as you go |
| Operational Help | 🛠️ Assist with provider contacts, tech programs, retailer design, and many others. | 👷 You construct all processes and provide chains your self |
| Time to Profitability | ⏳ Normally sooner as a consequence of confirmed mannequin | 🐢 Could take longer as a consequence of experimentation and advertising and marketing ramp-up |
| Danger of Failure | ⚠️ Decrease – success charges are usually greater for franchises | 🚨 Larger – most startups fail inside first 2–3 years |
| Exit Technique | 🔄 Can promote or switch franchise (topic to franchisor’s approval) | 💼 Extra flexibility in promoting or scaling, however relies on model fairness |
| Ongoing Charges | 💰 Royalty or administration charges (e.g. 5–10% of income) | ❌ No royalty charges, however you bear all ongoing enterprise prices |
| Possession Feeling | 🤝 Shared model possession (you’re a licensee) | 🏆 Full possession and delight of constructing one thing from the bottom up |
For anybody eager to go down the franchising route, a technique to consider it might be whether or not you’re prepared to purchase a shortcut…or pay in your personal real-world “tuition charges” over the subsequent few years of your enterprise.
How a lot would you peg that worth at?
Conclusion
Now, this text is to not say that getting a level is not essential. I’m a degree-holder myself, and I’ve picked up abilities in college which have helped me land my first job and run this weblog for the final 11 years. There’s no denying that my qualification opened up doorways which may have remained closed to me in any other case – my first employer in all probability wouldn’t have employed me if I didn’t have my diploma.
However for anybody who’s nonetheless anticipating their school diploma to ensure them a job, it is likely to be time to rethink your expectations. Whereas we’re nonetheless within the early days of AI so its full influence on entry-level jobs isn’t as clear but, there’s no denying that this era of recent staff have been the one to pay the value.
So if you happen to’re a recent grad feeling misplaced on this AI-powered job market, know that you simply’re not alone—and it’s not your fault.
You possibly can both proceed to carry out for an employer to rent you, or take into consideration whether or not creating your personal work could be a greater possibility at this level. Plus, when you have the capital means for it, then beginning a enterprise — be it your personal or through a franchise — is likely to be a greater wager than sending out yet one more job utility that will get ignored.
You possibly can construct. You possibly can create. You possibly can franchise.
You possibly can take cost of your profession in methods our era by no means might.
After all, take be aware that beginning any enterprise – franchise or new – comes with dangers. You’ll want upfront capital (some franchises require six figures), handle folks (hiring and staffing points) and also you’ll finally be accountable for operations, advertising and marketing and buyer expertise. Whether or not you resolve to begin your personal enterprise or franchise a recognized model, simply know this: your path doesn’t must appear like everybody else’s.
In at the moment’s client economic system, that is likely to be an alternate path out than to only wait round to get employed by another person.
The economic system is altering. Possibly it’s time we modified the best way we strategy careers too.
With love,
Price range Babe
