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The ‘CV trap’: Why Singapore must hire for potential, not pedigree

If the city-state is to turn AI into a national advantage, companies must rethink how they evaluate talent

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    • In more dynamic talent markets, domain-switching is not merely tolerated; it is treated as evidence of range and adaptive capacity.
    • In more dynamic talent markets, domain-switching is not merely tolerated; it is treated as evidence of range and adaptive capacity. PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN, BT
    Shai Ganu

    Shai Ganu

    Published Thu, Mar 19, 2026 · 07:15 AM

    THERE is a quiet, polite crisis unfolding in Singapore’s talent ecosystem. It does not make headlines; in fact, it is routinely dressed up as prudence, rigour and sound governance.

    But our systematic preference for people who look right on paper over unconventional talent that can help solve for the future is one of the more consequential stewardship challenges.

    Budget 2026 carried a clear message about Singapore’s next growth chapter. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong placed artificial intelligence (AI) at the centre of national strategy, announcing sector-focused AI missions and a new National AI Council to drive them. The ambition is explicit: Singapore must not merely just adapt to disruption, but lead it.

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