It is better for a youth to earn living selling pakodas (vegetable fritters) instead of being unemployed. Making pakodas is not shameful; what is shameful is comparing such a person with a beggar.
– Amit Shah, Indian politician
When I was fresh out of college in the late Seventies, I thought I would relax and indulge in my favourite pastime – fishing – and apply for a job half a year later or perhaps even longer. But, my parents had other ideas. They wanted me to get a job right away!
I was not a bright student and therefore I was not qualified to apply for any scholarships. My parents had to spend part of their savings to get me a tertiary education.
Hence my parents’ eagerness to see me land a job as soon as possible and earn my keep.
I didn’t disappoint them. I applied to be a reporter in the now defunct Sibu-based The Sarawak Herald English broadsheet when it advertised for positions of reporters and subeditors.
I didn’t read the job vacancy advertisement carefully. Part of the requirements was “at least two years’ experience as a journalist”.
So, when the managing director and his HR executive, a SYT (sweet young thing), interviewed me, the first thing the latter said was, “From your CV, you don’t seem to have the required experience, or rather any experience at all. Didn’t you read the advert properly?”
I can’t tell the interviewers that requirement slipped me, can I? They would have asked me to leave. Instead, I confidently said I was aware of the requirement, but that I loved reading and writing and that I kept myself abreast of current affairs and that I would make an ideal candidate for the post.
“Give me a place to stand, and I will prove to you what I can do for the paper. I am multilingual; I can converse in Hokkien, Iban, local Malay, Bahasa Malaysia and I know a bit of Foochow, and of course English,” I said.
They took the ‘bait’ and decided to give me a chance.
Part of the interview was conducted in Hokkien, and the MD and his HR executive, were impressed by my effective communication skills.
I was asked to write a report about a fatal accident. That was easy. They allowed me to use the office portable typewriter and I finished the story in less than 15 minutes. The SYT gave me a rating of 9.5 out of 10.
And the rest was history. I was asked to report for duty a week later, that was July 1 1979. Before I left I complimented the HR executive on her beautiful dress. I think she was pleased with my compliments because she helped make my job easier during my two-year stint with the paper.
By the time I left, I was the editor-in-chief. I didn’t let the bosses down, I guess.
So much for my experience as a job seeker. So, when I hear of graduates still hunting for a job years after leaving college, it makes me wonder if something is wrong somewhere.
According to a Ministry of Higher Education estimates, in 2020 there were a total of 202,400 unemployed fresh graduates in the country. I am sure the figures could have risen now.
My nephew, an engineering graduate, has still yet to land a decent job. It has been five years since he graduated and he is still moving from one job to another, working in the F&B sector as a waiter, trainee manager, etc. He had no choice but to move to Malaya, hoping to get something better, but lady luck is not with him.
He applied for numerous government vacancies and believe it or not, he was not called for one single interview! A few of his collegemates are in government service now.
The same problem with my niece, a JPA scholar and always the top in her class. She too is chasing her dreams of a decent job. As a last resort she applied for a parttime teacher at a private tuition school and is earning peanuts.
With so many graduates unemployed, some smart alecs in the government are think of raising the present retirement age of 60 to 65. What must be going on in their minds only God knows.
What are the possible reasons these poor graduates are unsuccessful in their bid to land a decent job based on their qualifications?
I can think of a few. Lack of technical and soft skills is one of them.
Employers whom I talked to say fresh graduates lack the technical, problem solving and soft skills that employers look for. The job market is highly competitive and very few jobseekers have the necessary skills.
Lack of competency in English is another reason. English is no longer an advantage, but a necessity now in the private sector for effective communication.
Another is unrealistic pay expectations. I know of several fresh graduates who would rather sit at home than to work for a salary below their expectations. They also expect perks and benefits beyond the industry standards.
Many of our graduates are also picky about the job or company. During my time, graduates would settle for any job but the situation is different now. They want high pay, longer annual leave and other non-monetary benefits.
And finally, poor work attitude and culture often prevent employers from hiring these fresh graduates. They are seen as lazy, passive, full of excuses and they give up easily under stress, and these attitudes affect the job market as a whole.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
