Willing To Work

Base on data released by Millennium Development Goals 2010 report, 11 percents of young Malaysia aged between 15 to 24 years old were unemployed in 2008 and these people count for 60 percents of unemployment in Malaysia. What is means here, 1 in 10 from that age group does not find a job. What actually a problem? They must be armed with college degree and other tools but still find themselves struggle to get a job.

Most people simply blame these young people for incapable to get out from doing nothing at home but it is true? Hei, government claims there is hundreds of thousands jobs available locally, why can’t you get one? Fresh graduates too choosy in determine a right job for them, no wonder lah they still unemployed. They just no try hard. Submitting 2 or 3 resumes only and assuming they be called for interview. They think rest at home is better than go out in the morning at 6 and only come home after 9. But, wait the minute. Do we a people just like they think?

Just after finished my study in local university, I without delay submitted thousands of resumes with hope to be called for interview at least. And I become part of job hunters. Initially, what I thought is, it is easy to grab a job and I dare to promise myself to be employed before graduation day. But a promise becomes an only promise. I found later that it is not easy to get a job. I even applying a job that is not relate to my degree at all. And I don’t care how much they want to pay me.

Some company look like reluctant to hire fresh graduate. To invest money and resources to train inexperience worker seem a waste for them. I think that is why in job advertisement, they set at least has 3 years or more experience as a condition to apply vacancies they offered. I don’t think people can gain an experience without be given a chance to show their potential. But who know, maybe some of us are injected with sophisticated and state of art medicine and becoming competence in sudden.

Overseas graduates get more attention than locally graduated. For them, these people are more independent, first-rate soft skills and of course first-class in English. Why to bother hiring local graduate that is be short of in everything if they have other choice. And not just in private sector, the government also do everything to please Malaysian stay in other side of the world with many incentives and opportunities while we feel like an adoption here. Some may come home but with lucrative salary overseas, it is not easy for them to let it go. Just for example, if young engineer get a first pay around RM 2000 something, their counterparts also get same pay but different currency. They get more RM 4000 !! Do not look far, but look at our neighbour down south. Why not the government leverage resources available here rather than asking people that do not come home in a mission to make high income nation.

If some claim we are too choosy but I don’t think all of us is like that. We are ready to be hired even it is not what are we looking for. The problem is a salary. The salary in Malaysia does increase but seem linear while a cost of living and inflation rate jump like a rocket. Even a house today is out of reasonably priced level. In Kota Bharu for instance, because vacancies are rare species here, some employers often offer less pay, below RM 1000. Even for engineer start only at RM 1500.

No more I can say as someone with nothing. Hopefully I will be hired in next to no time...haha