Still on the hunt

EVEN as the country transitions to the endemic phase, the threat of unemployment continues to weigh heavily on fresh graduates.

It has been more than three months since Deevagaran Sandran, 24, graduated but he is still on the hunt for a job.

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Faced with mounting bills, the international business graduate is selling jerseys and helping his mum with her small catering business to make ends meet.

“Being unemployed and not having money to pay your bills and daily expenses is frightening.

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“You may feel it is demeaning to take on jobs that you are overqualified for but what’s more important is that you are able to provide for yourself and your family,” he said.

Communication graduate Nur Hidayah Norizah, 25, was unemployed for almost a year before securing a job as a content writer in April.

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Being jobless took a heavy toll on her health and sanity, she shared.

“I was really stressed out and I could not stop worrying about my predicament.

“I kept asking myself why I chose this field only to end up unemployed,” she said.

Business graduate Steven Sirach, 27, who has been unemployed for more than four months, described graduating amid a pandemic as a student’s worst nightmare.

“The economy is still in recovery, making it hard to pursue the career path I once desired.

“Bosses want experienced hires who already know how to do the job. They don’t want to invest time and money on a fresh graduate who has to be nurtured,” he said.

Advising his peers to be patient, Steven said every graduate must face the challenges of trying to get their foot in the door.

“Be positive and have an open mind when it comes to taking on new challenges. Make your own path rather than wait for someone to create one for you,” said Steven. — By REUBEN GABRIEL