PETALING JAYA: For many young Malaysians, the challenge is not about finding jobs. Rather, it is about landing one that matches their qualifications, interests and long-term career goals.
For 24-year-old marketing graduate Nur Aisyah from Klang, the transition from university to the workforce was more difficult than she expected.
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After graduating last year, she spent nearly six months applying for jobs before securing a position in sales.
“I studied social media marketing and wanted to work in branding or digital marketing, but most vacancies required experience that fresh graduates did not have,” she said.
While grateful to be employed, Aisyah said the job was not what she envisioned when she entered university.
For 27-year-old mechanical engineering graduate Jason Tan from Kuala Lumpur, the search continues despite being armed with several years of work experience.
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After three years in manufacturing, he decided to leave his job this year with the aim of switching into the technology sector.
“I realised I enjoyed working with data and problem-solving more than engineering operations. It has not been easy because most employers want candidates with direct industry experience.
“Even though I have transferable skills, I still need to convince employers that I can make the switch,” he said.
Lydia Roberts, 24, from Melaka, graduated with a degree in English Language but found it difficult to secure a job related to her field.
“One of the jobs offered was as a tuition teacher at a learning centre. I was hoping for a starting salary of around RM2,500, but the offer was RM1,800. For me, that was a bit too low,” she said.
Roberts said she eventually accepted a full-time position as an administrative executive, while teaching English part-time.
