MANY young Malaysians are facing an inordinately tough time finding jobs despite having obtained university degrees. Why? There are many factors: a mismatch between universities’ curricula and industries’ needs, poor command of English, lack of self-confidence and interpersonal skills, poor attitudes, lack of general knowledge, and weak problem-solving and decision- making skills.
As a former human resources director, I have observed that graduates today have high expectations but are not prepared for the job market. Employers are concerned not only by a lack of technical skills but many are also turned off by entry-level candidates who are clueless about navigating an office environment.
