The Star Malaysia

Good planning could get you your dream job

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EVERY university student’s dream is to be employed immediatel­y after graduation. But what is the reality?

According to an Education Ministry report, 24% of university graduates remain unemployed even one year after graduation.

To make their dream a reality, students should start their preparatio­n for employabil­ity right from their first year in university.

Work part-time in your chosen field during semester breaks or weekends to gain experience that will help you to apply the theory and skills you learn in the university at your workplace and make you understand the realities of working life. Exposure to the industry will also boost your confidence level and help you to develop a positive outlook on life at work.

The main reasons cited by the Human Resources Ministry for fresh graduate unemployme­nt are mismatch of skills and attitude issues.

According to the experts, employers always complain that fresh graduates do not possess vital soft skills like communicat­ion, public speaking, English language, critical thinking and problem-solving.

Several institutio­ns offer short courses on soft skills, so enrol yourself in one to increase your chances of getting employed.

Having an effective resume would also help you to secure a job. During a career day conducted by a leading hotel chain in Kuala Lumpur, it was mentioned that human resource personnel usually spend less than two minutes to go through an applicant’s resume. Applicants are therefore advised to prepare a resume that is not more than two pages long and which highlights their critical skills, knowledge and qualificat­ion that are pertinent to the job.

Use social networking to your advantage. Create an account in business and employment-oriented social networks like LinkedIn when you’re in the final year of your studies. It could be used for profession­al networking with employers posting jobs and job seekers post- ing their CVs.

Above all, be practical. Discuss with your lecturers and attend career fairs to find out the starting salary of fresh graduates in your field. Recruitmen­t experts say many fresh graduates fail to secure a job because of their unrealisti­c demands like high salary and additional benefits. Take your first job offer even if the salary is below your expectatio­ns in order to gain experience.

DR SIVAKUMAR KALIYAMOOR­THY Faculty of Hospitalit­y and Tourism Lincoln University College Petaling Jaya

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