BY: CATHERINE SAW

Twenty-five year old Siew Fun was complaining to her parents that she could not get a decent job, although she completed a course in clinical psychology but the big letdown to prospective employers was her weak command of the English language.

Perhaps because she studied at a vernacular Chinese school employers were reluctant to hire her and moreover, she was clueless that the employment market had changed radically in Malaysia owing to various factors.

Let’s face it, it’s a wholly employer’s market and they dictate terms from working conditions, remuneration, to other essential factors to be employed and therefore Malaysians must be made aware of this now.

Gone are the days also of lifetime employment in the private sector and this makes people like Siew Fun jittery and nervous and the consequences of having to shift employment from what a person was trained for, is a wise decision in landing a job.

Just be content with getting a job. This is already good enough to learn to multitask, adapt and cope with a changing employment market in Malaysia as stating your terms and conditions might not get you employed.

Bear in mind the adage now that is circulating in job markets: “Beggars can’t be choosers.” Therefore it is very important to get into the employment market and work your way through it by playing your cards right.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher