Unrealistic pay demands by fresh grads mar job hunt, survey finds
"Of the 571 human resource practitioners who took part in the survey, 64 per cent felt that the top reason why fresh graduates were rejected after the interview sessions was because the candidates were asking for unrealistic salary or benefits," according to the survey conducted in October.
This concurs with a 2008 government study which said jobless graduates were overly focused on pay and perks, and rejected jobs they considered dirty, difficult or dangerous.
It said the second and third reasons for rejecting fresh graduates were the "bad character, attitude and personality of the jobseekers" (60 per cent), followed by "poor command of English language" (56 per cent).
Fifty-two per cent felt that fresh graduates lacked good communication skills while another 38 per cent said that they tended to be too choosy about the job or the company they wish to work for.
"Don't immediately reject an offer because the salary offered is below your expectations. Look at the long-term career growth.
"It's best that you gain the relevant experience first. Good remuneration package will follow when you have built a good profile for yourself and excelled in your field," Chook Yuh Yng, Country Manager of JobStreet.com said in a statement.
He also said it is important to be aware of the market trend for salaries.
"Do remember that you may even be competing against candidates with a few years of working experience that are more attuned and equipped to market demands and trends," Chook said.
The survey results also indicated that 86 per cent of employers do not discriminate against graduates from a specific type of university and that they have no qualms hiring fresh graduates from a local public university, a local private university or a foreign university.
On the question of the quality of our fresh graduates today, 66 per cent of respondents rated them as 'average' and 23 per cent rated them as 'poor'.
According to government statistics, 71,000 people with diplomas or degrees remain on the job hunt, almost 20 per cent of the total number of unemployed which is 388,000.
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