LookAtVietnam – Most of Vietnam’s university graduates hope to find big city jobs with attractive salaries.

A lot of new graduates have failed to find good jobs that fit their professional training. Even so, they never give up the dream of staying in the big cities. They’ll accept any job they can find (deliveryman, receptionist, salesman or tutor), so that they can get by while waiting for a more professional job.

Phan Thi My Chi graduated from the accounting course of a junior college three months ago. She intends to stay in HCM City ‘at any cost’. Chi has applied to work for many companies but none have interviewed her.

“I graduated with good marks, but I do not have experience, while companies all require relevant work experience,” she said. For now, Chi is assembling footwear for a company at Linh Trung Export Processing Zone while waiting for other opportunities.

Students who studied social sciences seem to face the biggest difficulties finding jobs.

When VnMedia reporters came to meet three new cultural heritage management graduates in their eight square metre room, the young men were considering their finances. Hieu is now a waiter and Hoa is cleaning motorbikes. Thanh also has not found any job in a state management agency. However, because he can play the guitar very well, he has found a job as a guitarist for a café.

The students know well that the opportunities to find professional jobs in the cities are slim. Many agencies and companies have a policy of only employing those whose residence book (ho khau) shows they have the right to reside permanently in the locality. Other companies set high requirements on degrees, appearance and experience of candidates. However, the students still cherish their hope.

Life is tough

While waiting for opportunity to knock, the recent graduates have to face a lot of difficulties. Take Dang Van Thoai from Phu Yen province, for instance. Thoai related that he is now working for Tuan Hung Import-Export Company in HCM City. “I earn two million dong a month. One and one-half million of that goes for my basic needs. I have to take extra classes in the evening and all the money I get is just enough to feed me,” Thoai said.

“Universities and junior colleges only focus on providing theoretical knowledge. Thus we lack necessary skills for our jobs. The university degree just can help you get short-listed,” said Le Thi Hoa, who is now working for Mobifone, the mobile phone service provider.

Tu Anh, a new graduate of the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanity, felt lucky when she was secured work as a clerk or an e-commerce company. However, Anh had to ‘say goodbye’ to the company just after two months of working. Though she got many promises before she took the job, but everything turned out to be different. Anh was asked to work in sales as well and she rapidly tired of it.

Nguyen Van Thuong, a journalism graduate, has worries of his own. He is working for VTC television and he always fears that the stiff competition here may weed him out some day.

Yet no matter how hard their lives, no one wants to return to the home villages, because they know that they will not even have opportunities to find jobs there.

VietNamNet/VnMedia