Finding Employment
by Naima Nuren Khan
It is only after graduation, that one begins to realize how honey coated the student life was. Hit by the hurdles of reality, one simply wants to age backwards. Sadly, a time machine hasnt yet been invented. Thus, begins the struggles of finding employment.
Firstly, it starts with the fanatic hunt for job circulars. With internet integrated in our lives, the job search has extended from print media to web portals and thus become comparatively easier. Social networks have had a positive impact by opening up groups in which job circular are posted. Universities also caters interactive sessions, competitions and also hold seminars as a part of their career development program.
Yet, finding the desired job with a decent pay is a tough journey for many. With a high number of graduates in comparison to the availability of jobs and the widespread favoritism or nepotism makes the job market quite a competitive field.
In addition to that, fresh graduates also undergo some rather misleading and unnecessary difficulties. This includes companies posting jobs without stating the company name. Instead, they post circulars such as A reputed Multinational company. It is quite common on Bangladesh job portals and social media job circulars.
As fresh graduates are eager to get a job, many end up applying. With inadequate company information in the beginning, it often turns out to be a futile attempt due to mismatch of what the applicant was actually looking for. The anonymity is said to be the companys compliance policy of non-disclosure. Whatever it maybe, this absurd rule and its compliance of posting anonymously is certainly misleading for freshers, wasting their time and effort.
Furthermore, the process of getting a job in Bangladesh is painstakingly quite lengthy. Upon application, the interviewee is called for assessments within a timeframe of 2 weeks to 2 months on an average. The assessment process is usually of five tiers. The first three includes written examination, group discussion and presentation.
After successful completion of the aforementioned phases, there is the HR interview and then the final interview. And all this for an entry level job. The same process is generally repeated for each job a fresh graduate student applies to. This extent of thorough and time consuming screening process would lead one to question the employers trust on the credibility of the four year graduate certificates in our country. Then again, due to a high number of candidates, it is perhaps less of a trust factor and only a means to sort the most deserving candidate through the huge pool of applicants.
One would imagine, that employing the best of the best through such a thorough screening system will ensure a higher payment. However, much to disappointment, the salary of a fresher is normally confined within a range of twenty to forty thousand taka. If one calculates only the daily conveyance and lunch excluding living or other expenditure, even then there is little to no money left. Thus, freshers work twice as hard for the job that pays half its worth.
In addition, numerous companies have employment contracts that binds an employee legally for a certain time period and breach of the contract imposes monetary compensation. While this has little to no value in the court of law, there are cases where the employee had to pay monetary compensation to join elsewhere.
Another problem that newly graduates face is employers preferring experienced individuals even for entry level posts. Even though, the job circulars clearly aims and encourages fresh graduates, experienced candidates have more competitive edge.
In most domestic companies and even in multinationals, there is a lack of clarity, respect and proper maintenance of work hours. Concepts like workplace ethics, harassment laws, good corporate culture, increasing employee morale are still issues that is not adequately sought after in Bangladesh. Often times, the lack of a good working environment adversely impacts the motivation and self-esteem of newly graduate employees.
With the lack of safety in Bangladesh, a vogues interview call cannot be very surprising. Prior to attending the assessment or interviews, the interviewee must inform family members of the destination office address.
Unfortunately, given the inadequate security issues, interviewees, especially female, can opt for taking someone with them while going to an unknown office. Furthermore, taking business cards can also be helpful for identification record or later follow ups.
Forming innovative alumni groups through social media or effective career development services from universities can provide meritorious students with the opportunity to land their deserved job. Given the thorough screening processes, the long waiting hours for interviews, the four year study from reputed universities and the cost of daily living; one cannot but wonder, is a job with the salary bar of twenty-five to thirty-five thousand worthwhile?
