Sorry, you are over-qualified ...
He upgraded his skills with 2 post-graduate diplomas but a decent
job is still a dream
Weekend ?November 26, 2005
Lifelong learning and skills upgrading have been touted as the way
to stay ahead in today's rat race. Most would assume that so long
as you make that effort to remain relevant, a decent job is usually
not far away.
True? Not quite, as far as Clement Chan, 38, is concerned.
He's learned the hard way that taking the initiative to upgrade far
from guarantees him continued employment.
In fact, he's been out of a job since July, having been turned down
by scores of companies.
The reason given by most of them: You're over-qualified.
Mr Chan graduated with an economics degree from the National
University of Singapore in 1993. Since then, he's used his own
money to take up two post-graduate diplomas in IT at the Institute
of Systems Science.
Thinking he had a distinct advantage over those who only possessed
a degree or less, Mr Chan soon realised just how wrong he was. His
numerous attempts to find work in his preferred lines of banking
and IT have been fruitless.
"One local bank rejected my application because I was considered
over-qualified. This despite the fact I was willing to lower my
expectations in both pay and job scope," he told Today.
His case is not an isolated one. Earlier this month, a reader wrote
in with a similar plight, having spent $15,000 on a course but is
still jobless a year after graduation.
Mr Chan, a father of three, has even paid a visit to his MP, Mr
Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio GRC), who linked him up with bodies such
as the Singapore Workforce Development Agency, but to no
avail.
"Most of the jobs don't fit my profile as the companies are
recruiting non-graduates. I've also approached the job placement
firms, but nothing so far," he lamented.
It's a fall from grace for Mr Chan, who just five years ago was
earning $5,000 a month as an assistant vice-president at a major
bank, only for him to step down due to a change in
management.
Since then, he's been in and out of numerous contract jobs, many of
which did not recognise his post-graduate qualifications.
He counts himself fortunate that his wife is able to support
herself as she holds a relatively high-paying job with a local
university. Now living off his dwindling savings, he hopes to find
work by the end of this year. Early last year, the couple made the
decision to downgrade from an executive apartment to a five-room
flat.
Everyday, he sends out "at least three or four" applications. He
estimates that since July, he's expressed interest in over 100
positions ?including those as a librarian, cash management
executive, systems analyst and business analyst.
One factor could be the nature of the saturated IT field he's
looking to join, a possibility Mr Chan does not dismiss.
The bottom line: Be savvy in what sort of profession you pick, as
well as the type of course you take up.
"Sure, in IT the demand is much more than the supply. So many
people are coming from China and India to take these jobs. Because
of this globalised market, you are competing with so many others
who have the same skills as you."
Which is why Mr Chan is now prepared to lower his
expectations.
"I'm willing to take up temporary and contract positions, but to
date I have no success. I don't mind earning $1,200, but many
employers don't want to give even that chance to me," he
said.
AS TOLD TO LEE U-WEN
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/86695print.asp
