JOB HUNTING, WHAT CROSSES OVER YOUR MIND?

After more than a month I didn't write anything on this panel due to giving chance on the bus info+details for previous Hari RAYa, I feel it is now the correct time plus good mood to start narrating again! I resuscitate myself that I own a blog and I should proceed after a long 'recuperation' at home even after coming back to college. Yet before anything I hope I can still wish this, Happy Edulfitri to all who read this irrespective of whoever you are, especially those who were taking my bus for your last holiday, and of course I would like too to convey my deep apologize should anything bad occured unintentionally or intentionally through out my humble bus services. I hope this services had accomodated everybody comfortably, okeh ^ *.

Now coming to another business. My comrades from the same batch are now struggling in completing our individual final year project cum seeking at least a placement to be secured once graduating, which is just around the corner. Conscious or not, everybody is getting older and about to plunge into another level of life, a life with a career. Seeking a company is not an easy stint, over the months this job hunting running, every body entices potential employers with outstanding resume writing, marketable documents and good self selling points. What else to do. This is a job hunting period and if you are part of us, you will feel this deeply.

For me,to establish a career with a company is like to propose a betrothal or marriage with a girl. We have to be witty enough to promote ourselves and being accepted later or otherwise, live as a lonely boy which can possibly screw up our entire life ^_*. A girl will barely accept the proposal of engagement unless she knows who you really are internally and externally. To some extent, if the girl is already agreed with you, there is still another predicament, of course it is word from girl's guardian. Hehe, if she is saying 'aye' doesnt mean the parents will do so. Am I right? So then another conflict begins, either she hardly comes to you or devotes to her parents will, you can contemplate another story here. The same condition may happen when we apply for a job. Series of interviews await ahead. Technical interview, structured interivew, IQ test, ability test, you name it! When you pass the 1st phase doesnt guarantee you can smile yet. No it is not. Next you have to face the 'parents of the girl', that is the second or third stage, so on and so forth. Then you will see either you are good enough to be there or not. The key point here is that, you have to be blatantly competent in marketing your strength, your fortes, your willingness, your capability and even your desires.

I'm a PETRONAS scholar. Five years back I've dealt and signed on a contract with my sponsor. More or less, the content of the contract or agreement sounds 5 years of sponsorship is equivalent to 10years of working under this association. Breach the contract means lump sum payment back to sponsor, which after calculation, may incur 100k of ringgit Malaysia, but I believe the amount is exceeding that value. But the issue is, not all bonded students guaranteed to be absorbed back into organization. And at the same time, other companies are so reluctant to approach us as they conscious of our bonding with the sponsor. So where to go?

I'm not lamenting to be a scholar, in fact I'm happy enough PETRONAS supports me, and also my colleagues with financial aid which covers all basic and necessary stuffs, but what I'm trying to say is that, there is no easy way to success and to plug a career in life. In this current situation, I mean in the global economic turndown and recession period, the situation is getting harder and harder and consequently thousands unemployed graduates are still awaiting for their places. Why?? Diminishing profits and value rife inside companies and they are not able to accomodate such huge numbers of job applicants. For some motivations and little enlightment to my friends and I here, especially those who are engineer to be, lets catch a glimpse on what was said by a lecturer of mine. "Every year there were around 30 thousands engineering graduates churned out from higher institutions in this country". Such a big value right?? and don't sit back and expect all 30k people will be getting respective employer so easily..by common sense, a tough and might be vulnerable race is just taking place now and 30k runners will compete one another. Promote and market ourselves, and finally lets see who is going to the pinnacle and secure the placement! Not to forget supplicate and pray fervently to God as He is the best in assisting us. I wish I can write longer because lot of points are still be there inside my small mind but maybe another time, test is coming and study is vital for the sake of lulus! Huh. Enough till here. Good luck friends

P/s: And my lecturer also said, engineer is not just to earn big money, more importantly to contribute to mankind, society and environment. Do we realize this?? my answer..Maybe =)

Ridzwan Hanaffi
Final Semester Student,
Mechanical Engineering Dept,
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS