Employers looking to bring new graduates onto their team may be underestimating what they’re in for after one new study showed many have unrealistic expectations upon entering the workforce.
Online recruitment site Monster.com surveyed 2,368 job seekers and employers from Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines in an effort to gage graduate sentiment and employer perceptions.
The study found that while almost half of Singapore graduates – 47 per cent – took up three months to land their first job, they were also fairly quick to leave. In fact, 30 per cent quit after less than a year.
Their main reasons were cited as seeking more professional growth opportunities (67 per cent), more money (42 per cent), career change (30 per cent) and better challenges (21 per cent).
As for job difficulties, the newcomers cited lack of industry knowledge (61 per cent), mentorship (34 per cent) and feedback and support (23 per cent) – about a quarter also admitted they were not fully prepared for working life or the long hours.
The results reveal a prominent disconnect between employers and graduates as eighty per cent of employers felt they provide adequate support for young talent to grow.
Sanjay Modi, Monster’s managing director of APAC and the Middle East, said graduates often have unrealistic expectations when it comes to compensation but said employers must also think about improving their support systems.
"This mismatch is a cause of concern and a wake-up call for both employers and fresh grads to take concrete steps and hit the right balance between their expectations and needs,” said Modi.
"Evidently, young talent expect to move quickly in their first jobs... and they crave the mentorship and support necessary to get there," he added.
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