By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
October 21st, 2010
Ironically when the 2011 Budget was being read out, I was busy looking at my finances and budgeting my unemployment.
No, I did not get fired and no theSun is not my full-time employer (in case you’re wondering). I must admit I was glad someone had money as I looked at my depleting bank balance.
The 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) are going to generate more than RM1.3 trillion and create 3.3 million jobs. Perhaps I could have one of those jobs. Let’s just say this budget cared that I owned my own home and that my shopping habit was being fed especially since I’m sure the new Warisan Merdeka would house yet another much needed shopping mall. Basically it was “enhancing” my quality of life.
So, back to my unemployment status. Over a year ago, I resigned and headed back to university to re-equip myself. The British government was kind enough to indulge in my wants and off I went back to “studenthood” and now upon completion I’m scouring the newspapers, clicking every employment/careers/opportunity tab on websites, looking for a job.
It has been a while since I’ve had to look for a job. I served my previous boss for almost six years and before that, well, we don’t need to go into too much detail unless you’re a potential employer of course! So though I decided to head back to university not to reinvent myself but rather enhance my skills in the hope of further advancing my career and contributing back to Malaysia, I find myself in the very unfortunate position of being unemployed.
There are a few of us in this conundrum- Malaysians wanting to head back home and work, as a result, as we hunt for potential jobs, we pass on anything that might suit another, but all we keep coming up against are some what ridiculous requirements. So much so, some job advertisements strangely resemble marriage requirements of more traditional societies.
Once such advertisement on a famous Malaysian employment website under the education section was for a PA to a Datin. The position requires the potential candidate preferably be single, female, between the ages of 27-45, look pleasant but be aggressive, strong, hard working and posses 3 years relevant experience. Not only must this candidate speak both Malay and English well, speaking Cantonese or Mandarin is an asset and to top it all, a photo must be included in the application. I would say this comes very to close an arrange marriage ‘application’.
Another application required the candidate to basically jump over the moon for pittance requiring him or her to come up with an unreasonable number of publications within the year which can only humanly be done if one were to duplicate someone else’s research which took years to complete. The deadline for this application is at the end of the month but in brackets it states till the position is filled. Perhaps, these employers too know that cats only play the fiddle in fairytales.
Some organisations’ detailed, long, personal history form requires the educational background of my parents and all my siblings on top of their employment history. Not only is my family being vetted, I have to provide the names and contact details of three referees not to mention starting and ending salary history. All this part of an application without the guarantee of an interview and since I’m unemployed I have the time to sit down and painstakingly volunteer such information.
So here I am, wondering if my new qualification will advance my career and if heading home under these circumstances is the best option. It’s not only about getting a job, it’s about being able to have a decent living, to be compensated for my abilities and be able to walk down a street without being wolf-whistled or my bag snatched.
Perhaps the Economic Transformation Programme that is set to create 3.3 million jobs might woo us back home but then again, this year’s budget alone will allow me to afford shampoo, perfume, talcum powder and lingerie while I wait for employment!
Natalie hopes to be employed soon but is accepting funds in the mean time.
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