A 29 year old diploma holder has sparked widespread discussion online after sharing how he was retrenched without warning and later turned to food delivery work after struggling to secure a new job for six months.
The former employee took to TikTok to recount how he was suddenly called in by the human resources department and informed of his dismissal, despite there being no prior indication that his position was at risk.
Believed he could secure new employment
Confident in his academic qualifications and work experience, he initially believed it would not take long to secure new employment. He said he was not demanding a high salary and was open to negotiation.
However, after half a year of job hunting, he had yet to receive a single offer.
He shared that he revised his resume several times and gradually lowered his expected salary from RM4,000 to RM3,500, before eventually settling at RM3,000 and indicating that it was negotiable.
Despite applying to more than 30 companies, he claimed that some interviewers did not even finish reviewing his resume before rejecting him.
Tried working as delivery rider
As months passed without success, his wife suggested that he try working as a food delivery rider in the meantime.
Faced with financial pressure, he reluctantly agreed.
On his first day, he worked eight hours but earned less than RM50. After deducting petrol costs, he said there was barely anything left.
He admitted that the most painful part was not the physical exhaustion, but the sense of surrender and self doubt. At one point, he began questioning whether he was simply not capable enough.
He stressed that he respects delivery riders, but never expected that prolonged unemployment would make society seemingly decide what he was “worthy” of doing.
Graduates facing unemployment issue
His post quickly gained traction, drawing widespread attention and sympathy from netizens who related to his struggles in an increasingly competitive job market.
Among those who took notice was Tan Sri Noor Azlan, former Vice Chancellor of the National University of Malaysia.
He expressed shock over the young man’s experience and highlighted a broader issue, noting that around two million graduates are currently unemployed or working in roles that do not match their qualifications. He added that some of them may very well be graduates of the university.
