Graduation season is here, and you know what that means—fresh grads are ready to dive into the workforce, hoping to bag jobs that match all the sleepless nights and instant noodles they endured.
But some of these newbies are bringing big energy to the job market, and not everyone is vibing with it.
M’sian fresh grads say they expect a salary of RM5K
In a recent viral video, a group of degree and diploma graduates were asked, “What do you think would be a fair starting salary after graduation?”
Most gave answers in the RM2,500 to RM4,000 range, which seemed pretty reasonable.
But a few others? They went all-in, saying they deserved a RM5,000 to RM6,000 starting salary.
They argued that their academic achievements, practical skills, and experiences from university justified such high expectations.
This bold outlook raised eyebrows among netizens, who viewed the graduates’ expectations as out of touch with economic realities.
From the public’s point of view, many advised the students to stay grounded, emphasising that the job market is highly competitive, and securing a high salary fresh out of university is increasingly rare.
“Diploma graduates asking for RM5-6K?”
“My master’s degree didn’t even get me RM3K.”
“I’m nearly choked! Fresh grad with a diploma asking for RM5,000? It’s okay to dream, I guess.“
While some found the high expectations a bit much, others offered encouragement to the grads:
“It’s sad to see so many negative comments. To all fresh grads, don’t worry! My first salary after graduating was RM4.6K, alhamdulillah! Don’t look down on yourself—you got this!”
“I pity those commenting here. RM3K and above is standard. I started with RM4K too. This is normal for GLCs, MNCs, and banks. Even government jobs at Grade 41 plus allowances hit RM3K or more. Whether they actually get that amount is another story.”
Watch the clip here:
