Should job seekers take up any available job?

Singapore - Job seekers who have a prolonged period of job search without taking up any job may come across as inflexible and complacent to prospective employers, say recruitment agencies Human Resources spoke to.

When asked by a fresh graduate at a recent dialogue session on whether the person should accept a blue-collar job, Manpower minister Gan Kim Yong replied saying that fresh graduates should "take up any job that is available" as there would be "opportunities to upgrade later on". 

In a bad economy like this, all three recruiters Human Resources spoke to agreed that job seekers need to be flexible and realistic about their career selection. Job seekers should keep an open mind and accept positions they can realistically perform, or make use of the opportunity to learn and contribute at the same time, senior vice-president of Kelly Services Asia-Pacific, Dhirendra Shantilal adds.   

Futhermore, Shantilal says a job seeker who tells potential employers that he or she was jobless for a one-year period because there were no jobs available may come across as complacent and inflexible. This, Shantilal adds, will put the job seeker at a disadvantage compared to others who are flexible and willing to take on new challenges.

However, Lee Beng Khim, markets business leader of FutureStep ASEAN says job seekers should not take up a job which they have absolutely no interest in. Instead, Lee says to focus on a job that would "play out the strengths or capability of an industry or sector of their interest".

Employees who take up any job without discretion may end up switching jobs more regularly, and may not show commitment to their job, "giving the indication of poor work attitude and therefore creating a bad reputation for themselves," says Lee. 

Contract assignments can help make  one seem more hardworking and resourceful, says consulting manager of PeopleSearch Jenny Ong. "The experience gained via contract assignments during such times will definitely help with character development as one with the resilient and tenacity to weather the climate," she adds.

But job status and salary should not be deterrents from taking up jobs. Instead, fresh graduates should look to pick up skills such as learning how to fit in with the company culture, how employees contribute to the big picture and how they are measured, says Lee.