Statistic

Based on statistics found, over 200000 students graduate from institutions of higher
learning for every year. Surprisingly, 1 out of 4 graduates remain unemployed 6 months after
graduation, with majority being Degree holders and it make up 35.3% of those who are
unemployed. The truth to accept that being a university graduate no longer guarantees someone a
job considering also the tough competition and shaky economy. In an article published in The
Star last year, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem told the Dewan Rakyat
that between 2010 and 2013, the number of unemployed graduates had grown from 42,954 to 52,
282. Now, as many as 161,000 graduates or 8.8% of those aged between 20 and 24 are
unemployed in Malaysia.
Reason lack of employability skill in management fresh graduate
Lack of soft skill
According to Human Resource Ministry in Malaysia in 2004 fresh graduate nowadays unable to
meet the expectation of the corporate sector and most of the fresh graduates are only good in
theory. The employers required graduates with good skills in reading, listening, responding,
understanding, writing and making effective presentation. According to Winterbotham et al
(2001), Abd. Aziz Yusof (2003) Ahmad et al (2009) generally concluded that employers
demonstrated a high agreement on soft skills related to communication, problem solving, ICT
and technical skills, team work, motivation, independence and self-confidence. Besises,
graduates nowadays lack of the soft skills which employer wants such as team working,
leadership, communication skill, English language proficiency, technology skill, problem solving
skill, adaptability skill, risk taking, creativity skill and time management skill. According to
Singh and Singh (2008) they have highlighted all the skill that stated above for the graduate to
secure job placement in the industry. However the graduated students were not confident with
their soft skills before they graduated and they are unable to communicate effectively because
they lack confidence and have a poor command of English. Institute for Democracy and
Economic Affairs (2011) chief executive stressed that, if the students do not have a good
command in English, he or she claims that they have zero chance of succeeding in the global
market. Increasingly, according to The Star, 10 April (2011) even local companies are demanding

English proficiency too. All of this shows that most graduate are lack of soft skill which are
required from the employers. From these, the soft skills are very necessary for fresh graduate in
the future for grab the chance to get the job.
Lack of students exposure to the real job market
One of the reason lack of employability skill among management fresh graduate because
is lack of students exposure to the real job market. In Malaysia, a number of HEI does not
prepare their students well for them to face the real working environment are 60.14% of the
current students and 88.71% of the graduated students feel that lack of exposure also lead to
unemployment. The graduated and the current students feels that the current curriculum does not
give a chance for the student to get to know what is required in the job market in order for them
to engage themselves in their future. When they are in university, management fresh graduate
only learn the theory and do the case study only. They not are exposed to the real job market. So
they dont have experience, skill and knowledge as a worker. Furthermore, as the graduated
students were asked on their business functions such as how well their courses helped them to
understand the business environment and learn about the business functions, only 27.42% of the
graduated students agreed that their university education curriculum are relevant to their present
job. 88.71% of the graduated students agreed that, they find difficulties to adapt themselves to
the working environment as they are lack of exposure to the real job market. This is supported by
John (2000) that, learning is maximized if the context for learning resembles the real-life context
in which the to-be-learned material will be used.

Attitude problem
The other reasons of lack of employability skills in management fresh graduate is also
including attitude problem. Nowadays, many university students not concern about their attitudes
towards getting a job. They are not committed enough and not well prepared to face challenges
or risk. According to statistics of the top reason for fresh graduate unemployment, 59% of them
are having poor attitude and character. For example, if the fresh graduate has 4.00 CGPA but the
attitude is poor like always come late to class, not follow the rules and not respect others, there is
no use also to get a job. Attitude also must be congruence with the skills they have. In addition,
employers nowadays not only are looking for employees with outstanding soft skills, but also

employees with good attitude so that they can always act in a good manner and not create
problem for the organization in the future. Therefore, the most important thing is students must
always keep learning and have the right attitude in order to enhance their employability skills
and be a valuable candidate for future employers.
Industrial training or internship course
The next reason is regarding to industrial training or internship course. Industrial training
is an important preparation for students that should be at least six months with a quality hands on
experience before they can enter to the real job or organization. This is because during
internship, students must applied what they have been studied in university based on their
courses. The problem is many students who have to do works that are not under their work
related. For instance, student who has internship in Human Resource Management literally doing
works like photocopy and do the clerk task. So, there are not receiving the proper training about
their course of study. Holmes and Miller (2000) addressed that most employers now seeking for
graduate that has developed skills that can be applied for employment and not only with
academic capabilities. Besides that, Louise (2009) stated that working experiences during studies
can help to secure job in future. So, effective internship course is very important to enhance
employability skills among students in order to face their real job later.
Effect
The gap between students perception and employers perception
The lack of employability skills among management fresh graduates also can cause the
gap between students perception and employers perception. According to Nicholson and
Cushman (2000), there is a difference in expectations of the performance of fresh graduates and
industry (employer) needs. There is gap between knowledge, skills and abilities. For instance,
employer prefer fresh graduates who have those employability skills or soft skills that required
by many organizations nowadays. Meanwhile some students think that when there have excellent
academic result or CGPA, there are confident that employers may hire them. In fact, employers
nowadays looking for candidates who are qualified both in academic and employability skills.
Nuthriaaharudin & Ainon (2004) in Malaysia also stressed that many employers are looking for
graduates that have balance good academic achievement with soft skills. For example like

communication skills, problem solving skills, interpersonal skills and flexibility. Furthermore,
students also are not judged on academic performance and behavioral skills but on non-cognitive
skills. Employees tend to look for candidates or fresh graduates who are able to fit the job itself
and can display a role beyond the expectation of the organization. This means that students only
think they can do well because of they are good in academic, but employers expect candidates
can be more outstanding in the organization and can perform well. Therefore, students are not
developed with these two important keys and value needed by employers nowadays. Students
always think that they are well prepared and think they are qualified but in fact it is not that easy
for the employers expectation.
Easy to replace by others and do not possess professional skill
Easy to replace by others and do not possess professional skill is one of the effect lack of
employability skill in management fresh graduate. A part of job in management sector can be
easy to replace by others than management fresh graduate like fresh graduate from mechanical
and engineering graduate, science and social graduate, art graduate and others. This is because
management is not professional skill such doctor, engineering, architect, lawyer, nurse and
others. For example an engineer and lawyer can be human resource manager while human
resource manager cannot be an engineer or lawyer.