Less than 20 percent of this year's new college graduates have landed jobs, almost three months after graduating, according to a recent survey.
The study, conducted by the 1111 Job Bank (1111
The figures run counter to normal trends, whereby the employment rate gradually rises among new graduates in the months after graduation.
This month's survey shows 6.5 percent of the respondents are doing part-time jobs.
A small 0.2 percent are working as freelancers or run their own businesses.
The survey was conducted via e-mail between Aug. 23 and Sept. 18. The calculations were made on the basis of 14,612 valid responses.
The study also shows that 27.5 percent of new master's degree holders are working as part-time workers, according to a recent survey.
The jobless rate for new graduates are higher in central and southern Taiwan, at 78.9 percent and 73.9 percent respectively.
Secretarial jobs are the most popular among new job-hunters, with 14.2 percent saying they are looking for such jobs. "Administration and general affairs" ranked second at 11.7 percent, followed by "the food-and-beverage and travel industries" at 9.7 percent. Only 7.7 percent are looking for jobs in the manufacturing industry, and 7.5 percent in the financial industry.
The job market may not improve for the rest of the year, as the fourth quarter is normally the slow season when many companies downsize their staff or halt their staff expansion plans. Some job-seekers may have to wait until the beginning of next year, when large numbers of people will be changing jobs, according to the company.
With the economy in a slump since late last year, many companies had been forced to shut down or lay off employees, sending unemployment to a high of 5.33 percent in October last year, leaving 527,000 jobless. The jobless rate has slowly been declining, but yesterday's release of August's figures show that the rate has risen to 5.35 percent, translating into 536,000 people who are without work.
In recent student surveys students cited a lack of confidence about job prospects as the greatest deterrent to looking for work.
Taiwanese youth also fear that their lack of work experience will only add to their difficulties in finding employment.
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