Linh, who graduated from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, wanted a simple, stable office position.
"Idropped by some consulting tables to get opportunities and experiences,with the hope that I could meet employer demand," Linh said.
However, the jobs weren't what she was looking for. She found a gap between what employers demanded and what she could offer.
Manyuniversity graduates are looking for jobs, but a limited number of suchhigh-skilled positions are available, said Vu Thi Thanh Lieu, head ofthe Hanoi Job Promotion Centre's Labour Information Department. Incontrast, the need for mechanics and manual labourers is quite high.
Lieusaid that due to the lack of manual workers while the demand is high,many employees with university and college education had to acceptmanual labour jobs. She also said her centre's rate of successfulconnections between enterprises and employees is a low 30 percent.
ChuThu Thao, a personnel manager at the Trung Tin Import-Export Company,said the centre is focusing on recruiting manual labour, sales andmarketing, and some technical jobs.
"Many applicants come to the centre lacking soft skills and the ability to work," she said.
DangDuy Tien, a personnel staff member at the construction materialproducer Javta Company, said he agrees that enterprises are demandingdifferent types of jobs from what applicants are offering.
"As mycompany deals with production, we only need manual workers," he said."However, the applications we received were mostly for high skilledjobs."
Tao Bang Huy, deputy head of the Ministry of Labour,Invalids and Social Affairs' Employment Department, said the phenomenacame from the city's lack of a labour demand and supply database.
"TheHanoi Job Promotion Centre should build such a database for the labourmarket soon, and work with training firms, enterprises and localities,"he said.
Lieu said the centre will work with enterprises toorganise talks and forums for employees to learn about jobs and skills,to shorten the gap between supply and demand in the market.
"Thecentre will open mobile promotion centres across the city soon, andconnect with centres from other cities and provinces," she said.-VNA