The impact of employability skills on fresh graduates job opportunities in hochiminh city

UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY
International School of Business
------------------------------

Ly Duy Nam

THE IMPACT OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS ON
FRESH GRADUATES’ JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN
HOCHIMINH CITY

MASTER OF BUSINESS (Honours)

Ho Chi Minh City – Year 2014

1


UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY
International School of Business
------------------------------

Ly Duy Nam

THE IMPACT OF EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS ON
FRESH GRADUATES’ JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN
HOCHIMINH CITY
ID: 22120132
MASTER OF BUSINESS (Honours)
Supervisor:
Dr. Nguyen Quynh Mai

Ho Chi Minh City – Year 2014


TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 1
1.1

Background ........................................................................................................................... 1

1.1.1 Overview of Vietnam’s Economic Growth ......................................................................... 1
1.1.2

Overview of Vietnamese Education and Employability for Labor Market ................... 2

1.2

Statement of the Problem ...................................................................................................... 3

1.3

Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 3

1.3.1 General Aim......................................................................................................................... 3
1.3.2

Specific Aim .................................................................................................................. 3

1.4

Research Question ................................................................................................................. 3

1.5

Significance ........................................................................................................................... 4

1.6

The Scope and Limitation ..................................................................................................... 4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEWS ........................................................................................... 5
2.1

Concepts and Definitions ...................................................................................................... 5

2.1.1

Employability ................................................................................................................. 5

2.1.2

Soft Skills ....................................................................................................................... 7

2.1.3

Technical Skills .............................................................................................................. 8

2.1.4

Foreign Languages ......................................................................................................... 9

2.1.5

Work Experience.......................................................................................................... 10

2.1.6

Job Opportunity/Employment Gaining: ....................................................................... 10

2.2

Role of Employability Skills toward to Job Opportunities ................................................. 12

2.2.1

Technical Skills Impact on Job Opportunities ............................................................. 13

2.2.2

Importance of Work Experience toward to Job Opportunities .................................... 14

2.2.3

Impact of Soft Skills on Job Opportunities .................................................................. 15

2.2.4

Impact of Foreign Languages on Job Opportunities .................................................... 17

2.3

Conceptual Framework ....................................................................................................... 18

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................... 22
3.1

Research Method and Procedure ......................................................................................... 22

3.2

Measurement Development ................................................................................................. 23

3.2.1
3.3

In-depth Interview ........................................................................................................ 23

Questionnaire Design and Pilot Test: .................................................................................. 26


3.3.1

Description of Questionnaire ....................................................................................... 26

3.3.2

Pilot Test ...................................................................................................................... 27

3.4

Sampling Method ................................................................................................................ 28

3.4.1

Population and Sample................................................................................................. 28

3.4.2

Sample size and sampling ............................................................................................ 28

3.4.3

Data Analysis Method .................................................................................................. 29

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS ....................................................................... 31
4.1

Sample Demographics ......................................................................................................... 31

4.2

Reliability Test .................................................................................................................... 34

4.3

Exploratory Factor Analysis ................................................................................................ 34

4.4

Revised Model and Hypothesis ........................................................................................... 36

4.5

Correlation and Regression Test ......................................................................................... 38

4.6

Model Test ........................................................................................................................... 40

4.7

Influence of Background study ........................................................................................... 42

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS ...................................... 45
5.1

Implications of research ...................................................................................................... 45

5.2

Limitations and Directions for Further Research ................................................................ 47

5.3

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 48

Reference ........................................................................................................................................... 50
Appendix ............................................................................................................................................ 56


GRATEFULNESS

I honestly thanks to Dr. Nguyen Quynh Mai who always help me to carry out this study. I
highly appreciate her comment and support because it gave me a chance to learn how to do an
academic research. By the way, I would like to thank to all lecturers of ISB who taught us master
program, especially some subjects for carrying out research such as research design and data
analysis.
However, I also don’t forget to thanks to all my friends who help me to collect data. Firstly,
Ms Le Thanh in University of Social Science Humanities (USSH) industriously came to every class
to deliver questionnaires. Secondly, Ms Lien who is ISB staff supported me about email address to
collect online- data. Thirdly, Mr Ngo Cuong in Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport always
gives me a hand to do this study. I also want to thank to all students in ISB, USSH who filled
questionnaires.
At last, my sincere thanks owe to my family, especially my mom, brother and sister who
supported me both of physical and mental conditions to complete this study.


PLAGIARISM STATEMENTS
I would like to say that I have done this study by myself, with quantitative research, all
material was read to summarize the appropriate main ideas, or keep in “….” with a citation. As
plagiarism warning, I totally avoid breaking this rule. As a student in ISB and economics, I totally
disagree with plagiarism.


LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 2.1 Skills under Four Factors

5

Table 2.2 Skills Grouped into Three Factors

6

Table 3.1: Preparing contents for discussion

24

Table 3.2: Measurement Scales from Interview and Reference Sources

26

Table 3.3: Pilot Results

27

Table 3.4: Measurement Scales

27

Table 4.1: Total Variance Explained

35

Table 4.2: Revised Measurement Scales

36

Table 4.3: Items Deleted

36

Table 4.4: Correlations

38

Table 4.5: Descriptive Statistics A

39

Table 4.6: Descriptive Statistics B

40

Table 4.7: Model Summaryb

41

Table 4.8: Coefficientsa

42

Table 4.9: Coding variables to test H5

42

Table 4.10: Model Summaryb

43

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 1.1: Vietnam GDP Growth Rate

1

Figure 2.1: Problems Faced by Employers in Hiring Fresh Graduates

16

Figure 2.2: Employers Dissatisfaction with the Key Skills of Young Recruits

17

Figure 2.3: Research Model

21

Figure 3.1: Research Procedure

23

Figure 4.1: Graduated Year

31

Figure 4.2: Gender

32

Figure 4.3: Studying Status

32

Figure 4.4: Working Status

33

Figure 4.5: Background Study

33

Figure 4.6: Foreign Language

34

Figure 4.7: Revised Research Model

37


ABBREVIATION
CV - Curriculum Vitae
ISB – International School of Business
IT - Information technology
FDI - foreign direct investment
FIA - Investment Agency

GDP -Gross domestic product
HCMUTRANS – Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport
OECD - The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
USSH – University Of Social Sciences and Humanities
UEH – University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City
WTO - World Trade Organization


ABSTRACT
Vietnam education is more and more developing, however majority of students seem to be
hard to find a job when graduating. The problem is lack of employability skills and unable to meet
labor market’s requirements. This study’s carried out to determine the important skills which fresh
graduates need to apply for a job. The research model includes dependent variable “Job
Opportunity” and independent variables “soft skills, technical skills, foreign language, work
experience and computer skills, which are tested to know our relationship. It means that the study is
carried out to know how the impact of employability skills on job opportunity. The methodology
focuses on interviews and surveys to collect information and data. The conclusion has been drawn
based on random examination from 200 fresh graduates, aged between 22 and 27 years, in Ho Chi
Minh City, they were either working or studying accounted for about 70 percent and about 30
percent respectively.
In multiple linear regression analysis, all independent variables significantly impact on
dependent variable. Especially, technical skills have strong effect on job opportunity. It can be said
that their relation is closer than others. Moreover, there has no impact of moderating variable on
relation between job opportunity and employability skills. And this result had no change in case
they had different background study. It was a good result for psychological and behavioral research.
The conclusion was that employability skills are very important to find jobs and work. In
addition, implications and limitations are deeply discussed with both of good and no-good sides.
The more fresh graduates practice and learn, the more they have high job opportunity.
KEYWORDS: Fresh Graduates, employability skills, soft skills, technical skills, foreign languages,
work experience, impact.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1

Background

1.1.1 Overview of Vietnam’s Economic Growth
Viet Nam is ranked 34 out of 60 countries in terms of globalization (Ernst &Young; UK
Economist Intelligence Unit) and it trends positively. Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam (Lam,
2012) reports that its economy has grown at an annual average rate of around 7.5 percent during the
past two decades. GDP of Vietnam has gradually increased through 2006-2012 (Figure 1.1) and
grown at 5 percent in 2013. Exports increase by more than 12 percent yearly. Several administrative
actions bring the trade deficit back into balance.
Figure 1.1: Vietnam GDP Growth Rate

(Source: www.tradingeconomics.com)
Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI, 2012) reports that Vietnam has been
good at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) with an average rate of 8.3 percent of GDP for the
last five years (2008-2012) which is among the highest rates in the whole of the global frontier and
emerging space in Asia. According to the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA), Vietnam reaches
$21.6 billion of FDI in 2013, up 54.5 percent yearly and it will play an important role in
strengthening Vietnam’s economic growth in 2014. FDI in Affiliates of Foreign MNCs (MultiNational Companies) are virtually non-existent through 1988, but it subsequently increases to
annual averages of US$493 million in 1989-1995 and US$1.6 billion in 1996-2004 (Ramstetter,
2006).
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Today Vietnam has become a one of the best choices for multinational corporations to
expand, such as Intel, Foxconn and Compal which have built their largest plants. Vietnam licenses

1,100 new projects and approved 435 existing projects registering to increase capital in 2012,
bringing the total value of the newly licensed and added capital to $13 billion, equivalent to 84.7
percent of total in 2011. Foreign banks with 50 foreign companies operating via branch offices and
five wholly-owned bank subsidiaries have reached Viet Nam (Nakra, 2013). By 15 December 2013,
98 countries and territories have invested in 14,489 Vietnamese projects with a total registered
investment capital of $213.6 billion.
1.1.2 Overview of Vietnamese Education and Employability for Labor Market
By 2011 there are 204 universities and 226 colleges, Viet Nam needs 10,000 to 15,000
skilled employees annually in fields such as information technology, tourism, harbor management,
finance and banking to keep up with demand. The number of universities in Ho Chi Minh City is
more and more increasing that has created 18 new universities since 1998. There are five institutes
and 28 universities including 15 public ones and 13 private ones until now.
Employers identify job-specific technical skills as the most important skill, and equally look
for cognitive skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking, and behavioral skills such as team
work and communication. Foreign investors reveal soft skills and professional skills are equally
important in their recruitment decision. At this moment, Ho Chi Minh Forecasting Manpower
Needs and Labor Market Information center reports that there are 10,000 vacancies per month in
2,000 companies in Ho Chi Minh City and 15,000 employees needing for jobs. In stage of 20152020, estimated labor demands are 270,000 vacancies per year including 89,100 ones for higher
graduates in Ho Chi Minh City. Contrarily labor supplies are short of quantity and quality, so
unemployment is still happening. Main cause for these problems is lack of employability skills
(Pham & Tran, 2013). A paradox of the employment market emerges in Ho Chi Minh City. At the
moment, Vietnam is facing shortage of good skill employees in various service sectors including
finance, banking and business and tourism. There is up to 60 percent of Vietnamese graduates who
are unable to secure employment and need to be re-trained. Employers still face difficult to find
suitable graduates with the knowledge, skills and attributes require for their workplace, according to
OECD (2012). Taylor Nelson Sofres survey (2002) has pointed out that Vietnamese workers lack in
soft skills consisting of Team work, Communication and adaptation to new circumstances, foreign
language proficiency, problem-solving skills, time management abilities,…In addition, Vietnamese
lack of employability skills presenting in different levels, industries and professions. Their ‘High
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shortages’ are in four of six major job categories: engineers, managers, skilled manual trade people,
laborers. In industry knowledge, the most severe deficits are in the fields of health,
telecommunications, machine manufacturing, retail, construction, transport and logistics, chemicals
and fertilizers. Actually, fresh graduates have not met need of labor market and employers’
expectation for their jobs in Ho Chi Minh City. The Survey has examined 234 recruiters and 3,364
graduates from 20 universities, showing 36.3 percent of recruiters’ agreement with retraining for
students in all-around skills, 28.3 percent in specialized skills, and 33.6 percent in both skills and
professional knowledge (HCM University of Pedagogy, 2010).
1.2

Statement of the Problem

There has an increase in wide ‘gap’ between fresh graduates’ skills and capabilities, as well
as the requirements and demands of the working environment in raising changeable and globalized
society. There is a notable shortage in current knowledge linking graduates’ possession and
employers’ needs of the context to employability skills. Exactly, 50 percent of graduates lack
professional skills and need retraining to meet recruiters’ requirement, according to “Ho Chi Minh
City Are Weak in Soft Skills report” of HCM University of Pedagogy (2010). Therefrom,
unemployment still happens in Ho Chi Minh City of Viet Nam, even though labor demand is
available and abundant. This study aims to conceptualize and identify key skills and competencies
of fresh graduates to get job opportunities. Therefrom, the solutions for this issue will be showed to
fill the shortage of their skills and capabilities.
1.3

Objectives

1.3.1 General Aim
Because of high rate of unemployment in Ho Chi Minh City contraries to abundant labor

supply, it is very necessary to examine this issue to know the relation between employability skills
and fresh graduates’ job. The aim is to want to know how employability skill impact on job
opportunities.
1.3.2 Specific Aim
This study is conducted to address the following objectives:
(1)

Determining importance of employability skills to impact on job opportunities.

(2)

Evaluating different significance of employability between business field and

engineering field.
1.4

Research Question

(1)

Which employability skills are important to achieve job opportunities?
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(2)

How do employability skills impact on fresh graduates’ job opportunities and career

performance?
(3)

Is there different significance of employability skills for people who work in

business areas and ones who work in technical areas?
1.5

Significance

It is very necessary to do this research because of its practical significance. Firstly, this
survey tries to find the important skills for Vietnamese students to get jobs and work well.
Secondly, fresh graduates know how to improve their capabilities. Additionally, these results are
foundations for employers to make decision when they recruit new employees. Thirdly, this is
practical material which students, employers and scholars use to support coming research in the
future. At last, the study is fulfilled in the context of economic integration in Viet Nam
1.6

The Scope and Limitation

This study is carried out to survey employees, who are studying master courses and
secondary universities.
The limitation of this study is that samples are not covered many places in Viet Nam. Ho
Chi Minh City is flourish one in Viet Nam, the population and jobs are better than other cities and
rural provinces. Thus the reality of results will change if the same survey is done in other places.

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEWS
2.1

Concepts and Definitions

2.1.1 Employability
According to Robinson and Garton (2007), to go with global competition, fresh graduates
need to adapt to the new business environment and workplace demands. The key elements are the
employability skills and competencies conveyed during tertiary education.
Paranto and Kelker (1999) analyzes employers’ satisfaction and examines which skills
employers perceive important when hiring fresh graduates, namely specific skills, core skills,
personal characteristics, and communication skills (Table 2.1).
Table 2.1: Skills under Four Factors
Specific Skills

Core Skills

Personal

Communication Skills

Self-confidence

Characteristics
Business ethics

Listening skills

Spread sheet knowledge Critical thinking

Professionalism

Speaking skills

Data base knowledge

Word processing

Creative thinking

knowledge

Interpersonal skills

Ability to adapt to

Leadership skills

changing technology

Experience with real

Technical skills

world problems

Written communication

Mathematical skills
(Source: Policy Research Working Paper 5640, The World Bank)
The concept of employability, which Hillage and Pollard (1998) have defined, refers to a
person's capability for gaining and maintaining employment; or ‘A set of achievements – skills,
understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment and

be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community
and the economy (Yorke, 2004). Moreover, Yorke explains that Skills include core skills, key skills,
transferable skills & generic skills. According to Rake (2009), Employability skills are the skills
almost everyone needs to do almost any job, make specific knowledge and technical skills fully
productive. In the other study, Bloom (1956) suggests three kinds of learning skills such as
Cognitive skills consisting of knowledge and the development of intellectual skills; Affective skills
including internal emotions such as feeling, values, appreciation, enthusiasm, motivations, and

5


attitudes; and Psychomotor skills relating to physical movements, coordination, and the use of
motor-skill areas. The department for education and skills (2007) and Education Department
International Plc (EDI) (2011) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report defines
employability skills as positive attitude, self-management, team working, business and customer
awareness, problem solving, communication and literacy, application of numeracy and application
of information technology. Thinking about fresh graduates, it means a person is out of school and
no longer has any semesters ahead of him or her, no more semester breaks and no more travelling.
In this study, fresh graduate is a tertiary person who has received an academic degree or diploma
and has been worked less than one year.
Table 2.2: Skills Grouped into Three Factors
Factor1

Factor2

(Core Employability Skills) (Professional Skills)

Factor3
(Communication Skills)

Integrity

Identify, formulate, and solve

Written communication

Self-discipline

technical/engineering problems

Design &conduct

Reliability

Design a system, component, or

experiments, and analyze

Self-motivated

process to meet desired needs

and interpret data

Entrepreneurship Skills

Use appropriate/modern tools,

Reading

Teamwork

equipment, technologies

Communication in English

Understands and takes

Apply knowledge of

Technical Skills

directions for work

mathematics, science,

Verbal communication

assignments

engineering

Basic computer

Willingness to learn

Customer Service Skills

Advanced computer

Flexibility

Knowledge of contemporary

Empathy

issues
Creativity
(Source: Policy Research Working Paper 5640, The World Bank)

Robinson and Garton (2007) state that core skills are very necessary to achieve success in
the workplace. Successful graduates need to have greater ownership of their employability skills
and the confidence to cope with economic upheavals in order to identify and capitalize on career
opportunities over lifetime.

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Professor Abu (as cited in Hairi, 2011) says that employability skills, consisting of two
skills; technical skills and generic skills, are vital in working place. However, when following
research of Andreas and Hiroshi (2011), skills are grouped into three factors using the importance
ratings (Table 2.2).
2.1.2 Soft Skills
Soft skills are described as personal attributes often associated with personal qualities such
as optimism, common sense, responsibility, a sense of humor, integrity; and personal abilities that
can be practiced such as empathy, teamwork, leadership, communication, good manners,
negotiation, sociability, the ability to teach which enhance an individual interactions, job
performance and career prospects.
Communication plays a part in almost every aspect of business. Good communication can
boost job performance and is essential to build a cohesive and effective team. Good communication

skill also helps employees minimize the likelihood of occurrence of industrial problems in the
workplace (Wahab, Bakar, Rosli, & Junoh, 2013). Fallows, Stevens (2000) and Pittenger (2004)
have identified presentation skills as an important facet of employability in order to promote
business graduate employability within an increasingly competitive and global business
environment. By the way, excellent verbal communication skills are also necessary in order that
graduates feel confident in their abilities to communicate such knowledge (Andrews & Higson,
2008).
In a study by Stewart and Knowles (2000) on graduate recruitment and selection in small
businesses, it points out the following skills essential such as attention to detail, positive work ethic,
good time keeping, caring and commitment to helping others, common sense, world and local
awareness, good memory, likeable personality, broad based knowledge and the ability to adapt
knowledge to “real world” situations. From the other responses obtain from this study, work
experience, problem solving, decision making, being a self-starter and showing initiative come to
the fore ground. According to Munir, Aniswal and Haslinda (2005), the majority of respondents
from their research agree that all the personal qualities are very important, because of encompassing
willingness to learn new things; dedicated and committed, possess self-confidence; pleasant
personality. Additionally, fresh graduates with good personal qualities have the drive to achieve
results, resourceful. They are able to take initiatives, responsible, reliable and trustworthy; able to
adjust and adapt to change; able to work independently; able to withstand pressure and uncertainty;

7


able to self-evaluate own performance, obedient and compliant, knowledgeable and skillful, openminded, helpful and possess ethnic and gender sensitivity.
In the current search for talent workforce scenario by Hairi (2011), Employers need five
essential soft skills in the working place in a descending order of importance including
communication skill, teamwork, decision making and problem solving, creative and critical
thinking, program and project management skill. Communication and teamwork skills are the most
important ones of soft skills because employers mostly demand. Deetya, Williams and DeMicco
(1998) (as cited in Subramonian, 2008) repeat that fresh graduates with transferable skills including

strong written and oral communication skills, interpersonal skills, team work and problem solving
skills will meet employers’ need. In short, soft skills can identify key ‘transferable’ skills and
competencies integral to graduate employability encompassing professionalism, reliability, the
ability to cope with uncertainty, the ability to work under pressure, the ability to plan and think
strategically, the capability to communicate and interact with others, either in teams or through
networking, good written and verbal communication skills, creativity and self-confidence, good
self-management and time-management skills, a willingness to learn and accept responsibility
(Nabi, 2003 and Elias & Purcell, 2004).
2.1.3 Technical Skills
There are some jobs requiring technical skills such as specialist knowledge, technological
skill, general intelligence, numeracy and IT skills, professional skills, experience and competencies,
knowledge of other fields, analytical and research. It has been said that a person cannot perform the
job well in case they have no job-specific skills.
Technical skills are the knowledge and abilities which are necessary to do mathematical,
engineering, scientific or computer-related duties, as well as other specific tasks acquired through
learning and practice. In other words, a particular skill set, process, technique knowledge and
proficiency are required to perform a specific job or task. Other competencies are considered
important by the respondents to have the ability to “fit in”. General intelligence, numeracy and IT
skills (Stewart & Knowles, 2000) amongst the skills that are frequently highlighted lifelong learning
skills (Saad, Robani, Jano, & Majid, 2013). In the study of Harvey, Burrows and Green (1992), the
specific technical knowledge is discovered as the important one of profession skill. Hard skills have
been highlighted to increase the graduate employability and employment rate. Moreover, some hard
skills encompassing provision of temporary and vacation work, literacy, time management, research
skills, computer skills help to secure work placement and internship, as well as contacting with
8


employers, curriculum vitae writing, providing help in job search, career fairs, and job searching
techniques.
2.1.4 Foreign Languages

Firstly, let talk about foreign Language proficiency which is an individual ability to speak or
perform the other languages that they acquired through learning process, besides their mothertongue. Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences views foreign language proficiency as consisting of
a broad set of abilities, including:


The ability to read and write a foreign language;



The ability to speak and understand a foreign language;



Knowledge and understanding of the history and culture of the community or
communities in which the foreign language is spoken;



The ability to function in culturally-appropriate ways within a community or
communities in which the foreign language is spoken.

Foreign languages play an important role in supporting fresh graduates to be recruited in
Viet Nam. Some studies of foreign languages, especially report that vast majority of fresh graduates
have a job if they were good at other languages.
According to Kitao (2001), English is used widely in some areas of news and information,
business, diplomacy, professions, travel and also entertainment. The employees need the ability to
communicate by English fluently. Based on a research done by Irham, Shafinah and Azhari (2006)
(as cited in Shafie, 2010), it find that the R&D department administrators have been looking for
candidates who have the abilities to generate and express ideas verbally in English at 90 percent; to
give presentations using English at 90 percent; to write report in English at 60 percent; to speak

English fluently at 60 percent; to have a good command of English language grammar at 30
percent; and to have persuasive skills in English language at 30 percent. The findings also inform
that fresh graduates need to master the language as it is used world-wide. English communication is
rated as the most important communication skill and higher than any technical skill. In the same
word, English can support communication skill and technical skill because almost of material,
technical books are written in English. Almost of companies in Ho Chi Minh City refer students to
have international English certificates such as TOEIC, IELTS, or TOEFL. IELTS which score 6.5 is
required to study in foreign universities or study abroad, or apply for a job of foreign companies.
Decision 1400/QĐ-TTg dated 30 September, 2008 has been stated that by 2020 Viet Nam is
going to improve English language proficiency for all students in universities accounted for 60
9


percent by 2015-2016 and 100 percent by 2019-2020 to help them use a foreign language
confidently in their daily communication. Besides, they can practice English in studying and
working, adapt to multi-cultural and multi- lingual environment. According to The Gallup
Organization, Hungary upon the request of Directorate-General for Education and Culture (2010),
At least three-quarters of respondents in 24 countries agree that English is very or rather important
when recruiting higher education graduates. Finally, foreign languages play an important role and
show a very different picture in various cultures in Viet Nam.
2.1.5 Work Experience
It can be understood as all skills and knowledge which people get during their working
period. It gives employees opportunities to get jobs, to take part in world of work and encourage
them much confident for their performance. In addition, it proves that employees are valuable and
productive in working. As the other idea, work experience may be including of structured summer
placements, summer internships, short term project placements, casual work,…Dearing (1997).
According to Department for Education and Skills (2007), employees, who are at all ages, can get
experience in the world of work to develop their key competencies and skills, as well as upgrading
their employability. Fresh graduates who are good at work experience can enhance their learning
and employability (Knight & Yorke, 2000).

Holmes (2001) advises that it is necessary to set tasks in relation with the work place, in
case the degree program has not created work experience. Majority of students try to work to
support themselves when studying at university, automatically they get work experience, according
to Shabi, (as cited in Lees 2002). It has been agreed that students are spending some time each week
working to earn money rather than studying. Thus, the more they work, the more they increase their
understanding of both themselves and the workplace.
Shortly, there are four core skills and competencies for this survey. Firstly, Soft skills
include communication skill, team-working skill, time-management skill, stress - tolerance skill,
decision making skill, learning skill, adapting skill, enthusiasm and commitment, creative and
innovative. Secondly, technical skills encompass specialist skills, IT skill, social knowledge,
knowledge of other fields, analytical and research. And two important factors are work experience,
and foreign language proficiency that impact on job opportunity.
2.1.6 Job Opportunity/Employment Gaining:
An opportunity is a favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of
circumstances, and job opportunity is a good chance for advancement or progress of career, the
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progress and actions taken by people throughout their lifetime, especially those related to their
occupations. As the result, there are some courses in universities that enable students to recognize
their own strengths and skills and understand how to best articulate those preferences and
achievements to future employers or academic institutions in the future.
It's important to recognize opportunities when fresh graduates present themselves. That is
one of the best ways for graduates to launch their careers. After hard working to get degrees, now
graduates have to put those degrees to work in a dynamic, challenging environment where they can
grow and learn even more. Majority of companies offers a widely various careers for graduates, the
reason is that recruiters want to allow the individual to build on their knowledge, skills and
interests, and launch a rewarding career.
Employers have been looking for fresh graduates from a wide branch of knowledge
including technical degrees in Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science; as well as those

with excellent academic acquirement in Business and Commerce, Economics, Organizational
Psychology, Human Resources, Finance and Law. Employers also said that “Our doors are open to
high-performing individuals who are keen on building a world-class career with a global company”.
As the result, the companies who create job opportunity and graduates who receive job opportunity
if they are qualified to meet employers’ need.
To specify job opportunity, there is an example take from www.money-zine.com:
“Job opportunities
Working and volunteering at Chance UK
Chance UK is currently advertising for one new member of staff.
Research and Training Officer (Full Time)
NJC Scale 5, spinal points 22-25 (£21,552-£23,337) +5% pension contribution
Based at our head office in Finsbury Park
Role: The two main responsibilities of the post are to provide administrative, statistical and
research support for the Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) that Chance UK is currently
undertaking, as well as for other evaluation and research work as required, and to administer the
mentor application and training processes.
Requirements:
•

A relevant degree

•

At least one year’s experience of statistical and research work

•

Strong written and verbal communication skills
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•

Exceptional attention to detail

•

Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office especially Excel

•

Experience working for a children’s charity or similar would be an advantage, but

not essential
To apply for this role, please fill in the application and monitoring forms provided below
and return to with ‘Research and Training Officer’ in the subject line.”
In Vietnam, all job descriptions also require degree, certificates, foreign languages,
experiences and computer skills.
This is another example for job opportunity for Sales Assistant (Logistics) from Harbour
Asia Logistics Co. Ltd.,
“Requirement:


Candidates must possess at least the College Degree, Bachelor’s degree, Economics,
Logistics/Transportation, Business Study/Administration/Management, Maritime
Study or equivalent.

2.2



At least 04 years experiences in Shipping/Forwarding/Logistics.



Bachelor Degree in Economy or Foreign Trade



Good at Chinese or English, computers skill (Microsoft offices, Outlook Express).



Ability to work under high pressure.



Personal Characteristics: Hard working, enthusiasm, dynamic.



Self-confidence.



Team working.”
Role of Employability Skills toward to Job Opportunities

Nowadays, most employers, which are big state companies and organizations, especially
Vietinbank and Vietcombank prefer to hire graduates from public universities such as University of

Economics, Can Tho University, Foreign Trade University or International University since the
necessary academic qualifications and employability skills are perceived necessarily and
importantly in the job environment. Generally employers who have the experience of hiring
graduates from a public university are satisfied and happy with their graduates. To attain best talent
and good employment are big challenge which employers are facing at the time of economic crisis.
Therefore, only the graduates with better competencies will be able to meet these challenges and fit
in the job market. Now qualification and core skill have been much necessary for the graduates to
achieve excellent results in their Jobs. However, there still has big shortage between employers’
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needs and graduates’ employability skills. Many research give the results in lack of graduates’
employability causing paradox between demand and supply in labor market. Davies (2000)
indicates that the personal characteristics, transferable skill and employability skills are very
important to entry level positions, but fresh graduates have not possessed them. The majority of
students are wrong to get insufficient knowledge and wrong kind of expertise for their future jobs.
As the result, employers prefer to recruit experienced workers than fresh graduates who cannot
apply what have learned.
2.2.1 Technical Skills Impact on Job Opportunities
There has lack of qualified graduates with technical Skills such as science and industrial
skills. In multi-national companies upgrading technological contents through automation is very
important to produce high end products, but their problem is poor at necessary technical skills and
knowledge of employees. On the survey of English Russell Group HEI (2006) careers service, they
show out employers’ requirement for main attributes and skills of graduates. Firstly, a good degree
from a good university serves as a form of ‘quality assurance’. Secondly, work-experience needs
turning up on time, and enables graduates to get the job quite quickly. Thirdly, participation is
important as it implies that fresh graduates are a ‘doer’ and a ‘contributor’ and are active and to
self-initiate persons, and also show that they are able to be a part of a working community.
Fourthly, “ability to reflect on their experience” is to tell their university experience which has
contributed to their overall learning and being aware of how this learning is transferable to other

contexts. However, graduates are not only expected to have the technical and discipline
competences from their degrees, but also are required to demonstrate a range of broader skills and
attributes that include team-working, communication, leadership, critical thinking, problem solving
and often managerial abilities or potential. (Lowden, Hall, Elliot & Lewin, 2011).
The employer want to be asked for something it is particularly suited to offer, because of
their desiring for specific and value-added skills. It creates obvious benefits when giving something
(Rake, 2009). Depending upon economic sectors and the regions, their firm sizes and hierarchical
structures, employers require different technical skills for their offers. For example, IT companies
generally demand creativity and strong system design skills while the knowledge of mathematics,
science, and engineering are less important. However, fresh graduates, with strong ability to use
modern tools and the knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering, are prioritized by the
infrastructure firms that have been examined by Andreas and Hiroshi (2011). It has been fiercely
debating about Graduates’ employability in Ho Chi Minh labor market. The economic globalization
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and rapid changes taking place in Viet Nam create a pressure upon employers in foreign companies.
To identify and recruit fresh graduates who possess key employability skills suitable to their current
demands, employers test technical skills carefully. To them, the fundamental requirements which
graduates possess are basic education and technical skills are two for recruitment first. However,
what are going to make employers satisfy mostly are the graduates’ ability to continue learning
independently in the acquisition of new knowledge, skills and technologies for job performance.
Employers emphasize on experience which helps employees and employers acquire the full benefits
as authentic as possible. In Tran’s study (2012), Employers want to recruit employees who have
appropriate experience, and new recruits are chosen because of their doing similar jobs or involving
in a similar work environment before. Moreover, they are really willing to hire graduates with rich
‘life skills’. In short, employees with real world problem solving experience are hopefully expected
by recruiters, fresh graduates either easily get jobs or adapt to the new working environment
quickly. With the same study topics, Truong (2006) who has researched for professional knowledge
for ‘technical’, work-related skills, or enterprise skills in Ho Chi Minh City says that these skills are

very important for Vietnamese employees to meet recruiters’ needs and reach jobs. Dymock and
Gerber (2002) have interviewed employers, majority of them say that employees are hoped to bring
appropriate skills, knowledge, values and practical experience to the organization. In summary,
technical skills and work experience play important role in fresh graduates’ job opportunity.
2.2.2 Importance of Work Experience toward to Job Opportunities
In latter-day society, work experience breaks unemployment and also brings fresh graduates
to many job choices. Employees also know how to make a CV, what is the recruitment process to
be easy to apply for a job and do the interview. Employers see fresh graduates as “risk” when they
lack of work experience, according to Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2012).
Fresh graduates with undertaken work experience are highly valued by recruiters, it is more
significant if they can reflect on it and express and bring into playing what they have been trained
(Knight & Yorke, 2002a).
Additionally, work experience has determined career outcomes. The employees feel that
they are more successful because of their experience. The Education and Employers Taskforce
(2012) also find the great majority and agree that work experience enables fresh graduates to
develop employability skills and apply for good job. Surely, employers still agree that job
experience is critical in new recruits.

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Fresh graduates are said to be successful in their job hunt unless they have no done good
work experience. A majority of fresh-graduate recruiters, who take part in a recent research study
by Highfliers, agree that employees are unsuccessful during the selection process, or have little or
no chance of receiving a job offer because of having no work experience. The world of work easily
comes to fresh graduates who are equipped with work experience. Practical workplace skills and
experience play an important role in recruiters’ perception to apply directly to specific industries or
market niches. For fresh graduates studying engineering, business studies, healthcare or hospitality,
work experience are more significant because it creates the link between theory and practice.
Additionally, a qualification is perceived as less important than work experience considered as

skills learnt, employers high appreciate valuable staff more than those learnt on a degree. In general,
Work experience is very significant for fresh graduates’ employability. Martin and McCabe (2007)
inform that work experience contributes positively to graduates’ future employability.
2.2.3 Impact of Soft Skills on Job Opportunities
Employers today focus on finding good workers who have not only basic academic skills
like reading, writing, science, mathematics but also higher order thinking skills like learning,
reasoning, thinking creatively, decision making and problem solving (Shafie & Nayan, 2010).
Graduates are taught some teaching theoretical knowledge in universities for their good job but
actual experience is very necessary to acquire a wider range of soft skills and attributes.
Regrettably, graduates have low academic achievement, and those in the wrong field are
oversupplied. There are 55 percent lacking of literacy skills, 51 percent lacking of communication
skills, 48 percent lacking of enthusiasm and commitment and 47 percent lacking of numeracy skills,
according to Martin, Smith, Marshall and McKenzie (2008). With more studies, Singh (2008)
mentions that majority of the young graduates perform well in universities and have good
certificates and degrees. However, these graduates are not good at skills, attitudes, and
understanding, so they face challenges to enter the world of work (AlHady, Zakaria, Omar and Ali,
2011). Working environment is rather different from university environment, even though
knowledge graduates use to work also little different from knowledge leant in university because
graduate do practical jobs more than theoretical jobs. Certain job needs specific skills suitable for it,
thus they should improve more skills to enter the world of work. However, the position needs
certain knowledge, depending on their target jobs, fresh graduates can take good jobs different from
their major. For example, the information technology graduate can accept to work as business staff
in a state organization because he thinks it is a stable and good job with good benefit. As the result,
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