JobStreet: 1 in 5 Malaysians have lost their jobs due to COVID-19

The sad reality is that we already could guess that the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic would lead to an economic slowdown, leading to high unemployment rates. A survey conducted by JobStreet found that 1 in 5 people who were working prior to the MCO had been retrenched.

The survey was conducted in May, where JobStreet asked 5,000 members of the Malaysian workforce. Most of the retrenched employees were from the low-income segment, as well as the part-time workforce in small organisations.

The retrenched workers are largely from industries like tourism/travel, hospitality, mass transportation, education and retail industries. The survey showed that 54% of them are actively searching and applying for jobs, and that there are more than 74 million job searches on Google in March. JobStreet’s survey also indicated that 35% of Malaysians have experienced a salary reduction of more than 30% during the MCO.

With JobStreet’s survey results, they’ve started the ‘Work Now’ initiative. It “helps job seekers stand out” by informing “potential employers that they are ready to work immediately.”

“Now, more than ever, JobStreet is committed to its purpose of improving lives through better careers,” says Gan Bock Herm, Country Manager of JobStreet.

Likewise, this allows companies to identify and access job seekers that are available for hiring. Here’s how to use the function:

• Log into your JobStreet profile
• Click “Update My Profile”
• Click “Additional Info”
• Click the pencil icon next to “Additional Info” to access “Other Information”
• Type in #WorkNow under “Other Information”
• Click “Save”

“#WorkNow is part of JobStreet’s continuous initiative to help unemployed Malaysians get back to work during this unprecedented time, while enabling businesses through the right talent fit. JobStreet has a critical role during this time to help Malaysians secure available jobs in the shortest time possible, and to support them through this COVID-19 crisis,” said Ramesh Rajandran, Chief Marketing Officer of SEEK Asia, JobStreet’s parent company.

JobStreet also has the “Together Ahead” initiative, which includes a COVID-19 Jobs and Resources Hub to connect employers and job seekers with information and insights that might help them. You can also find in-demand jobs by industry, companies that are hiring and career advice. You can find the hub here.

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