The prolonged economic crisis is driving prospective job seekers to despair -- some even before entering the market, reports Sherine Shoukry The month of July is when students in universities all over the country get ready to graduate and join the real world. Yet it seems many are not looking forward to being catapulted into working life. It's not about laziness or lack of ambition, or even the eternal carelessness of youth. Rather, many are wondering if the real world has anything to offer at a time when most feel their chances of finding a job is slim to none. The global economic crisis has hit many hard. From bankers to grocers to wives of men made redundant, it's safe to say that most have been affected, on either a personal or financial level. But those about to graduate feel as if they got the short end of the stick. With little professional experience, and Egypt's unemployment rising to 9.4 per cent from last year's 8.8 per cent, the prospect of employment to them seems like a dream lost, along with hopes of independence. The gloom of unemployment also seems to have spread evenly amongst students, regardless of where they studied or in what field. The American University in Cairo, whose graduates were once the most sought after in Egypt, is no longer a student's ticket to a job. This was most apparent at the university's recent biannual employment fair. Not only was there an obvious drop in the number of participating firms and companies, but also the atmosphere amongst the students was rife with pessimism. "I'm applying, but I don't think I'll get a job," said Ghada El-Marsafawi, a graduating senior looking for a position in the field of marketing. "No one I know [who applied to marketing positions] got hired." With the economic crisis hitting hardest in the financial sector and the stock market, those graduating with a degree in finance and accounting feel the most sombre, with one finance student even going as far as calling the AUC event the "unemployment fair", bitterly joking about how, when asked what her major is, her response is always immediately followed by empathy. The mood is no different for engineers. Some are beginning to search for any job out of panic. "I'm graduating in construction engineering this semester after five years, but I'm looking for work even outside my field because it's so difficult to find any," said Mai Al-Jubeh. "My expectations are definitely lower." Doctors, architects and lawyers, on the other hand, seem to be more optimistic due to the more independent nature of their professions. Yasmina Taha, a final year architecture student at the Modern Science and Arts Academy (MSA), said that it's a lot easier for architects to find jobs as "there are small architecture firms all over the place, and there will always be a mentor guiding you. So while there's competition, there's also cooperation. Everyone I know who has graduated from [and sought work in the field of] architecture has found a job." Ramzi Mulki, a Cairo University medical student, believes that although it is very difficult to "climb the ladder" as a doctor in Egypt, it's a safe profession in terms of finding work. "You study for seven years, do an internship for six months, then work at one of the hospitals," he said, adding that opening a private practice is an extra step some can afford to make. "The pay isn't great if you don't open your own private practice, but as a doctor, your professional life is mapped out for you, which makes it much easier." Omar Fathallah, a graduate from the Faculty of Dentistry at Cairo University, agrees, saying that doctors are not affected by the current economic crisis. "It's not harder for us -- in fact it's just the same. Doctors are always needed, so there's always work available." But although some are finding employment a more straightforward process than others, they still struggle, namely due to low pay, especially when coupled with difficult times. Taha argued that taking jobs as teaching assistants is becoming a popular way out of the job market crunch. Her argument was supported by the long line of applicants to schools such as Chouiefat, Green Land and Nefertari at the AUC employment fair. Intriguingly, the pessimistic attitude adopted by job applicants stands in stark contrast to employers' attitudes, which seem very optimistic in terms of hiring, especially fresh graduates. "We are looking for fresh graduates, even with zero experience," stated Karim Mustafa, talent supply manager at Proctor & Gamble (P&G). The company's advantage of selling basic needs products has kept it on an even keel during the crisis. Now, Mustafa says, "we are the number one company for recruitment; every other company is downsizing -- we are expanding." Mohamed Selim, human resources specialist at CIB, says the bank also encourages applications from fresh graduates, but that hiring depends first and foremost on the qualifications of applicants. "There are definitely jobs for fresh graduates. Perhaps those who aren't finding work don't have the needed qualifications [for the jobs they are applying to]," he explained. Orascom seems to be a favourite with engineering students, due to its extensive Talent Programme. As a 27 month-long intensive programme, it seeks graduates with the only requirement of a bachelor's degree in engineering. The programme focuses on rotations within key departments across the OCI Construction Group, and after completion -- subject to performance assessments during the programme -- they may be given the opportunity to further advance their career with the organisation. Mai Mourad, programme coordinator at Orascom, explains the company's hiring philosophy: "We don't hire the crème de la crème just because they're the crème de la crème. From the 40 people in the Talent Programme, only two are students from the AUC. We base our choices on personality and motivation to work." Another aspect most employers agree on is the increase in the number of applicants in the past year. Mustafa describes P&G as having a "record number of applicants", and Iman Hassan, internal communications recruitment coordinator at Schlumberger, admits it's "tough even for engineers -- we now have double the number of applicants". Hassan's point is succinctly analysed by Wael El-Osaili, North Africa staffing manager at Pepsico International, who states: "The reason the number of unemployed graduates is doubling is because last year's graduates haven't been hired yet." Alia El-Mahdi, professor of economics at Cairo University, believes recruiter optimism is bravado. "It's a show for them -- a marketing strategy," she said, further justifying student pessimism. But graduates are themselves part of the problem. "Unemployment is high, but graduates are always opting for high wages." On the subject of unemployment, El-Mahdi did not sugar-coat her forecasts. She suggested unemployment could rise to 10-10.5 per cent, perhaps even 11 per cent, depending on the pace of Egypt's recovery from the crisis. "Internationally, we should start seeing changes by mid-2010. But Egypt is lagging behind [in recovery], so it should be around the end of 2010 or the beginning of 2011 -- and maybe not even then." With a hint of optimism, El-Mahdi asserts that despite the crisis, graduates will always be needed in the job market. "We cannot generalise [by saying that one specialisation is more employable than the other]; it all depends on market needs," she said. "At the moment there's an excess supply of graduates from commerce and the arts, but graduates from law in the English and French divisions, for example, are very much in demand." The job market has always been subject to market laws of supply and demand, but the pessimism rampant amongst students these days may be one of the biggest obstacles standing between them and a job. The job market is now tougher and more selective, and what graduates need is drive and tenacity that will make them stand out from the crowd.
