It has always been a fear of fresh graduates that they may not be able to find employment. This is more so in recent years, with even undergraduates feeling similar pressures ("Tougher job market for new entrants"; Nov 2).

As mentioned in the report, companies have been cautious about hiring for two reasons: falling oil prices and a slowing Chinese economy.

A large bulk of our economy is dependent on crude oil.

With the growth in global demand for crude oil predicted to slow next year, there will be visible impact on our job market.

Meanwhile, China is entering a transition phase from a labour-based economy to one which is more skills-based. Hence, its economy is showing signs of a slowdown.

However, this is inevitable when the economy goes through a phase of transition.

In the long run, once the Chinese economy stabilises, it will not be "going down", as some predict it will.

Given such situations, higher rates of unemployment will be a problem which Singapore will face for an extended period of time.

Instead of moping over this, it will be more practical for individuals to improve themselves by acquiring useful skills, as opposed to relying on government policies to help them secure jobs.

An important thing to note when seeking jobs would be relevance and trust.

Before pursuing new qualifications to bolster their resumes, fresh graduates and undergraduates should consider and develop skills such as proficiency in the

Chinese language and an understanding of the Chinese economy.

This will ensure their relevance in both their workplaces and the economy.

This, coupled with the trait of humility, will help increase the chances of employment for fresh graduates.

Choong Ming Zhen (Miss)