Let me tell you a little bit about my educational background and my jumbled experiences. I hold two bachelor degrees one of which is Bachelor of Education in English (Teaching English!) and another is Laws. Since my graduation in 2009, my first job was to teach English as a part-time job at New World Institute and 9 months later, I moved to Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) which was part time as well. Just a month later, my friend Chenda introduced me to her boss (boss of HML Law Firm) to work as a translator. I worked there as another part time job. Within a few months, I was delivered different tasks which were more than translating documents and titled Legal Assistant. There were some serious problems with the boss, I resigned and only worked at ITC as a part time teacher. Later, I found an interesting master degree which is a joint cooperation between Royal University of Law and Economics and École Nationale d'Administration in France. Thus, I had a plan which was to quit teaching when that master is about to end and look for another job in an international NGO.
Time passed, just a month before ending my master, I decided to resign from ITC as it was at the right time before signing another annual contract. I thought it was better to resign from ITC after a contract ends rather than resigning while on a contract; it was all wrong. I did save my reputation as I did not resign during contract. However, I could not save myself financially as I have not found a new job - which mean from having two jobs at the same time to having no job. Silly me.
Since the time I resigned from ITC in September 2012, it has been more than 3 months that I have stayed unemployed. I have been applying to different types of companies. There were different cases, actually. Some after seeing my CV, they may think it is not necessary to employ a person with a master for such a small position in their company. For example, at CSL & Associates, I applied for a position of Legal Assistant. I was called for test and stuff. After finishing the writing test and the interview, I already felt that it was me, because there were only two candidates - me and a girl. She was a fresh graduate with an internship experience while I used to work on such translation task for a year. The writing test was to translate Civil Code, and it was a part of my job at HML Law Firm; thus, I could assume that was done without or with very little mistake. I do not mean that I look down on the girl, I only meant I was better in term of experience and educational background; and even more during the interview, I also could answer their questions very well. The talk was interesting. Still, they did not recruit me.
Base on that, I could assume that employer needs an employees with experience, but not necessarily have a higher education (Master or Ph.D) since they possibly think that these kind of employees will not stay at the small position for long term which will affect the company for a long run.
That is one problem, here is another. I also applied for other positions at International NGOs and International Companies, though I do not have the experience regarding the tasks listed in the advertisement. Again, some went ignorant and some called but I could not do the writing task well since I have never done that before. As a result, I failed again and again and found myself quite useless - even worse than a guy speaking broken English. He could find a job.
Lesson Learned
So, here as it is already late for me to make any changes beside keep on looking for a job, I would like to give some recommendations to the youngster.
1. Find a field that you think you could do. Go straight to it. Do not ignore any single scores from quiz or any test. They are all important for your first job. Since you do not have experience, so why not apply with a transcript? Show off your score!
2. After you finish your degree, do not go straight for ANY jobs. Think a bit because it will affect your future career. How you start professional life is important. You should not follow my path. For example, I started my first job as an English teacher when I did not actually want it. I did it, I made some money. So what? I still have today - having difficulty looking for a job in international NGO.
If possible, you may seek for an internship at international NGO like at UNDP, World Vision, etc, because they will place you in the right field.
Money is not your goal, bear in mind. It is the experience which will help you find a well paid job in the future.
3. Do not rush for a master degree. If possible, find a job, work on it, if you do not like it, change it. Until you find a suitable job with your bachelor degree since then you may consider pursuing a master which will enable you to know better in that field. Again, do not jumble like me. My experience and my educational background is so zig-zagging (I am still looking for single away out, you see?) You have to know that a Master degree is for a professional to have more knowledge or to be promoted for a higher position in the field he is working on.
