Lack of suitable jobs
At 8:30 am on February 27, Mr. Duong Quang Minh (born in 2000, Phuong Liet ward, Hanoi) was present at the Hanoi Employment Service Center. In his hand was a set of documents that had been prepared.
While actively applying online through businesses, I also submit applications to increase job opportunities, hoping to connect with many employers through official channels," Mr. Minh said.
Immediately after leaving the Hanoi Employment Service Center, Mr. Minh prepared for an interview with a company in Ha Dong ward. To confidently interview according to the appointment at 2:30 pm, Mr. Minh asked a "senior" for lunch so that this person could guide him on how to answer the interview to increase opportunities.
I graduated from university with a degree in State management in 2023. Graduating in the epidemic season was already difficult to find a job, and my industry is specialized, so there are even fewer job opportunities. From August 2023 to now, I have only done administrative and office jobs for private companies. After 5 job changes, I seriously want to find better job opportunities after accumulating some experience," Mr. Minh shared.
Late in the afternoon of February 27, Mr. Minh re-informed that after the interview, the recruiter informed him that he "did not meet the conditions" so he would not recruit. "I will continue to look for a job," Mr. Minh said.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu (38 years old, from Ha Dong commune, Thanh Hoa) used to work as an accountant for a garment company in Viet Hung ward (Hanoi) for nearly 10 years. Immediately after the 2026 Lunar New Year, the company cut staff, Ms. Thu quit her job and began her journey to find a new job.
I thought it was easy to get a job with experience, but after going to a few places, I found it not simple. Some places require in-depth experience, while others require personnel to handle many stages and parts of the job, while the salary is not much higher than before. Some places require personnel to be proficient in using sales software and managing online applications, I read slowly so they didn't accept me," Ms. Thu shared.
According to Ms. Thu, the biggest difficulty for "mediocre" workers like her (level and experience are not much higher, nor are they general laborers) is not lack of work, but lack of suitable work. Many businesses recruit large numbers, but detailed requirements on skills, working hours, overtime, and labor discipline make it difficult for everyone to meet.
The story of Mr. Minh and Ms. Thu is not unique. According to records of the Hanoi Employment Service Center, in many job transaction sessions, the number of recruitment positions is always higher than the number of applicants, but the actual rate of workers receiving jobs is not high. This clearly reflects the gap between labor supply and demand, especially in connecting.
Not only experienced workers with degrees, young workers, especially new graduates, the job application journey is even more challenging.
Many positions require 1-2 years of experience, while new graduates like me find it very difficult to meet. Some places accept training but the starting salary is low, not enough to cover living expenses in Hanoi," said Ms. Nguyen Thuc Anh - a bachelor of marketing.
Businesses and workers have not "met
According to the Hanoi Employment Service Center, employers are placing increasingly high requirements right from the start, from digital skills, the ability to use professional software, foreign languages, to professional working style. Meanwhile, many young workers enter the market with a theoretical foundation but lack practical experience, leading to "dismatch" right from the selection round. Workers with degrees and experience are not "deep" and do not meet the requirements in the new context.
In the context of businesses promoting digital transformation, requiring workers to be flexible and multitasking, older workers are easily "missed" in recruitment if they do not equip themselves with new skills in time. This forces them to accept seasonal jobs with low and unstable incomes," said Mr. Vu Quang Thanh - Deputy Director of Hanoi Employment Service Center.
Also according to Mr. Thanh, the difficulty in job connection today stems not only from the workers, but also from the recruitment methods of businesses. Many businesses still recruit according to short-term needs, requiring "to do it right away", with little initial training investment. Meanwhile, workers want stable jobs, enough income to live on, and a less stressful environment. This imbalance makes the labor market fall into a paradox: businesses complain about shortage of people, workers complain about difficulty finding jobs. In particular, the general salary level is only at an average level, making it difficult to create motivation for workers to improve their skills or stick with them for a long time.
