Oh yeah, it’s very real.
This topic always bothers me… especially in Indonesia. When I see future employers posting job ads such as:
Food and beverage manager wanted, should be between the ages of 22-25.
Or
Spg girl wanted, must be a friendly, presentable, outgoing fresh graduate in marketing between the ages of 22-25.
These are some examples, but the point is. In Indonesia, it is very difficult to find a job do anyone nearly 40 years old.
Older? Good luck
If one is nearing 35 or close to 50, they are considered quite old. So why are these employees trying to hire fresh young graduates with zero experience?
Cheap, trainable labor maybe? Maybe, but at the same time, they know very little about real life and real experience.
Ah the no experience, no job scenario. Yes of course the crux of it all is that the best scenario would be the combination of the two. But this is rarely the case. A new young employee would benefit from a well-trained older one. So why is this not being done? Who the hell knows.
The young people.
Having met amazing fresh young graduates, I know they need guidance. On my Instagram and TikTok, I have had many young students reach out to me and ask…
Do you have any job for me?
What guidance can you give a 22-year-old male in Jakarta?
I am in marketing, but I cannot find a job, what business can I start in my 20s?
These are normal and basic questions. While I do not have a solution… one idea that comes up is…
Why don’t we pair small businesses with young graduates? It’s a win-win for both, it is mutually beneficial and we can create a symbiotic relationship between the two.
There are millions of small businesses and millions of fresh graduates. If there were a program between the Indonesian government and universities, the future for many could be much brighter. Instead of segregating old and new, experience and inexperience, we could put the past and future together and create a beneficial relationship for both.
Zsolt Zsemba 