Nearly half of young people have zero savings: 87% of new graduates willing to take pay cuts, a 7-year high

A significant portion of recent graduates in Taiwan are facing severe financial strain, with nearly half reporting zero savings upon graduation. A survey by yes123 Job Network revealed that 48.6% of new graduates have no savings to support themselves during their job search, leaving them with an average of only 27 days of financial cushion.

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The autobiography is the biggest difficulty in writing a resume.

This lack of savings contributes to immense pressure, as 87.3% of new graduates are willing to accept lower salaries to secure employment, a trend that has reached a seven-year high. The study also highlighted that the average "waiting tolerance limit" for unemployment is about 5.6 months, or 168 days. Beyond this period, the willingness to accept reduced pay increases significantly.

The job search process itself presents numerous hurdles. A high percentage of respondents, 94.7%, reported experiencing "unemployment anxiety," which intensifies with longer job searches. Key difficulties include crafting effective resumes and cover letters, with 88% finding it hard to write a compelling autobiography. Furthermore, 93.3% of graduates find interview preparation challenging, often worrying about poor verbal communication, inappropriate answers, or not understanding the job requirements and salary expectations.

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I am worried about poor verbal communication and inappropriate answers.

Yang Zongbin, spokesperson for yes123 Job Network, advised new graduates to highlight their unique strengths in their resumes and cover letters. He stressed the importance of proactive job seeking, punctuality, politeness during interviews, thoughtful responses, and maintaining a sincere yet confident attitude to improve their chances of securing employment.

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Personal characteristics must be included in the resume and autobiography. Actively seeking jobs, being punctual, not missing appointments, being polite during interviews, staying calm, responding with substance, and maintaining a sincere and humble attitude are all key points to pay attention to.