He holds a Master's degree in Literature, but was unable to find a job, even after sending out 50 resumes.
After graduating with a second class honours at a local university, Adam (not his real name), 34, obtained a Master's of Arts degree two years ago.
To the man on the street, having higher qualifications would be a golden ticket to a well-paying job, but for Adam, the process of finding a job was an uphill climb.
Adam claimed he was not picky about the job scope and salary, but just hoped to find a decent job with a salary enough to feed and clothe himself.
He sent out about 50 resumes to government organisations and companies in the private sector, but did not get a single reply.
He said desperation even drove him to apply for management trainee, administrative and librarian positions which do not require someone with a Master's degree, but to no avail.
"When I finally got an interview opportunity, the manager told me frankly that I was overqualified and they were actually looking to hire a degree-holder," said Adam.
"He even very kindly discussed my career options with me."
Adam believes he had difficulty finding employment because of his specialisation, which is "hard to market".
"While I was studying for my Master's degree, I went to an employment fair. When the representative from a statutory board realised I was doing Literature, he immediately lost interest and told me to apply for a teaching position at the Ministry of Education instead."
With much persistence, Adam eventually found a job in public relations and subsquently, as a writer in the media industry.
But the worry of facing the same problem of unemployment in the future spurred him to take up a part-time course in accountancy and business - more 'marketable' subjects.
Need more effort in marketing yourself
What should you do if you did not study a popular or marketable course at university?
"You will need to spend more effort in 'selling yourself'", says recruitment expert, Mr Liang Cang Guo.
Mr Liang says those with an Arts degree tend to be strong in their language, and can consider a career in the creative line, as a journalist, or in public relations.
Instead of looking for jobs on your own, Mr Liang also suggests signing up with a recruitment agency, which can help to promote your skills to employers.
After graduating with a second class honours at a local university, Adam (not his real name), 34, obtained a Master's of Arts degree two years ago.
To the man on the street, having higher qualifications would be a golden ticket to a well-paying job, but for Adam, the process of finding a job was an uphill climb.
Adam claimed he was not picky about the job scope and salary, but just hoped to find a decent job with a salary enough to feed and clothe himself.
He sent out about 50 resumes to government organisations and companies in the private sector, but did not get a single reply.
He said desperation even drove him to apply for management trainee, administrative and librarian positions which do not require someone with a Master's degree, but to no avail.
"When I finally got an interview opportunity, the manager told me frankly that I was overqualified and they were actually looking to hire a degree-holder," said Adam.
"He even very kindly discussed my career options with me."
Adam believes he had difficulty finding employment because of his specialisation, which is "hard to market".
"While I was studying for my Master's degree, I went to an employment fair. When the representative from a statutory board realised I was doing Literature, he immediately lost interest and told me to apply for a teaching position at the Ministry of Education instead."
With much persistence, Adam eventually found a job in public relations and subsquently, as a writer in the media industry.
But the worry of facing the same problem of unemployment in the future spurred him to take up a part-time course in accountancy and business - more 'marketable' subjects.
Need more effort in marketing yourself
What should you do if you did not study a popular or marketable course at university?
"You will need to spend more effort in 'selling yourself'", says recruitment expert, Mr Liang Cang Guo.
Mr Liang says those with an Arts degree tend to be strong in their language, and can consider a career in the creative line, as a journalist, or in public relations.
Instead of looking for jobs on your own, Mr Liang also suggests signing up with a recruitment agency, which can help to promote your skills to employers.
