Fresh graduates may need to adjust salary expectations amid economic uncertainty: Analysts

“On the candidate’s side, they may feel a little bit more frustrated because the job search is longer, they may risk missing out on an opportunity if their expectations are unrealistic. They may not get a second chance at this opportunity.”

“And from the employer side, they are all trying to go after the best candidates, so they may suffer from higher offer rejection rates, they may have a frustration that it’s taking them longer to hire.”

Mr Garg added that prolonged mismatches between expectations and available opportunities could contribute to underemployment, where workers take on roles that do not fully utilise their skills.

This could have implications for hiring timelines and how quickly young workers enter the workforce, noted Mr Garg.

“This is slightly concerning, because it signals a structural expectation gap and not something which is temporary. Employers may feel (they) are quite competitive … but candidates clearly don’t agree. So, this may lead to longer job searches,” he cautioned.

“It may lead to misunderstanding between the employer and the candidate, and also talent misallocation.”