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Summer
Jobs Introduction As
the schools approach their annual summer holidays break, young people may scour
the advertising pages of the media looking for temporary employment jobs. It is
a mixed blessing: it offers youngsters a diversion from school to earn a bit of
pocket-money and learn something new, while employers count on support from temporary
staff to meet short-term increase of orders from their clients. At the same time,
it is not always a win-win situation for all, as past experience shows. Background - There
are many pluses to job-seeking by young people during the summer holidays. First
of all, the welcome temporary summer jobs will enhance considerably the youngsters'
self-esteem. Next, by exposing the young and impressionable employees to real-life
problems and situations, it will also help to enhance the youngsters' social awareness
and commitment to the community. This, in turn, will have the double bonus of
reinforcing their civic consciousness while, at the same time, equipping them
with the ability and frame of mind to tackle with confidence and capability whatever
life may throw at them in the future.
- Nonetheless, young people have
to watch out while seeking summer jobs. Bearing in mind that there is the very
real, and ever present, risk that some swindlers might try to exploit the situation
by taking advantage of the inexperience and eagerness of young people seeking
summer jobs to make a fast buck for themselves, thus satisfying their greed or
their own selfish goal and ends. Some unscrupulous employers might also be tempted
to abuse the system by attempting to shortchange the naive youngsters in terms
of their just and legal remuneration, their fringe benefits and other statutory
and contractual entitlements.
- Therefore, while looking for summer jobs,
the youngsters should at all times be both realistic and cautious. They should
have their ears to the ground by being alert, and paying attention to prevailing
market conditions and trends. This then will enable them to detect employment
traps effectively and in time. By adopting such a cautious approach, taking up
summer jobs will ensure the youngsters, apart from monetary gain, valuable experience.
It will prepare them to make wise decisions in the future while facing employment
choices in the real, working world.
Points
to note and remember on Employment Traps - Job seekers should
take note of and remember the following when examining job offers:
- Be
wary of recruitment advertisements that offer handsome pay without need of having
to produce any minimum requirements like the applicant's educational qualifications
and experience. Some companies persistently seek to lure job applicants into buying
their products/goods by paying large sums of money to join their sales business.
Be most cautious, and on your guard, if you find that the job involves hierarchical
sharing of commission and/or making profit through the recruitment of scheme members
rather than the actual sale of products, as they may prove to be suspected cases
of pyramid selling.
- Be extremely alert if, during the job interview,
you are asked to transfer to other jobs you are not familiar with and the duties
do not match those outlined in the recruitment advertisement.
- Jobs in
certain industries or establishments are expected to be taken up by job-seekers
in the role of "self-employed persons". As there will be no employer-employee
relationship between the self-employed person and the company, job-seekers should
pay particular attention because persons engaged under such a contract may not
be entitled to protection under the Employment Ordinance.
- Read carefully
and digest the terms of all documents that require your signature or written authorization.
Do not sign contracts immediately if there are terms that you do not understand
or are not clear to you. If in any doubt, discuss this with your family members
and friends.
- Some people, under the pretext of recruitment, solicit important
personal data from job-seekers for unlawful or dubious purposes. So, do not ever
give away rashly any vital personal information and/or documents like credit cards,
ATM cards and their PINs to these people or to any others.
- Don't be
easily persuaded into applying for loans. Consider carefully first, and at all
times, your ability to repay any debts.
- Don't pay any sums or fees demanded
since some unscrupulous swindlers, under the pretext of recruitment, may fabricate
bogus reasons to extort money from job-seekers.
- Don't take up jobs which
are illegal or involve pornographic baggage or business.
- If you are ever
in doubt, seek assistance from the Labour Department, Police or the Consumer Council.
Publicity
efforts of Labour Department - The Labour Department has,
through various channels, provided job seekers with information on common employment
traps and advises them to be always on the alert while seeking jobs. The department
will further reinforce its publicity programmes and efforts during the ensuing
summer holidays.
- Before the commencement of the summer holidays this
year, the department has set in motion the following publicity programmes:
-
A special poster and leaflet, titled "A Guide for Students Seeking Summer
Jobs", have been distributed to secondary schools, universities, public libraries,
youth centres, Home Affairs Department public enquiry offices and job centres
of the Labour Department etc.;
- A dedicated Website on Summer Jobs Employment
under iES (http://www.jobs.gov.hk), set up in mid-May, publicises, among others,
information on "Beware of Job Traps" for easy access by job seekers;
and
- Dissemination of relevant publicity messages through outdoor electronic
media, radio, newspapers and the 12 job centres of the Labour Department.
Tips
for Summer Job Seekers
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