An Indian-origin university graduate’s failed attempt to get a job in a supermarket has raised new questions about whether the job market is failing young people.Raksha Hegde, 21, in Australia, has gone viral after revealing she turned down a job as a part-time retail assistant while trying to support herself during her masters studies.
Her experience sparked debate about graduate underemployment and the value of higher education in today’s job market.In an Instagram video, Hegde said she couldn’t believe she was rejected, especially considering her academic background.“Bro, I just got rejected for a retail assistant. Basically a cashier! “Hegde said in an Instagram video.“I have a three-year college degree, I’m getting a master’s degree and I can’t get a bad job,” she added. Are you telling me I went to college for three years only to be rejected as a cashier?‘And you know what? “They let me do a two-year master’s degree and spend more money on a degree so I can’t find a single job after spending so much time, money and investment in school and university, and yet…they don’t want to hire me,” Hegde added.She concluded: ‘For example, are you kidding me? Is the job market so doomed?Some social media users said that having a higher education can sometimes work against candidates for such jobs. Users said retail employers may worry that overqualified applicants will quickly leave for better opportunities, making them less attractive to hire.Others pointed out that supermarket roles often focus less on formal education and more on practical factors such as availability, flexibility and attitudes. Employers can prioritize candidates who can commit long-term over those who are still studying or aiming to get jobs in companies. This is why these companies prefer to hire unemployed or less qualified applicants.
