Employment during the COVID-19 Pandemic by the Class of 2020 in Thailand
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has created havoc throughout the world that is demonstrated clearly in the tremendous global impacts on economies, businesses, schools, employment, and the way of life. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges the graduating class of 2020 had encountered in their job search and employment experiences in Thailand, and to gain an understanding as to why they had succeeded in gaining employment amidst the pandemic. Ten university graduates participated in a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews conducted through LINE application calls that lasted between 30 to 45 minutes. Half the participants found job hunting very challenging and stressful, and while some had no problems getting a job, the remainder found it much more difficult. Working remotely, on-site, or in hybrid mode during the pandemic, the majority experienced job security, while the amount of mentorship provided varied. The ability to obtain employment during the pandemic was attributed strongly to their fields of study, working in positions of high demand, and employment gained in low-risk/booming businesses. On top of that, being referred for a job opportunity opened doors for some participants, making it easier for them to get a job when compared with other candidates.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright: Asia-Pacific International University reserve exclusive rights to publish, reproduce and distribute the manuscript and all contents therein.
References
Arshad, A. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on the economy of New Mexico: Three scenarios. International Journal of Business & Economics Perspectives, 15(1), 62–75.
Blundell, R., Costa Dias, M., Jounce, R., & Xu, X. (2020). COVID-19 and inequalities. Fiscal Studies, 41, 291–319.
Boonlert, T. (2020, May 3). COVID-19 crisis casts shadow over graduate futures. Bangkok Post. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1911732/COVID-19-crisis-casts-shadow-over-graduate-futures
Butler, M., & Rivera, K. (2020, March 6). Seven key actions business can take to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Strategy+Business, 99. https://www.strategy-business.com/blog/Seven-key-actions-business-can-take-to-mitigate-the-effects-of-COVID-19?gko=4c0d1
COVID-19 employment and labour market impact in Thailand. (2020, June 15). International Labor Organization. https://www.ilo.org/asia/publications/labour-markets/WCMS_747944/lang--en/index.htm
COVID-19 impact on Thai labor market. (2020, October 11). Open Development Thailand. https://thailand.opendevelopmentmekong.net/topics/COVID-19-impact-on-thai-labor-market/
COVID-19 takes a heavy toll on employment, economy: Poll. (2021, March 21). Bangkok Post. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2087251/COVID-19-takes-heavy-toll-on-employment-economy-poll
Crane, D., Decker, A., Flaaen, A., Hamins-Puertolas, A., & Kurz, C. (2020). Business exit during the COVID-19 pandemic: Non-traditional measures in historical context. Working Papers – U.S. Federal Reserve Board’s Finance & Economic Discussion, Series 2020-089. Washington: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. https://doi.org/10.17016/FEDS.2020.089
Dey, M., & Loewenstein, A. (2020). How many workers are employed in sectors directly affected by COVID-19 shutdowns, where do they work, and how much do they earn? Monthly Labor Review, 1–19.
Eaton, A., & Heckscher, C. (2021). COVID’s impacts on the field of labour and employment relations. Journal of Management Studies, 58(1), 275–279. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12645
Gay, H. (2020). A summer like no other: COVID-19 pandemic affects internships, employment, and return to school. U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology, 44(3), 12–15.
Gewin, V. (2020, March 24). Five tips for moving teaching online as COVID-19 takes hold. Nature, 580, 295–296. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-00896-7
Health personnel from provinces, new graduates may be drafted to Bangkok. (2021, June 24). Bangkok Post. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2137927/health-personnel-from-provinces-new-graduates-may-be-drafted-to-bangkok
Hirunyatrakul, P. (2020). The costs of lockdown: Assessing the employment and livelihood impacts of lockdown in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic. TDRI Quarterly Review, 35(1), 17–32.
Ilie, M., Ilie, C., & Marin, R. (2020). Human resources and communication management after changes due to COVID 19 pandemic. Ovidius University Annals, Series Economic Sciences, 20(1), 665–669.
Inskeep, S., Horsley, S., & Zarroli, J. (2020, September 4). Fed’s Jerome Powell: Jobless rate better than expected; recovery to take a long time, Nat’l Pub. NPR Radio. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/04/909627932/feds-jerome-powell-jobless-rate-better-than-expected-recovery-to-take-a-long-tim.
International Labor Organization. (2020, September 23). ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work (6th ed.). Updated estimates and analysis. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/ documents/briefingnote/wcms_755910.pdf
JobsDB shares post-crisis labor market outlook. (2021, March 30). JobsDB.com. https://th.jobsdb.com/en-th/ articles/jobsdb-share-post-crisis-market-outlook/
John Hopkins University of Medicine. (2021, June 24). Tracking. http://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
Kecojevic, A., Basch, H., Sullivan, M., & Davi, K. (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the mental health of undergraduate students in New Jersey, cross-sectional study. PLoS ONE, 15(9), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239696
Kyritsis, P., & LeBaron, G. (2021). Hunger at the end of the supply chain. Dissent (00123846), 68(2), 51–55. https://doi.org/10.1353/dss.2021.0043
Luthans, F., & Doh, J. (2021). International Management: Culture, strategy, and behavior (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Maintaining business continuity during COVID-19. (2020, November 17). JobsDB.com. https://th.jobsdb.com/en-th/articles/maintaining-business-continuity-during-COVID-19/
Mongkol, C. (2020, June 9). From graduation to unemployment: Challenge that doesn't end with the pandemic. Prachatai English. https://prachatai.com/english/node/8572
Mondy, W., & Martocchio, J. (2016). Human resource management (14th ed.). Pearson Education.
Ngotngamwong, R. (2019). Why do Millennials leave? Human Behavior, Development and Society, 20(4), 7–17.
Posel, D., Oyenubi, A., & Kollamparambil, U. (2021). Job loss and mental health during the COVID-19 lockdown: Evidence from South Africa. PLoS ONE, 16(3), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249352
Schriefer, C., & Born, H. (2020). Expanding paid leave programs in the wake of COVID-19. Journal of Insurance Regulation, 39(12), 1–15.
Signs point to higher job losses. (2021, May 31). Bangkok Post. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2124255/ signs-point-to-higher-job-losses
Stahl, A. (2021, June 8). The outlook on the job market for college grads in 2021. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/ sites/ashleystahl/2021/06/08/the-outlook-on-the-job-market-for-college-grads-in-2021/?sh=3337764747ef
Student Loan Hero. (2020, April 15). 4 out of 5 college students face troubles due to corona virus pandemic. PR Newswire. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/4-out-of-5-college-students-face-financial-troubles-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic-301041312.html
Vavra, J. (2020, March 27). Shutdown sectors represent large share of all U.S. employment. Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago. https://bfi.uchicago.edu/insight/finding/shutdown-sectors-represent-large-share-of-all-us-employment/
Williams, A. (2020, March 19). COVID-19 could be deadly for American small business. New York Amsterdam News. http://m.amsterdamnews.com/news/2020/mar/19/COVID-19-could-be-deadly-american-small-business/
Williams, L., Rollins, L., Young, D., Fleming, L., Grealy, M., Janssen, X., Kirk, A., MacDonald, B., & Flowers, P. (2021). What have we learned about positive changes experienced during COVID-19 lockdown? Evidence of the social patterning of change. PLoS ONE, 16(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244873
World Economic Forum. (2020). COVID-19. Strategic Intelligence. https://intelligence.weforum.org/topics/ a1G0X000006O6EHUA0?tab=publications