Underemployment refers to a person who is employed but is not satisfied with their job. Dissatisfaction can exist in terms of the salary, in terms of the hierarchy or the nature of work. Every employee faces this challenge at the inauguration of their career. When one desires to be a managing director, he/she has to go through various stages of employment like executive, manager, etc. before fulfilling their desire.

As the availability of jobs descends, employees prefer to compromise than remain unemployed. For the ones who are not born with a silver spoon, the path for achieving their goals is much longer. There are some who can afford to be at home if they do not procure their ideal job but for some it becomes a necessity to take up any job that comes their way.

Underemployment is under utilization of skills. When one aims to become a pilot and is unable to earn the right job, he/she tries to gain income from some other job that has no correlation with being a pilot. This kind of adjustment needs to be made until the right job is at hand.

When one is highly qualified it becomes even more difficult to acquire a job that recognizes their skills. Even after repeated attempts finding the right job becomes problematic, one tends to shift base and get a job that is under the grasping power.

In this competitive world where every employee outperforms, it is becoming more and more difficult to acquire the dream job. Based on the demands new positions are designed and since many are after the same position the employment rate dips.

Cessation of work does not come with cessation of expenses hence underemployment exists and will continue if the number of jobs available is not augmented.

-Arti Bakshi

“Human Resource”- A magazine for the discerning professional

www.humanresource.net.in