University of Hong Kong master’s graduate turns to food delivery and security work after 11 months of unemployment
An IT professional in Hong Kong with a master’s degree and about 10 years of experience registered as a food delivery rider and enrolled in a security guard training course after being unemployed for 11 months.
After an unsuccessful year-long job search, the man said he had been forced to reconsider his career plans and explore other ways of earning an income.
Left solution architect role due to workplace pressure
According to reports by Sing Tao and The Standard, the man shared his experience in a Threads post on 29 June, which was no longer publicly accessible at the time of writing.
The original poster (OP) said he had about 10 years of experience as a developer and last worked as a solution architect.
Source: Proxima Studio on Canva, for illustration purposes only
He claimed that he had resigned without another job lined up because he could no longer cope with the intense pressure at work and alleged bullying from his boss and colleagues.
During the first few weeks of unemployment, he enjoyed being able to sleep in and spend his time as he pleased.
However, the break soon turned into a source of anxiety after he sent out more than 100 résumés without receiving a single offer.
He said his days were spent repeatedly refreshing job portals for new openings and staring at his phone while waiting for it to ring.
Source: Aflo Images on Canva, for illustration purposes only
After nearly a year of uncertainty, he wrote: “I would honestly rather return to that toxic workplace than spend every day doing nothing, with no idea what lies ahead.”
Holds computer science degrees from HKU
The man attached a photograph of his Master of Science in Computer Science certificate from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to the post.
He later added in the comments that he had also studied computer science as an undergraduate.
However, amid his employment struggles, he joked that the hard-earned qualification was of little practical use.
“This piece of paper is actually not much use,” he wrote. “I’ll just treat it as a life achievement.”
Source: Sing Tao
The OP also recounted the frustrating treatment he allegedly encountered during job interviews.
He said human resources staff questioned his salary expectations regardless of the figure he proposed.
“If I put down a high figure, they say I’m too expensive. If I put down a low figure, they think there must be something wrong with me. If I ask for the same salary as my previous job, they say I’m not ambitious enough,” he wrote.
He even applied for ordinary clerical positions, only to be asked whether he was “messing around” after recruiters saw his decade of IT experience and master’s degree.
The man subsequently warned other workers in Hong Kong against resigning before securing another position.
“I sincerely advise Hong Kong workers not to quit without another job lined up this year and not to change jobs recklessly,” he wrote. “The conditions outside are brutal.”
Pivoted to delivery and security work for short-term income
With no job offer in sight, the man said he had registered to work as a food delivery rider, claiming that a diligent rider could earn as much as HK$50,000 (around S$8,200) a month.
Source: Aflo Images on Canva, for illustration purposes only
He also enrolled in a security guard training course and registered to obtain a construction industry safety card as alternative pathways to employment.
“There’s always a way out,” he wrote. “If I can’t even get work as a security guard, I’ll take the taxi driver’s licence test too.”
Netizens share similar experiences
The post attracted thousands of comments, with some users sharing similar accounts of highly qualified IT professionals being laid off and subsequently obtaining taxi licences.
One netizen joked that soon, “every taxi driver on the street will be an IT master’s graduate”.
Others questioned the man’s account, arguing that someone with 10 years of experience should still be able to secure an office job despite the difficult market.
The discussion also sparked broader debate about the outlook for Hong Kong’s IT sector, with some users blaming artificial intelligence and offshoring for the downturn.
Also read: Man in M’sia quits S$4.6K job to be a delivery rider, said previous job gave him panic attacks
Man in M’sia quits S$4.6K job to be a delivery rider, said previous job gave him panic attacks
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Featured image adapted from Sing Tao and Amanda Caroline da Silva on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
