JANUARY 20 ― It's the 21st century and Malaysian parents are, unfortunately, still harping on the same things they were years ago.

The ultimate goal was for their kids to become one of the following hallowed professions: doctor, lawyer or engineer.

Funny thing is, Ramli Ibrahim, the dance legend was a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) graduate and said from his observations, the people who were rich/successful weren't in STEM. No, they were in banking, finance or economics.

Of course everyone knows that mere employees don't become (really) rich; it's the business owners who do.

Malaysian parents once spent a lot of money to send their kids overseas in the hopes their kids would become their passports to emigrating someday.

The reality is that emigration has become difficult, and for some people, near impossible.

Too many doctors? Really?

Just ask the Health Ministry. Thanks to private education being seen as a lucrative endeavour, too many private medical colleges have popped up. So many aspiring doctors, but no guarantee there will be a place for them at hospitals.

It's not just doctors ― nursing trainees are finding it hard to get work locally. They are often sold that they will easily find work, that nursing is a stable, guaranteed field. Right now, they'd be lucky to find work.

We do need STEM people ― it just doesn't pay much

There will always be a need for engineers, IT people and scientists. Problem is STEM just doesn't pay as much as being in finance.

Being a programmer isn't a fun job ― long hours, not a lot of career progression and the pay? Well, let's just say you don't get overtime in most cases.

The outlook isn't that rosy either in the other fields. That's why many STEM graduates end up either choosing other professions or end up teaching instead.

Want a good idea about what pay is like in most professions? Check out Jobstreet's handy salary checker here.

You'll likely have to change jobs often

In your parents' time, the dream would be to get a foothold in a good company and stay there until you retired. That's just not the way the world works anymore.

You don't get brownie points for staying too long at a company. Instead, it's more likely you'll get increments by switching jobs at least every 2-3 years.

It's not that cushy in the civil service anymore

Also ignore your parents saying you should try and get a government job.

Dear uncle/auntie: have you seen our government? Snide jokes aside, a lot of benefits have been pared down thanks to cost-cutting measures. Pensions are also no longer guaranteed; in another five to 10 years, new civil servants won't likely have pensions to look forward to.

Unless you're at the very top of the food chain or in elite roles where you will get nice allowances for housing, utilities and discretionary spending, the only comfort you'll have in a government job is that retrenchment is unlikely, especially with how bloated our civil service is.

Multiple part-time gigs might soon be the norm

If you're done weeping at the current salary scales in Malaysia, you'll probably have come to the realisation you'll be living with mum and dad for a long time. Friends who have not seen you in a long time will suddenly come and talk to you about fabulous opportunities or suddenly be worried about your health.

Repeat after me: you have a job

My friend, who earns a decent amount from tutoring and taking on writing projects, keeps getting nagged by his mother to “get a real job.”

“Look at your cousin, she's earning 8k a month!” Said cousin was also in finance. Do you see a trend here?

It's great that your high-flying cousin is making a load of dosh, but not everyone can be in finance or banking or lucrative sales careers.

The best most people can do is try and hold on to as much as they can so as not to die destitute in their old age.

Anyone who tries to make it seem like wealth accumulation is easy is deluded, rich or wanting to make money out of you.

Life happens. S*** happens.

Sometimes you take gigs just to make ends meet and there is nothing wrong with that. Can you afford a place to stay? Do you have health insurance or your company does? Can you eat daily without needing to scrounge for loose change just to eat? Congratulations, you're not doing that badly.

Remember your parents love you

Your parents will offer you advice constantly because they want better things for you. Just understand that unless your parents are already feeling the crushing realities of the working world, they might not have a good idea of the realities of salaries, market supply and demand and the current state of the economy.

I wish you joy and luck in your job search.

*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.