This document provides an overview of organizational socialization and its impact on Malaysian graduate employability. It discusses three stages of socialization: anticipatory, encounter, and metamorphosis. A case study examines the anticipatory stage for Malaysian graduates, finding job preferences vary by ethnicity. Government efforts to improve employability include monitoring outcomes, updating curricula, and providing entrepreneurship training. While some graduates easily find work, others face challenges with unemployment.

1. ORGANIZATIONAL SOCIALIZATION &
MALAYSIAN GRADUATE
EMPLOYABILITY
(Based On Miller, 2015)
BY
S. ZANARIAH AHMAD ISHAK, PHD
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

2. Overview
1. Introduction - Organizational
Socialization (OG)
2. Theory of Vocational Choice (John
L. Holland)
3. The nature of OG
4. Three Stages of Socialization to
Work
5. STAGE 1: Anticipatory
Socialization
6. STAGE 2: Encounter
7. STAGE 3: Metamorphosis
8. Organizational Exit
9. Case Study:
Malaysian Graduates Employability
10. ClassActivity
11. References
◦

3. Organizational Socialization (OG)
Introduction
OG refers to an individual
learns about the
requirements of the jobs or
learning ways to fit into the
organizational culture.
Theory of Vocational Choice
(John L. Holland)
It facilitates people to identify
careers that fit “who you are”
which may lead to the career
well-being

4. Organizational
Socialization (OG)
The nature of OG
oPeople learn OG since 4 – 5
years until adult.
◦Develop in a long period of
time. Sometimes we are not
aware of the process.
◦Adaptation to organizational
life is complicated.
◦Involve many members and
activities (depends on the size
of your organizations).

5. Three Stages of Socialization to Work
(Miller, 2015, p.121)

6. Models Of Organizational
Socialization: Explanation
STAGE 1
Anticipatory Socialization -before
entry to workplace, (Van Maneen
1975):
i. Learning about what ‘work’ means.
 When you are a child –
participating with house
chores/orchard work
 School children: get your work
done.
 Developed through part-time
employment.
 Children learn ‘work’ from media.

7. Anticipatory
Socialization
Continue STAGE 1
ii. Learning about the nature of specific
careers and occupations.
-What do you want to be when
you grow up?
- Idea: family members, teachers
and the media.
- Often highly idealized and
inaccurate.
- Idea about possible occupations
begin early in life.

8. Anticipatory
Socialization
Continue STAGE 1
iii. Learning about a particular
organization
-College/university students go
through the ritual of interviewing
with prospective employers.
-Internship.
-Interviewing process.
-Enhance understanding of the
organization

9. Model Of Organizational Socialization
STAGE 2: Encounter
New employee first enters the
workplace
i. Change, contrast and surprise.
Newcomer must make sense new
workplace culture.
– the newcomer relies on
predispositions (tendency),past
experience, & interpretations others.
–Stress may occur.
–Learning about a new organization
and role; letting go of old values,
expectation, & behavior.

10. Sample Of Welcoming and Introducing Newcomer

11. Model of Organizational
Socialization
Continue…STAGE 2: Encounter
ii. Encounter phase involves formal
and informal communication
processes:
Orientation program.
 Formal & informal mentoring.
These efforts is to make newcomer
understand the company’s goal &
culture.
Enhancing newcomer commitment
& reducing turnover.

12. MODEL OF
ORGANIZATIONAL
SOCIALIZATION
STAGE 3: Metamorphosis
Employee’s transition:
outsider to insider.
“During this stage, the
recruit begins to become an
accepted, participating
member of the organization
by learning new behaviors
and attitudes and/or
modifying existing ones”
(Miller 2015, p.124 cited
from Jablin & Krone, 1987).

13. MODEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL
SOCIALIZATION
Continue…The last stage
STAGE 3: Metamorphosis
Not static relationship but
there is some measure of flux
(continuous change) and
uncertainty to understand
organizational roles and culture.
Eg 1. Job transfers.
provides experience in other areas of
employee's current department or in a
new unit within the business.
Downside: it requires a lot of energy
investment, learning, and adjustment.
Eg. 2. Job Promotions
 refers to the upward
movement from one job
to another higher one,
with increase in salary,
status and
responsibilities.
 Bases of promotion:
1. Seniority.
2. Merit, (performance).
3. Educational & technical
qualification.
4. Potential for better
performance.
5. Vacancies based on
organisational chart.

14. Organizational Exit
Employee leaves the organization or
“goings”
Reasons
1. Retirement - Retirement Age
Act 2012 - Minimum 60 years.
Retirement refers to a person who
withdraw from one’s position or
occupation or from active working
life.
2. Layoffs, downsizing/
retrenchment/voluntary separation
scheme (VSS)
◦ Employees are requested to leave
the organization due to
organizational change such as
downsizing, merger or bankruptcy.
3. Voluntary
organizational exit/
turnover/resignation/
-Employees choose to leave the
company on one’s own will.
-Organize your departure in a
polite and business-like
manner.
-Give the correct notice period.
Write a formal letter of
resignation

15. CASE STUDY
SCENARIO ON MALAYSIAN
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’
ORGANIZATIONAL
SOCIALIZATION:
ANTICIPATORY STAGE

16. Malaysian Graduates Employability
Questions to
ponder:
1. What
stakeholders are
affected if you are
unemployed?
2. What are the
economic and social
effects if you are
unemployed?
2018 Facts on Employability
1. Number of graduates in
Malaysia was 4.96 million
persons.
2. Number of employed
graduates was 3.99 million
persons.
3. Number of unemployed
graduates was 162.0
thousand persons.
4. Number of graduates
outside labour force was
811.8 thousand persons.

17. Duration of the research: 2015-2019

18. Anticipatory Socialization
Malaysian Graduates
Employability
Target: 75% of graduates are
employed within 6 MONTHS
of their graduation.
The National Graduate
Employability Blueprint
2012-2017.

19. Findings: Survey on Job Preference
Ethnic Job Preference
Yes No
Malay (69) 32 (26.7%) 37 (30.8%)
Chinese (25) 20 (16.7%) 5 (4.2%)
Iban (8) 1 (0.8%) 7 (5.8%)
Bidayuh (2) 1 ( 0.8%) 1 ( 0.8%)
Bajau (5) 1 ( 0.8%) 4 (3.3%)
Kadazandusun (2) 1 ( 0.8%) 1 ( 0.8%)
Others (9) 4 (3.3%) 5 (4.2%)
Table 1: Ethnic and Job Preference
• Career planning among final year Communication
students from various ethnic groups (Siti Zanariah,
2015).
• The latter you plan your job-seeking, it is likely that the
slower you will get your job.

20. Anticipatory Socialization
The Malaysian Government is concerned about
undergraduate employability. Among the
government’s effort to provide jobs:
1. The government monitor the employability by
setting up tracer study.
- Information gathered about employment after
maximum 6 months graduated.
- To improve university curriculum.
Graduate Employability
http://www.mohe.gov.my/ ( Menu Perkhidmatan)
http://graduan.moe.gov.my/v/ (SKPG1 & SKPG2)
Unimas Tracer Study
http://www.unimas.my/convocation/index.php/sis
tem-kajian-pengesanan-graduan-skpg-dan-
pendaftaran-alumni
Graduates in
many countries
in the word are
facing
unemployabil-
ity

21. Anticipatory Socialization
2. University curriculum are under constant changes to
suit the current job market and employers’ expectation.
- The most recent change is to include IR4 component in
curriculum.
- More hands on experience, Exams are abolished in
certain courses to give way to project so that students
will experience more community engagement.
- More Co-curriculum activities are opened for students to
join.
Employers’ expectation
◦ https://eduadvisor.my/articles/what-didnt-know-fresh-
graduate-unemployment-malaysia-infographic/

22. Anticipatory
Socialization
3. The government provides
financial support and training to
undergraduate students who are
interested in entrepreneurship.
- Latihan
Keusahawanan/Enterpreneurship
Training
https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/
nasional/2018/10/492791/latihan-
keusahawanan-buat-50000-
graduan
- Institut Keusahawanan
https://usahawanmalaysia.com/ski
m-usahawan-siswazah-buka-
peluang-untuk-usahawan-muda
- Graduates create jobs. Lesser
graduates will depend on the
existing organizations.

23. QUESTIONS
Questions for debate:
Undergraduate students are
lack of motivation to find
jobs
Question for reflection
Write your experience
involving in any stages/stage
of Organizational
Socialization.

24. Resources for you to get
the idea
1. Youtube discussed based on the both
internal and external factors.
4 reasons why Malaysian fresh grads are
unemployed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlzvQ
EKye70
2. Some graduates are easier to find jobs
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malays
ia/2018/11/07/more-bumi-grads-
unemployed-than-those-who-just-skip-
university/1690728

25. References
◦ Notes on Socialization is based on:
Miller, K. (2015). Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes (7th ed). Stamford, CT:
USA
◦ Holistic education for kids (picture)
https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2015/09/05/holistic-education-for-kids-buddhist-society-
expands-free-school-classes-to-johor-baru-and-sungai-pe
◦ Pusat sehenti di 265 balai bomba (picture)
https://www.theborneopost.com/2013/06/04/pusat-sehenti-di-265-balai-bomba/
◦ Hello I am… New (graphic)
https://www.business2community.com/human-resources/4-ways-discourage-new-employees-01520052
◦ When is it time to hire new workers? (picture)
https://resources.onewire.com/when-is-it-time-to-hire-new-workers/
◦ New Employee Introduction Letter
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/sample-new-employee-introduction-1918893
◦ Employee Development and Training Programs (picture)
https://www.ajinomoto.com.my/csr/human-resource-development/employee-development-and-training-
programs
◦ Mother bird feeding baby bird
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/491596115550772749/
Penoreh Getah (Picture) http://bicaramentari.blogspot.com/2018/10/vfh_8.html

26. References
◦ Graduates Statistics 2018
https://www.dosm.gov.my/v1/index.php/index.php?r=column/cthemeByCat&cat=476
&bul_id=cDJkZjM5b2hjdjJZMDlvNDlueU54Zz09&menu_id=Tm8zcnRjdVRNWWlp
WjRlbmtlaDk1UT09
◦ What You Didn’t Know About Fresh Graduate Unemployment in Malaysia
[Infographic] https://eduadvisor.my/articles/what-didnt-know-fresh-graduate-
unemployment-malaysia-infographic/
◦ 12 Working Principles (Picture)
https://themalaysianreserve.com/2017/07/10/12-working-principles/
◦ Mula-mula malu kerja di stesen minyak...(Picture)
https://www.mstar.com.my/lokal/viral/2020/03/10/lagi-budak-shell-spm-5a
◦ Ishak, SZA. (2015). Pinocchio reporter: anticipatory socialisation of communication
students in journalism. 2nd International Conference on Media and Society 2015.
Organised by Department of Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, UNIMAS
(21st -22nd April 2015).
◦ Job Promotions: Definition, Types and Other Details
http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/hrm/job-promotions-definition-types-and-other-
details/35324
◦ Holland Codes (Graphic)
https://parentalalienation-pas.com/2018/08/26/holland-codes/
◦ Kelapa sawit (Picture)
https://sarawakvoice.com/2019/02/18/kelapa-sawit-naik-mendadak-beri-harapan-buat-perkebun/