“What am I supposed to do? I've applied to many companies in the private sector here, but I still cannot find a job,” M. Al-Johany told Saudi Gazette. Al-Johany is a Saudi who has decided to earn money by filling out forms and petitions for elderly and illiterate people who need to conduct business at the Civil Affairs department in Jeddah. Everyday, he goes to work and sits under an umbrella at his small table set up near Civil Affairs, the tools of his trade being a pen, application forms and a stapler. He is just one of many young Saudis who have graduated from high school or university and have not been able to find a job. Most of these young men live at home at the expense of their families while they wait for a job offer from the public or private sector. Sometimes they wait for years. Although he only graduated from the university last year with a degree in geography, Al-Johany decided not to wait passively for a job to come to him. As he sits filling out application forms, he realizes that he is breaking barriers set by the customs of Saudi society which looks upon such work as a shame, especially if done by a university graduate. However, he has given up worrying about such things. “I don't care about society and what people think, since they don't care about me and my economic situation. If any one of them put himself in my shoes, he would never say a negative word about me,” he said. Al-Johany added that by filling out forms for people, he can at least depend upon himself and buy whatever he needs rather than asking his father, brothers or relatives to give him money as other unemployed young men do. “Besides,” he said, “there is nothing wrong with honest work.” Regarding the process of Saudization and the difficulty he and others like him have in finding a job, Al-Johany said that he was certain that some companies purposely delay responding to applicants or offer jobs with heavy duties and low salaries, as they do not want to hire Saudis. “The usual response from these companies is either that they do not have a vacancy or the applicants are not qualified for the position,” he said. Al-Johany admitted that many young Saudis preferred to work in government jobs. “Many guys do not want to work in the private sector because the work is hard and the salaries are low. However, you have to realize that some Saudis agree to work for a low salary because they do not have any other source of income,” he said. Although he only earns SR10 for filling out an application form, Al-Johany said that he is satisfied as the money is his and he has earned it honestly. In a good month, he can earn between SR 2,000 and SR 3,000, however, his income is affected by the hot weather in Jeddah these days. Al-Johany is satisfied to work sitting under his umbrella for the time being. However, he added: “I totally trust in Allah to provide me a better job, as I want to marry and start my own life.” “Allah is the one who is responsible for feeding people. Therefore, I accept whatever I earn by the end of the month, and I thank Him for His blessings,” he said.
