A university graduate pursuing her master's degree has ignited a heated discussion after being turned down for a cashier position at Coles. Raksha Hegde, 21, applied for a part-time retail assistant role at her local supermarket to complement her studies, only to face rejection.
Graduate's Frustration Boils Over
In an Instagram video shared this week, Ms Hegde vented her frustration: 'Bro, I just got rejected at Coles as a retail assistant. Basically a cashier! I've done a three-year degree, and doing my master's and I can't get a f***king job. Are you telling me I went to uni for three years just to get rejected as a cashier?'
She continued: 'And you know what? Let me get my master's degree for two years and spend more money to get a degree so that I can't find a single job after putting so much time, money and investment into school, uni and yet... Coles doesn't want to hire me. Like are you f***ing kidding me? Is the job market so doomed?'
Public Reaction Divided
The video amassed nearly 100,000 views and hundreds of comments, many from Australians sharing similar experiences. One commenter advised: 'I think it's best not to put your education if you're going for retail roles. They know you're going to bounce the second you get a corporate job.'
Another wrote: 'I am a computer engineer, [I was] rejected by Coles 48 [times] and Woolworths 40 plus [times]. They don't bother about your degree... this is what it is.'
A former hiring manager added: 'I used to hire for supermarket checkout and other roles. Degrees have nothing to do with these jobs. There are a lot of kids who have positive attitudes that lands them the role.'
Others criticized Ms Hegde's 'attitude', suggesting she focus on jobs in her field rather than retail. 'They need someone who will be loyal and not job hop. By not hiring you, they can save money on hiring and training,' one person said.
Another commenter noted: 'Why hire someone who doesn't want to grow and progress within the store? Why hire someone who is completely overqualified for the position? Not to mention, if they got any sort of vibe that you would look down on the position and thus the other people who work there.'
Coles Role and Broader Job Market
According to Coles' website, a retail assistant role pays $27.39 per hour and involves scanning items, processing payments, and engaging with customers.
The incident comes as several major Australian companies, including Finder, IAG, and Sportsbet, announced significant workforce reductions. Finder cut 54 roles globally, with a spokesperson citing AI-driven industry changes. Earlier this month, Atlassian slashed nearly 500 jobs in Australia, and Commonwealth Bank cut over 100 tech roles.
Specialist recruiter and career coach Tammie Ballis warned that rising unemployment, AI, and high immigration are accelerating job losses: 'In corporate and tech sectors, the market is nightmarish. Immigration is the main one, but this is not the fault of immigrants but the federal government. Too many people in the job pool means it's an employers' market - the employer gets to pick the best person for the cheapest wage. It also means that, as there are too many people applying for the same jobs, most applications aren't seen.'
