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Young graduates: waiting for exams, the unemployment trap

Published on October 10, 2026 · 4 min read

Degree in hand, many young people stay at home and wait for the next civil service competitive exam.

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This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change: always check the version in force on the official websites listed at the bottom of the page.

They think they are saving time.
In reality, they are losing it.
Meanwhile, other young people do internships, gain experience and land the jobs.
In this article, you will understand why this waiting is a trap, what it costs, and how to get out of it.

1. Waiting for exams: the wrong way of thinking

Kevin earned his bachelor's degree a year ago.
Since then, he has been studying at home for civil service exams.
He turns down internships: "It's not a real job."
A year later, he has neither a job nor any experience to put on his CV.

The "all or nothing" reasoning

Many young graduates think like this: "I want a stable job, so I'll wait for the exam."
This reasoning seems logical.
But it relies on a single way in.
If that door stays closed, everything stops.
Yet an exam guarantees nothing: places are limited and candidates are very numerous.

The causes of this waiting

• The search for security: a public sector job reassures young people and their families.
• Pressure from those around them: people often say a "real job" is a civil servant's job.
• Fear of the private sector: it seems unstable, demanding or poorly paid.
• Lack of information: many do not know how to find an internship or a first assignment.
• Underestimating internships: they are seen as a waste of time, when in fact they open doors.

2. The consequences: a direct path to unemployment

Figures that should raise the alarm

According to Morocco's High Commission for Planning (HCP), unemployment affected 19.1% of graduates in 2025.
Among young people aged 15 to 24, it reached 37.2%.
The same year, the average length of unemployment rose from 31 to 33 months.
That is almost three years of waiting, on average.

What waiting costs you

• A gap in your CV: a recruiter quickly notices a long period without activity.
• Skills you forget: what you learned fades if you do not use it.
• A network that does not grow: you meet no colleagues, managers or recruiters.
• Falling confidence: the longer you wait, the harder it is to get started.
• Falling behind others: those who do internships arrive with experience you do not have.

What employers expect

Many companies ask for some first experience.
According to specialists quoted in the Moroccan business press, many job offers require 1 to 3 years of experience, or at least a 6-month internship.
Without an internship, your degree alone is often not enough to stand out.

3. The solutions: act now

Prepare for exams… without stopping everything

You do not have to choose between the exam and an internship.
You can do both.
Set aside a few hours a day for revision.
Use the rest of your time to gain experience.
If you pass the exam, great.
If not, you will have moved forward.

Look for an internship, even a short one

1. Update your CV with our free CV builder.
2. Write a letter tailored to each company with our cover letter tool.
3. Target companies in your city and your sector, then send speculative applications.
4. Register with ANAPEC, Morocco's national agency for the promotion of employment and skills, which offers programmes for young graduates.
5. Use your network: former teachers, classmates, family, neighbours.
6. Accept a short internship: one or two months is enough for a first line on your CV.

Keep learning

Train in the tools your profession requires: software, languages, office tools.
Volunteering counts too: it shows your seriousness and commitment.

Adopt the right mindset

• Move from waiting to acting: do not wait for someone to come and find you.
• See an internship as an investment, not as underemployment.
• Accept starting small: each experience prepares the next one.
• Stay open to the private sector: it also offers solid careers.
• See each rejection as a lesson, not as a failure.

Conclusion: don't wait, build

Waiting for an exam at home means trusting your whole future to a single chance.
The HCP figure is a reminder: almost one graduate in five is unemployed.
Experience often makes the difference.
An internship, even a short one, can change your path.
Prepare for your exams if you wish, but do not stand still.
Your career starts the day you decide to act.

Sources

• HCP, labour market in 2025: young people, women and graduates still the hardest hit (AllAfrica)
• Youth unemployment: the hidden side of economic performance (FNH)
• Labour market: falling unemployment struggles to benefit young people (FNH)