Malaysians shared why employers still value SPM results, citing consistency, credibility and learning capability among candidates.
AN online discussion has reignited debate over why employers in Malaysia still ask job applicants for their Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) results, even after they have obtained university degrees and professional qualifications.
The conversation began after a Threads user questioned why companies continue requesting SPM results during the hiring process despite candidates already holding degrees.
While many agreed that SPM results become less relevant as a person gains more experience in the workforce, others argued that the examination still serves as a useful benchmark for employers assessing fresh graduates and entry-level applicants.
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Several netizens said SPM results are sometimes viewed not only as a measure of academic ability, but also as an indicator of consistency, discipline and learning capability.
Although many acknowledged that SPM results are not necessarily the sole determinant of a candidate’s potential, users pointed out that employers often look for patterns of consistency across academic performance.
“Employers want to see consistency. If a candidate’s SPM, diploma and degree results are all good, it usually suggests that the person is hardworking and diligent by nature. If the SPM results are not good, we would want to know why,” one user explained.
Another commenter said SPM results are still commonly used by human resources departments when assessing fresh graduates with limited working experience.
“For fresh graduates who do not yet have much working experience, SPM results are sometimes used by the human resources department as an additional indicator,” the user said.
Some users also argued that SPM certification carries a different level of credibility because Malaysia’s national examination system is centralised and tightly regulated.
“SPM is different because it is a highly protected examination system, and cheating cases are extremely rare,” one commenter wrote.
The user added that some university programmes place significant emphasis on coursework and assignments when calculating CGPAs, which may not always reflect academic capability in the same way standardised examinations do.
Others, however, questioned whether academic results from secondary school should continue influencing hiring decisions years later, especially for candidates with strong work experience and professional achievements.
