Enterprises tend to slow their business plans in response to economic uncertainties, and they will prefer experienced candidates, Kwok said. He warned that in the coming years fresh graduates may still be at the mercy of a slow recovery in the global economy.

"The way we live and the way corporations work are being changed, probably for good, by this pandemic. But there's still a growing need for information technology," he said.

The Joint Institutions Job Information System said the IT sector remains the best bet as it had the most vacancies in the first quarter, accounting for around 20 percent of job openings for entrants in Hong Kong.

Equally worrying for graduates is that face-to-face on-campus recruitment talks are now off the menu. These tailor-made programs are the most important channel for students to find their preferred professions and for employers to identify the talent they need, Kwok said.

Hong Kong's tertiary institutions have taken careers fairs online to cushion the impact of COVID-19 on students' futures.

Since March, the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong has invited employers from a range of sectors to deliver 35 online lectures, with another 35 on career development.

Kelvin Cheng, head of PolyU's Office of Careers and Placement Services, said the institution has provided mock interviews and one-on-one consultations with senior careers advisers.

Most job seekers China Daily spoke with said offline campus recruitment is irreplaceable, while online workshops are less desirable due to a lack of the engagement that helps build up personal connections.

In April, the Hong Kong government decided to provide 200 one-year contracts for temporary posts for fresh graduates, but the move was criticized by observers as "too little" and "lacking sincerity".

Kwok urged the government to subsidize internships and postgraduate studies that would equip graduates with either richer work experience or deeper knowledge, adding to their competitiveness against senior job hunters.

"Before you can land a job, anything that brings new knowledge, experience and skills is worth a try. Doing internships or part-time jobs is useful and fills the resume," he said.

Kristine Wong, a final year business student at a local university, made a U-turn during the pandemic. She was grateful when she was offered a trainee's job before the virus struck, but in late March the company told her the post had been revoked.

She was forced to rejoin the race for jobs, but lagged far behind her peers. "If I fail to get a job by the end of July, I'll apply for summer internships and prepare to go for a higher degree overseas."

Last month, the Hong Kong government said it had drastically ramped up its support for fresh graduates by creating 2,750 trainee or intern posts for architecture, city planning and engineering graduates, plus 1,300 positions related to banking and financial technology, 700 jobs in the civil service and another 700 related to the green economy.