For China’s elite graduates, career dreams take a back seat to stability in coronavirus-hit job market
- The economic uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has made top Chinese graduates more risk averse in their job aspirations
- This year, a record 10.76 million college students are set to graduate, adding pressure to a job market economists are calling the most challenging yet
When Hermione Zhang graduated with a master’s degree in Beijing last year, the 25 year old had high hopes of working at a commercial bank or securities firm in one of China’s biggest cities.
But after her two-year programme was put on hold for nine months due to the pandemic – preventing her from networking or interning, which would have given her valuable face time with employers – she was forced to set her sights a little lower.
Eventually, after sitting through a gruelling 89 interviews in three months, she took an offer at a small rural bank near her hometown in the central province of Shanxi.
“If it wasn’t for the pandemic, I would have stayed in Beijing, even just doing internships,” said Zhang.
The pandemic has changed the way I make my career decisions
“The pandemic has changed the way I make my career decisions. In a difficult time, everyone wants to land a stable job. In the face of uncertainties, the tendency to avoid risks and unfavourable scenarios has surpassed the urge to be adventurous and enterprising.”
Amid a state of economic flux three years into the coronavirus pandemic, many young Chinese from elite universities are setting aside career dreams for stability, as a record number of graduates enter a job market clouded with uncertainty.
Schooled at the most prestigious universities at home and abroad, top Chinese talent used to aim for Fortune Global 500 companies, large internet platforms, consulting agencies or law firms in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.