May 23, 2013
Translated by Liu Jingyue

A record 7 million students are set to graduate from China's colleges this year and the domestic press have been referring to it as the "hardest year to find work."

As of May 1, about a third of the students about to graduate from higher education institutions in Beijing had signed contracts with employees, according to Beijing\'s Municipal Education Commission.

Earlier this month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang made a call for more measures to help graduates find jobs during a meeting of the State Council.

The results of a survey published in today's Beijing News reveal that more graduates are now willing to consider working outside the three big cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

While these first-tier cities have traditionally been the most popular destinations for university graduates, this year there seems to be a reversal of the trend and some graduates are now looking beyond China's megacities.   

According to the survey of 307 job seekers, only 30 percent of respondents said that they would only accept jobs in big cities like Beijing after graduation. The remaining 70 percent said that they would be willing to accept positions outside the country's three largest cities.

The survey also revealed that personal interest and location remained the most important factors when it came to weighing up job offers. Still, the type of the company and salary also influence the career choices made by graduates.

Surprisingly, only 5 percent of respondents said that a position that allowed them to get a hukou in one of the big cities, with the attendant benefits of access to a greater level of social service and preferential treatment when it comes to purchasing an apartment and a car, would be their top consideration.

Higher education consulting agency MyCOS found that the proportion of university graduates who found a job in Beijing peaked in 2007 and 2008.

According to Shi Zongkai (史宗恺), deputy party secretary of Tsinghua University, only 50 percent of graduates from the university stayed in Beijing after completing their studies last year.     

Ge Yuhao (葛玉好), an associate researcher at China Institute for Employment Research says that more and more students are making rational evaluations about themselves and whether they want to work in big cities.

"Students should realize that although they can earn good money in the big cities, the hidden costs are even higher," Ge said. "For example, high rent, elevated living costs, the challenges of finding schools for their children and the downsides of being away from their parents."

More graduates are choosing to move to second and third-tier cities over big cities as development in these areas gathers pace.   

The Beijing News surveyed students studying in Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Hubei and other cities. The survey sample included those about to graduate with undergraduate, masters and Ph.Ds. They also included responses from students at first tier universities along with those studying at less-prestigious colleges.

Links and Sources
Economic Observer Online: Tough Spring for Graduating Job-Seekers
Beijing News:七成学生择业不以北上广为必选
Beijing News:北京高校毕业生签约率33.6%