They knew The job market will be tough. None of them were prepared for how difficult it would be.
The Chinese economy is suffering from a continuing slowdown, as real estate developers are drowning in debt, families are afraid to spend, and businessmen are reluctant to take risks. Youth unemployment levels have reached record levels.
We spoke to five young Chinese people about what it will take to find their jobs amid such uncertainty. They described moving back home with their parents, depleting their savings, taking on unpaid internships, or working two jobs.
They also spoke of generational disappointment. They were born in the most active years of China’s economic boom, and grew up with more opportunities and amenities than their parents – and also higher expectations. They were told that with hard work and proper education, their future was secure.
Now the boom years are fading, as are the hopes of many young people – with unpredictable consequences for China and the world.
Nadia Yang, Class of 2019
Fiona Chen, Class of 2023
Xilai Chen for The New York Times
Until now, Fiona Chen always had a plan. She wanted to go to a good college, then a good grad school, then find work as a journalist for a media outlet in a big city.
She looked like she was on her way to fall 2022, with graduation just around the corner. While completing my master’s program in Beijing, I completed several internships. I set a goal of applying for 100 jobs – which I thought was definitely enough to get an offer.
Ethan Yee, Class of 2022
Xilai Chen for The New York Times
looking back, Ethan Ye thought he was a little right, or at least naive.
Mr Ye, who graduated in June 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in management, was always told that a university education had certain benefits. He did not need to work as his parents did, as they worked as wholesale vegetable sellers. He can expect good pay and respect.
Two weeks after arriving, he was hired by an agricultural chemical company for $730 a month. He rented an apartment on the outskirts of the city and threw himself into training.
“I’ll see how it goes, take it slow,” he said. “Making money quickly is impossible. I see it now.”
Phoebe Liu, Class of 2022
Jill Sabry for The New York Times
However, Ms. Liu was troubled by how difficult it was to get her first full-time job. Other traditional standards of adulthood, such as buying a home, seemed more out of reach than ever, especially in an expensive city like Beijing. Although her father succeeded as a businessman as the Chinese economy boomed, she doubted her ability to rise to a higher level.
“Even if I tried my best for 10 or 20 years, would I make the same amount of money?” She said of her parents’ generation. “Now you can’t achieve the same things by working hard.”
Tsuki Jin, Class of 2020
Xilai Chen for The New York Times
Tsuki Jin He grew up in a small city in China, but has long wanted to experience life abroad. In April, I decided to make this dream a reality, whether the job market was tough or not.
Ms. Jin, who asked to be identified by her last name and surname, left the human resources job she had worked for two years and moved to Shanghai, with nothing new and savings of about $700.
“I think it’s not good for young people to feel too comfortable,” she said. “It’s good to get out and see things.”
Ms. Jin’s path shows how some young Chinese are able to cling to their ambitions: willing to compromise on almost everything else.
Even with her new job, Ms. Jane is already thinking about her next adventure. After spending a few years in Shanghai, she wants to try other cities.
“It’s all life experience,” she said.
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