【双语阅读】本周封面:就业关如何过(上)

文摘   2024-09-23 19:05   北京  

China’s record class of 2024 college graduates -- 11.8 million students strong – are entering the weakest job market the country has endured in years as the former growth sectors of internet companies, education employers and real estate developers reduce their payrolls.

2024届高校毕业生总规模预计1179万人,比去年增加21万人。据国家统计局数据,由于进入传统毕业季,高校应届毕业生集中离校进入劳动力市场。8月,全国城镇不包含在校生的16—24岁劳动力失业率为18.8%,比上月上升1.7个百分点,连续两个月上升,且创今年以来新高。


Amid the shifting economic landscape – in which the emerging industries of new energy vehicles, semiconductors and carbon neutrality have yet to pick up the slack -- the unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds in urban areas jumped to 18.8% in August, the highest this year.

Companies that once focused on rapid expansion are now prioritizing cost-cutting and efficiency, leading to more rigorous hiring processes and more competitive work environments.

需求侧,就业市场正在变化更迭之中:带动增长的“风口”曾经是互联网、教培、房地产,如今转向更具战略意义的新能源汽车、半导体、碳中和,但其吸纳应届生能力尚待观察。越来越多企业从激进扩张迈入讲求“性价比”的降本增效阶段,也带来筛选性更强、工作强度更大的职场环境。


Compounding this challenge is a shift in the expectations of the generation of post-2000 college graduates entering the workforce. Unlike classes from earlier years, many of these young job seekers prioritize job stability and work-life balance, fueling a trend of slow employment, where graduates take their time finding jobs that align with their values.

供给侧,初入职场并以“整顿职场”闻名的“00后”们,同样给雇主带来冲击。相比高薪,体面与稳定也成为更多人衡量一份“好工作”的标准。这群年轻人对“好工作”的向往大于“有工作”,宁可慢就业、缓就业。


Many new graduate job-seekers find themselves caught in a mismatched market—overqualified for lower-skilled work but lacking the experience for high-skilled positions. Scholars predict that with the continued expansion of college enrollment, the employment difficulties for graduates could persist for at least another five years.

学者们估计,当前高校扩招趋势下,每年“千万级”的毕业生规模将持续至少五年,意味着一个或比预想更长的就业困难期。


Government efforts, such as temporary public sector jobs, provide short-term relief but fall short of addressing the core issue. Experts emphasize the need for structural reforms to align educational programs with market demand and boost sustainable job creation.


Bleak Job Market

Xu Yu, a recent master’s graduate from a prestigious Hong Kong university, has spent five months job hunting. Despite a strong academic record and three internships, she has struggled to stand out in a competitive market. To enhance her chances, Xu spent 20,000 yuan ($2,840) on interview coaching. So far, she has received rejection letters from Tencent Holding Ltd., JD.com Inc. and other companies.

单看简历,徐雨已经是同龄人中的佼佼者:“985”本科,香港一知名高校硕士学位,有咨询公司、新媒体运营、商业地产相关三段实习。但在高度饱和的“大厂”竞争里,徐雨难以脱颖而出。求职以来,他曾六次被腾讯“捞起”、又收到拒信,京东管培生简历关“秒挂”,京东运营岗三次被捞、三次被拒。


Tang Hui’s story is no less disheartening. After receiving an accounting job offer from a top new energy vehicle maker before graduation, the company withdrew all of its offers to fresh graduates in the Greater China region. Given one-month’s pay as compensation, she has since applied to over 50 companies—without a single offer.

The era of aggressive hiring has given way to efficiency and cost-effectiveness, said Feng Lijuan, a human resources expert at recruitment platform 51job. He Tian, a human resource manager at a mid-sized fast-moving consumer goods company, which hired 200-300 fresh graduates last year, said many have been laid off since.

“2023届入职的有两三百人,现在已经被裁掉很多了。当业务缩水的时候,没有人是安全的。”就职于一家快消中厂的HR何恬感叹,“公司业务比较好的时候,就想疯狂地招揽人去抢占市场;业务不好的时候,就想缩减成本。岗位能用外包解决的、能用实习生解决的,或者能合并到别的岗位的,公司就会把这种岗位给裁掉。”


Zhang Dong, human resource manager at a listed chemical company, told Caixin that the company had planned to recruit 160 fresh graduates this year, but eventually cut the headcount to 80.

Graduates browse employers’ recruiting information at a hiring event in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Sept. 12, 2024.

As companies tighten their belts, graduates are feeling the squeeze, especially those without the right internship experiences to make them attractive to employers.

Internships, once a resume booster, are now required for landing a job. Liu Zichao, a computer science graduate from a less prestigious university, secured a tech job after completing an internship at ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. His experience reflects a growing trend: internships tailored to specific roles now carry more weight than degrees.

大学生求职者则从越来越苛刻的筛选系统中感受到相似压力:不仅要好学历,更要好实习——尤其是和求职岗位高度匹配的实习经历,以证明自己能快速上岗、快速产生效益。某“双非”大学计算机硕士刘子超在秋招中经历了几百次投递、累计上百轮面试,最终靠一段四个月的字节跳动实习经历斩获某同类型“大厂”研发岗offer。


A worrying trend is that higher qualifications do not necessarily translate into higher employment rates. As of April, the job offer rate for master’s and doctoral graduates fell to 44.4%, even lower than the 45.4% rate for bachelor’s degree recipients, according to a survey by recruitment platform Zhaopin.com. Companies want ready-to-go, cost-efficient employees. The result is a job market where “employment difficulties” and “recruitment difficulties” persist in a frustrating deadlock.

一个令人担忧的趋势是,学历越高,未必意味着就业率越高。据智联招聘《2024大学生就业力调研报告》,截至今年4月中旬,硕博学历应届毕业生的offer获得率为44.4%,较去年下降12个百分点,同时也低于本科毕业生的offer获得率45.4%。



Writing by Denise Jia




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