Final year students eyeing uncertain future

Online recruitment

In normal times, the spring recruitment season is full of job opportunities, but the outbreak is damping prospects as traditional recruiting events are postponed or canceled to prevent large gatherings.

"Everything has been pushed back and is running very slowly. The results of the exams for public institutions I took last year still haven't come out. Usually senior students have gone through several rounds of interviews by this time," Zheng Meichen, from the Communication University of China, said.

Generally, final year students must submit resumes, take exams and have several rounds of interviews before receiving a job offer.

Zheng knows her score from an exam held by the China International Publishing Group, but she is still waiting to hear about an interview. Last year, interview candidates were informed in February.

"Another media organization I applied to didn't respond or explain that there was a delay. Maybe they take it for granted that people have accepted the inconvenience caused by the epidemic," she said.

She has sent more than 15 resumes during her time at home in Jinzhong, Shanxi province, and is expecting job-related exams to peak after she returns to Beijing.

On Feb 28, in an effort to ease the impact on the graduate job market, the Ministry of Education and five recruitment websites launched an online platform for job seekers.

So far, the platform has published details of 2 million jobs, and late last month, an official with the ministry told a media briefing that 70,000 online recruitment activities had been arranged.

However, some students have complained that using the website was an unsatisfactory experience.

"It was obviously built quickly, so it is not very efficient. I find it inconvenient to search for jobs," Zheng said.

Another problem is that, in general, the quality of employers is lower than on recruiting platforms such as Zhaopin, a leading human resources services provider she also uses.

Zheng has not yet taken an online interview, as most applications are stuck at the exam stage.

"I even borrowed a suit from my mom in case I was asked to do a video interview from home. It seems I no longer need it," she said.

Early birds

Unlike senior students grappling with future careers, early birds who received offers in fall last year face less pressure.

Before Lunar New Year, Yuan Mengrui, a 21-year-old literature student at Capital Normal University in Beijing, signed a contract to work for a bank after she graduates in July. The only change she has seen so far has been the cancellation of an internship she had scheduled for February.

"Except for the cancellation of the internship because of the epidemic, other graduation activities have run smoothly for me and my friends, as far as I know. All we need to do is prepare to write a dissertation based on the development of the epidemic," she said.

In addition to expanding online recruitment, the Ministry of Education is encouraging graduating students to join the military or apply for jobs with local governments in rural areas.

In addition, provinces and cities at all levels are introducing policies to support the employment market.

For example, the Beijing government has suggested companies extend their recruitment season, while Guangdong province is offering subsidies of 3,000 yuan ($424) to senior students seeking positions at the grassroots.

Even so, uncertainties and upsets remain likely in the next few months. As Zhu, the student at Nanjing Normal University, noted, "We are witnessing history in the making."