Jobless college graduates trigger concern in China (2)

"College graduates may know theories from books, but they don't know how to put them into everyday work," wrote "Jingjing."

Zhang Chunxia, who works for the career center of Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the facility has introduced courses on career planning and development. It has also invited alumni with established careers to deliver speeches to prepare students.

"I find those who work as university counselors and volunteer teachers, or start their own businesses are more confident than their peers as they know where their strengths lie," said Zhang.

Wu Ying, a graduate of Beijing Foreign Studies University, returned this September to pursue a master's degree after being NEET for one year.

"It's a vicious circle. You cannot find a job so you go back to school. Then you know less about the job market and still can't get a job when you graduate for a second time," said Wu.

Some Internet users said many college graduates who grew up post-1980s have a narrower definition of a "good job" than the older generation. Many would rather stay at home jobless if they failed to get stable or high-paid job.

"I was shocked when learning that more than 3,000 college graduates applied for a street cleaner's job in Harbin, just to become an employee at a government-affiliated institution," said a Weibo.com user "Valderfield."

The craze for government jobs remains red-hot this year as businesses create fewer jobs in a slowing economy. A record 1.5 million candidates submitted online applications for about 20,000 government jobs in the upcoming national civil service recruitment tests, according to the State Civil Servants Administration.

"If young people only consider government jobs as secure and decent, they lose an opportunity to enjoy life," wrote "Xiangzuounique."

More graduates are opting for a gap year after graduation as a buffer to job-hunting. Among them is Zhong Shan, a graduate from Fudan University, who went to Sichuan Province in western China to teach rural children.

"It enriches my experience," he said. "But the reality is that I still have to face the fierce competition in the labor market in the near future."

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