The demanding nature of the job market has been hard on university graduates. Despite the situation possibly stabilising in Singapore, that does not seem to be the case elsewhere in the world.
Recently, a woman in China broke down in a now-viral video on Douyin. Having had only around 30 companies respond to her job applications out of over 800, she failed all their interviews.
Distraught, she questioned the point of attending university, resulting in debate.
The woman posted a video to the social media platform Douyin, sharing her frustration with the job market.
Source: Douyin
She had majored in copywriting and planning and, since her graduation, submitted applications to over 800 companies.
However, about 30 firms responded with an interview, and none called her back.
To add salt to the wound, some of them offered internships with no salary provided.
“They can’t even become full-time employees after the end of their internships,” the woman added.
What’s the point of me going to university?
The woman shared that her best friend had a job in Beijing with a monthly pay of 7,500 yuan (S$1,457).
While it was a decent salary for a graduate, she had to fork out 2,000 yuan (S$388) monthly for rental and regularly worked overtime.
Source: Douyin
“She goes home from work at 1am,” the woman shared. “Sometimes 3 or 4am, and she has to get up at 7am.”
She said her younger friends were more successful, including her employer, who began working at a young age. He was able to network and learn more about human affairs in such a position.
“What about me?” the woman asked. “My family pressuring me to be a teacher or join the government is not making things easier for me.”
Her plight had apparently escalated to a point where she avoided returning to her hometown for Chinese New Year due to pressure from her family.
The video seems to have sparked much discussion on Douyin, with many agreeing with the woman’s views.
One commenter stated that many courses offering university majors did not appropriately equip students with the right social skills.
Source: Douyin
This causes them to be at a disadvantage, especially upon graduation.
Another user hinted at the need for parents to guide their children through a job hunt.
Source: Douyin
Otherwise, the situation may prove difficult for fresh graduates.
Interestingly, one netizen stated that he opened up a stall selling food after graduation.
He did not regret the decision, as he earned quite a bit from the business.
Multiple users also encouraged her to hang on, pointing out she might have a successful opportunity soon enough.
Source: Douyin
The struggle to find a job isn’t unique to China, with such difficulties cropping up universally every now and then.
All hope’s not lost yet, though — as the commenters under the video suggest, it’s better to hang on and keep trying regardless.
Here’s to wishing the woman good luck in her ongoing job hunt. Perhaps her video might also convince companies to lower stringent standards in job entry requirements.
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Featured image adapted from Douyin.
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