A certificate from a well-known Chinese university was once considered an automatic ticket to a splendid career. However, it now seems to be a barrier for graduates seeking employment.  

 

China Youth Daily reports that many graduates from top universities have become frustrated in their efforts to secure employment in domestic medium and small-sized companies. It appears there's growing concern among employers that recruits with excellent college certificates will leave for better companies soon after getting their foot onto the career ladder.

 

Yang Hening, a graduate from the reputable Nankai University in Tianjin, has suffered the problem. Majoring in business administration and with plenty internship experience Yang appeared to be a competitive candidate in the job market. However, all his applications for posts in local, small firms got him nowhere.  

 

Yang was confused by this. He claims his applications were probably set aside by recruiting companies when they saw his educational background. He attributes his job-hunting failure to the worries of prospective employers that rookies like him with excellent college certificates would be job hopping and salary-jockeying.

 

Yang's view was echoed by a recruiter later interviewed on the subject. He's from a small firm and said high turnover of personnel had hit his company and affected its smooth development. Yang indicated he had to carefully review the applicants with certificates from well-known colleges and make careful choices from among them to avoid future instability.  

 

Statistical data backs up the worries expressed by small companies. A survey was quoted by the report as showing that most job-hunting graduates with excellent educational backgrounds preferred to work in "big name" companies. It has been suggested that they sign short-term contracts with smaller firms and seek opportunities with big enterprises later.

 

But the question of "faithfulness" is also one that troubles the big enterprises themselves. Kingsoft, one of China's leading software brands, recruits around 100 people annually but no longer enrolls graduates from the top colleges because of their concerns about holding onto them.   

 

A manager from the China branch of Toyota said that top graduates are often the last people they would choose to recruit. They're perceived as lacking loyalty.

 

Liu Yuebo, a teacher with Nankai University and career advisor, says graduates are self-centered and ignore the interests of their employers. Liu said the faithfulness of an applicant is usually considered as of equal importance to their ability in the recruitment process.

 

Liu's analysis was largely agreed upon by Mr. Chen, human resources director, with a state-owned enterprise. Chen said that the certificates from good colleges were not really a decisive factor in recruitment any longer. Most of the attention from employers was on the attitude of applicants toward a particular job.

 

(CRI.cn February 9, 2007)