Postgraduate struggle考研之惑:梦想照不进现实导读:许多大学生为缓解就业压力而选择考研,期望用高学历叩响成功大门。然而,梦想很丰满,现实很骨感。相关数字证明,研究生的求职路并不平坦。
The number of students enrolled in higher education across the country has been continually on the rise. Last year, 584,000 postgraduate students enrolled in universities nationwide – more than as much as a decade ago.
全国高等教育入学学生数量呈持续增长趋势。去年,全国高校硕士研究生招生人数达到58.4万人,大大超过十年前。 Last month also sees a record high of 1.8 million students taking part in the examinations for postgraduate entry. But media headlines in recent years have repeatedly focused on the grim job prospects for postgraduates. Life seems to be getting harder for postgraduate students. Not long ago, a master’s degree was more or less a passport to a high-flying job. But in today’s more competitive market, it’s another story entirely. In a survey conducted by the Graduate School of Education, Peking University and other agencies, since 2009 the employment rate of postgraduates has been lower than undergraduates for three consecutive years, according to the Voice of China. “Employers nowadays are looking for qualities beyond knowledge and technical expertise. They want ‘softer skills’ including communication, teamwork and initiative,” said Li Mu, a HR consultant at 51job.com, a leading recruitment website. “Postgraduates should pay more attention to their skills outside of academia when they hunt for jobs.” Zheng Pubo, 25, studied social anthropology at Shanghai University. Although he obtained his master’s degree one and a half years ago, he’s currently working as an operator at a call center of China Merchant’s Bank in Shenzhen. He described his job as “soul-destroying”. “I tried applying for academic positions in universities, said Zheng, “but the feedback indicated that they wanted the applicants to be ‘research active’, which basically means having a dozen publications and well-defined research interests.” Zheng found his skills of little value outside the academic bubble. Employers often say that he’s overqualified or lacks experience in commercial activities. Eventually, he became completely disheartened. Education and HR experts say that this kind of dilemma is caused by a lack of career planning. “Before you decide to attend a certain postgraduate course, the main thing that you need to know is what you want to do and research, and how the course will benefit you,” said Shen Changyu, president of the Graduate School at Dalian University of Technology. “There is no point in doing a course that will not help you land the jobs that you genuinely want to do,” he added. Postgraduates tend to have very high expectations regarding salary and benefits. In Beijing, the current average monthly salary for a college graduate is 2,000 to 3,000 yuan. But most postgraduates’ expectations are much higher than that. “I am hoping for at least 6,000 yuan a month with a Beijing hukou. Otherwise, my time and money that went into my study will be wasted,” said Li Ji, 25, a postgraduate majoring in accounting at the Central University of Finance and Economics. Faced with such demanding expectations, many employers have shown a lack of interest. But it’s important to get a foot in the door. “Gain some work experience first, which can help you understand the working world. Lower your expectations and bolster your confidence,” said Chen Yongli, a teacher at the Career Center of Peking University. |
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