‘I have to pay the rent and I have to buy food. It’s tough’: Chinese graduates and their hopes for work

News Snapshot:

When Yingying started a degree in medical psychology at Beijing University of Technology four years ago, she was hoping it would lead to a job as a counsellor. But when she graduated this year, she took a job in human resources that pays less than she hoped and has little to do with her qualifications. “My specific expertise is irrelevant but psychology involves a lot of communications skills that can be useful in the workplace,” she said. “I was expecting to earn a lot more. I expected to earn Rmb10,000 (€1,262) a month but I couldn’t get Rmb6,000 in the...