Are you on course?

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With a record number of students graduating from universities, they will find the job market competitive this year. XINHUA

THIS year, Chinese graduates are finding the job market has drastically changed since they entered college and that so-called \"hot courses\" might not land them good jobs after all.

Students on so-called \"hot courses\" including law, journalism and computer science are struggling in the job market. But people studying for degrees in finance, economics and property management are almost guaranteed good jobs.

\"I have applied to 15 companies online, and most of them have shown an interest in hiring me,\" said Wang Ming, a postgraduate student of Labor Economics at Southwest University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

He said that all students studying economics, finance and accounting at his university have received at least two job offers.

Students on unpopular courses such as mining and materials science are also in demand. The employment rate of graduates from these two courses was 100 percent at Guizhou University in Guizhou Province.

\"Many companies come straight to our school to find employees,\" said Wang Hua who works in the university's career guidance center.

Lacking skills

However, the graduates who can't find jobs are finding there is a gap between their school-learned-knowledge and the skills employers are looking for.

For instance, in 2007, only 60 percent of computer science graduates were employed, but the job vacancies in the IT industry exceeded 1 million. IT companies complain about the large amount of money they need to spend training new employees. They hope universities will begin adjusting their courses to prepare students for their future careers.

Statistics show about 5.6 million students will graduate from higher education institutions in 2008, an increase of 640,000 on 2007, according to China Daily. Last year, one-third of the college graduates failed to find jobs, the newspaper said.

Best majors and best qualities

2007 best employed major

1. Property management

2. Game programming

3. Finance

4. Catering

5. Industry market research

6. Human resources management

7. Electronic engineering

8. Mechanic designing

9. Electrical engineering

10. Civil engineering



SOURCE: 800HR.COM


10 most valued qualities by employers

1. Sense of responsibility

2. Sense of teamwork

3. Ambition

4. Flexibility

5. Eloquence

6. Independence

7. Confidence

8. Ability to work under pressure

9. Communication skills

10. Professional excellency


SOURCE: SHANDONG HUMAN RESOURCES WEBSITE