Students browse job postings at the fair. (Photo by Luo Bin/Visual Chongqing)
Chongqing - China is set to face a record 12.22 million university graduates in 2025, an increase of 430,000 from the previous year, putting additional pressure on the job market. In Chongqing, around 376,000 students graduated this year, with numbers expected to rise further.
The city' newly unveiled employment plan aims to create two million urban jobs by 2027 and attract over 1.2 million young people, including university graduates, to work or start businesses in the city. In 2025, the plan targets 400,000 young individuals, offering support through job opportunities, policies, and services to encourage them to stay or work in Chongqing.
A dedicated job fair was held at Chongqing University on June 24 as part of a 100-day campaign aimed at supporting job seekers, particularly university graduates. The initiative aggregates millions of job postings and organizes job-matching activities to help boost employment opportunities.
Career aspirations collide with market realities
As the country undergoes a critical phase of economic transformation, the job market for graduates is being shaped by three key trends: growing competition, structural mismatches, and the rapid emergence of new industries.
"There's no shortage of job openings, but the core issue is mismatch," said an official from the Chongqing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. According to the official, while the number of job positions across the city has steadily increased in the first half of the year, there remains a noticeable gap between graduates' expectations and the realities of the job market.
Li Muzhan, a computer science graduate from Tianjin University of Technology, expressed his frustration, "Since April, I've sent out 70 to 80 resumes. The companies I really like have high requirements—some ask for relevant experience, others for new technical skills that I just don't have."
Liu, a mechanical engineering graduate from Chongqing University of Technology, hesitated for a long time before submitting just two applications. "I saw many job postings from traditional manufacturing firms. They match my major, but I'm not interested," Liu admitted. "Working in a factory just isn't for me—it's boring, and the environment doesn't suit me. I want to keep looking."
On the other hand, many employers are struggling to attract talent.
"Our factory is located in an industrial park, and many students lose interest as soon as they hear the location," said Liang Wenqian, HR and administration manager at Chongqing Aoying Automotive Technology Co., Ltd., which established operations in the city this February. "We urgently need talent, but many graduates view factory work as dull, the accommodations as inadequate, or believe that 'working in a factory' is not a respectable job. As a result, very few university graduates are willing to join us."
Graduates eye opportunities in emerging sectors
At the job fair, four specialized recruitment zones were set up, focusing on computer science, electronic information, education management, and finance and trade.
The general recruitment area offered positions in advanced manufacturing, new materials and new energy, healthcare, and productive service industries. Roles such as new energy vehicle powertrain engineer, polymer materials engineer, and blockchain application developer attracted attention from students.
Zhang Hengliang, HR manager at Zhiyuweike (Chongqing) Technology Co., Ltd. (AI DRIVE), said, "We're looking for well-rounded talent. Specifically for university graduates, we've opened nine positions in areas such as big data and artificial intelligence, with monthly salaries ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 yuan ($2,091.72 to $2,788.96)."
The abundance of emerging positions at the job fair showcased fresh employment prospects brought by Chongqing's industrial upgrade.
The position of large-model algorithm engineer offered a top monthly salary of 18,000 yuan, requiring candidates to master core technologies such as Transformer and self-attention mechanisms. Zhang Wei, a graduate from Chongqing University, felt both excited and nervous and said, "I'm familiar with this technology, and the salary is really attractive. I’ve decided to give it a shot!"
A recruiter at the event revealed that fresh graduates with expertise in cutting-edge technologies—such as intelligent connectivity and electric drive systems—can expect starting salaries of around 8,000 yuan, significantly higher than those in traditional mechanical roles.
Notably, public awareness of newly emerging professions is rising rapidly. At the training and consultation area, booths offering guidance on roles like AI trainer and all-media operations specialist were crowded with students.
"Learning an extra skill based on my interests and earning an additional certification could improve my job prospects," said Li, a student inquiring about the all-media operations role. She added that many of her classmates share similar plans, hoping to enhance their competitiveness in the job market.
Youth employment is no longer one-size-fits-all
At the job fair, some students are also seeking advice at the consultation booth.
Most of the students who come for consultation fall into three categories, said Yuan Zhi, a career development trainer at the booth. "First, those who feel lost and unsure about what kind of job to pursue. Second, those who have sent out many resumes but haven't had much success. And third, those who hope to receive recommendations for suitable positions."
After speaking with many university graduates, Yuan also noticed a clear trend: about half were delaying employment or choosing to prepare for postgraduate studies or civil service exams. "Support from parents, difficulty in finding a suitable position, and the absence of financial pressure are all factors contributing to this delayed or slower approach to employment," Yuan explained.
According to the 2024 College Graduate Employability Survey Report by Zhaopin, an online recruitment portal, the proportion of fresh graduates opting for delayed employment and freelance work rose from 18.9% and 13.2% in 2023 to 19.1% and 13.7%, respectively.
"I'm not refusing to work—I just want to find a path that truly fits me before making a decision," said Ma Xinyu, a graduate from Chongqing Vocational and Technical University of Mechatronics, echoing the thoughts of many young people taking a slower approach to employment.
Ma Rongjing, a senior majoring in broadcasting and TV directing at Tianjin Normal University, had a similarly telling experience. Her parents insisted that taking a civil service exam would offer more stability. "But the competition is just too intense," she said. "Even though I prepared seriously, I still fell short. While I was studying for the exam, I missed many recruitment opportunities and only started sending out resumes in May." The clash between family expectations and societal realities has become a major factor behind the growing trend of slow employment.
Yuan believed that with China's economic transformation and upgrading, along with the rapid development of new employment forms, college graduates now have more diverse career options. An increasing number of graduates are also turning to freelance work as a way to realize their personal and professional value.