Graduates still want high pay despite economic downturn

Source: Xinhua | 01-15-2009 10:40

BEIJING, Jan. 15 -- Despite the financial crisis, graduates in Shanghai still expect high salaries and want to work for government agencies or in finance.

College graduates attend a job fair in Hangzhou, capital  of east China's Zhejiang Province Jan. 13, 2009. Some 700  companies provided 12,000 positions during the job fair  on Tuesday.(Xinhua/Tan Jin)

A study by Fudan University's journalism school shows that nearly 60 percent of graduates interviewed expected salaries between 3,000 yuan (US$436) and 5,000 yuan a month, though 46.1 percent of them think this year's wage levels will be a little lower than a year ago. Many of them, especially those from mainstream schools, are looking for salaries as high as 8,000 yuan a month.

Graduate employment emerged as a major theme at yesterday's session of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Consultative Conference.

Shanghai Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng said during a discussion at the meeting of the city's top advisory body that he was most concerned about employment, particularly for graduates.

Li, a Shanghai Maritime University graduate, told Oriental Outlook magazine that life in Shanghai could be difficult for people earning less than 2,000 yuan a month.

"To share an apartment with two bedrooms and a living room with a schoolmate you need at least 800 yuan a month. Monthly expenses for food would be no less than 600 yuan. Another 500 yuan would be spent on bills and daily necessities," Li said.