Factors Affecting Job Opportunities for University Graduates in China---the Evidence from University Graduates in Beijing

Abstract

The problem of unemployed university graduates has become serious in China since the expansion of the higher education system in 1999, leading to an unemployment spell. Of China’s 5.6 million university graduates in 2008, 1.7 million are reported to have been unable to find jobs.  In this paper, the factors that determine whether a graduate finds a job in China have been studied. A duration model for this study indicates that the graduates find jobs faster if they come from colleges with higher reputation. In addition, study shows graduates with engineering and business degrees find jobs more easily, next is major of arts and social science. The graduates with law and science degrees find jobs more difficult. Other majors have no significant effects on job finding. Finally, female graduates find jobs more easily than male graduates particularly before the final graduation date and 1-2 months after graduation.