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(China Daily 06/04/2011 page8)
TV recruitment programs are emerging as the newest platforms for fresh graduates to land themselves a job. Guo Shuhan reports.
While other graduates are still struggling to find a job, Wang Fan, a third-year student at Peking University, has already landed one.
The radio and television broadcasting major got her lucky break on a TV recruitment program Jobs Come Jobs Go, or Zhilai Zhiwang, co-produced by China Education TV and Jiangsu Satellite TV.
Wang made the cut after surviving a volley of questions fired at her by a group of 18 prospective employers.
As per the program's rules, participants who can convince half the 18 panelists of their capabilities, can land a job in any of the program's 100 cooperating companies.
They include such big names as China's leading portal Sina.com.cn, pharmaceutical company Tianjin Smith Kline & French Laboratories Ltd, BMW China, Starbucks Coffee and accounting firm, PriceWaterhouse-Coopers.
According to the Ministry of Education, the nation's universities will churn out 6.6 million graduates in 2011, which is 300,000 more than in 2010. Of last year's graduates, 600,000 students are still awaiting jobs.
TV programs, such as Jobs Come Jobs Go and Only You, or Feini Moshu, by Tianjin Satellite TV, are emerging as new platforms for graduates seeking jobs.
The two programs, whose broadcasting began late 2010, have attracted not only job-seekers but also university students wanting a taste of real-life interviews and an idea of what employers look for, to make the transition from campus to society as smooth as possible.
They also appeal to high school students wondering which major they should pick in university.
Jobs Come Jobs Go receives an average of 4,000 applications every week. More than 145,000 people follow it on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter. Only You has also attracted nearly 100,000 fans.
"Many graduates do not have access to proper career advice and are at a loss when looking for jobs," Yang Jinxing, chief producer of Jobs Come Jobs Go, says. "They have no clear idea of what they want to do or what they can do."
For Wang, participating in the TV program was not just about getting a job, it was more about the experience.
She once thought of becoming a radio station host for entertainment or fashion programs. But the interviewers said her voice was not as good as that of the other prospective hosts.
Wang eventually chose to work as an editor in a media company.
"When candidates are put under the spotlight and bombarded with challenging questions, their strengths and weaknesses are readily exposed," Liu Shuang, chief producer of Only You, says.
Liu further points out that the honest comments from employers can help candidates discover their aptitudes and potential.
Liu Ting, from the employment service center at Nankai University in Tianjin, encourages graduates to take the TV stage. She suggests, however, that participants look at the experience more as a learning opportunity and not care too much about whether they bring back an offer.
But even as more companies want to join the program, there are some who believe a short TV interview is hardly adequate to find the right talents.
However, for jobs such as sales and marketing which involve a lot of interpersonal communication, the TV show can give prospective employers an idea of how the candidates will hold up under pressure - a key requirement of such positions - says Ma Qing, head of human resources in Siemens North East Asia, which plans to hire 300 graduates in 2011.
"We usually have at least three rounds of assessments. But even at the end of that we can't be sure the applicant is 100 percent suited to our company and the job we offer," she says.
Yang, of Jobs Come Jobs Go, says the TV recruitment programs reflect the values of the younger generation. He says that while popular expectations of these youngsters is that they should be ambitious, the candidates just seem to want a stable job and give little thought to career prospects.
Meanwhile, Lin Mu, a fan of Only You, says on her micro blog that, "Sometimes employers may offer a junior position to someone who is not qualified for the job but may be in desperate need of it. It makes me think the working world is not so cold and indifferent, after all".
The blogs of many employers often attract questions from students about what kind of majors and which university they should choose, and which jobs would fit them best.
"If students rely on us to make decisions, they are wasting their time. What we provide is an opportunity for them to reflect on their own situation while watching others' presentations," says Liu Tong with Enlight Media, who recruited Wang Fan and five others.
"Students should try and get a feel of market pulse and one such way is through internships. This will help them find their niche and help them settle into working life quickly," Yang says.
(China Daily 06/04/2011 page8)
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