College graduates getting bolder in tough job market

Either launching online start-ups or going to the countryside for innovative farming, Chinese college graduates are using their imagination to find work in what is a tough job market.

The latest story that has attracted the interest of netizens is three senior science students who have opened an online shop selling women's sanitary napkins.

Wu Fengming, one of the science students from Central South University in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, said the idea was inspired by his girlfriend, who often bought him clothes and underwear online.

"If she and other girls are given sanitary napkins each month, they may feel they are cared for and loved," said Wu.

The energy-engineering major and two of his software development school friends-turned partners opened qinaide520.com, meaning "my dear", on March 1.

The Chinese government has encouraged self-employment in an attempt to foster new areas of growth to keep people in work.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang admitted that the employment situation is tough in his government work report delivered to the country's top legislature last week. He said a record 7.27 million college graduates will be job hunting this year.

Younger people face many difficulties when trying to start up a business as they lack both cash and experience.

As well as craving for capital support, Wu had to overcome other problems such as embarrassment and misunderstanding from the public and even his parents, who wanted him to get a "real job" other than selling sanitary napkins.

The website requires customers to become members while ordering an annual supply of sanitary towels. The store then sends them out each month.

Start-ups by college graduates are often full of innovative ideas.

A video website opened by Wu Siyu, a native in east China's Nanjing, while he was in postgraduate study two years ago turned out to be the country's only online agricultural teaching website for edible fungus. Wu's company has created jobs for more than 30 college graduates.

The entrepreneur said online start-ups should find a niche to help survive fierce market competition.

He was lucky enough to get a non-interest loan of 200,000 yuan (32,620 U.S. dollars) from the local government to carve out his business.