Post-1990 generation picky about jobs: research

The young generation shows a different attitude, which makes them more frequently miss a job interview, turn down offers and have no qualms about quitting if the work is not to their taste. Zhang Wenkui / Xinhua

Members of the post-1990 generation looking for work apply for multiple positions and hold high expectations of the jobs, a reflection of young people's changing attitudes amid the country's development, recent research showed.

When fresh graduates do snag a job interview, they are also more likely to miss it, turn down offers and have no qualms about quitting if the work is not to their taste.

These were some of the main findings of research conducted by leading Chinese recruitment website 51job.com.

Of those surveyed, 45.1 percent of employers said more than half of job candidates failed to turn up on time for interviews.

More than 60 percent of fresh graduates also felt they needed help from their parents to look for work, the research showed.

The website surveyed 2,357 enterprises and 1,230 fresh graduates nationwide over 15 days in 2013.

Liu Jinjin, deputy director of the human resources department at the Social Sciences Academic Press, said members of the post-1990 generation are picky about employment and it was common for them to break appointments for job interviews.

"Most of the post-1990 generation are the only child in the family. Their living conditions have greatly improved from that of the post-1980 and post-1970 generations. They don't experience much pressure in life so they pay closer attention to personal preferences and interests when hunting for a job," Liu said.

The post-1990 generation also does not care about the amount of money they make. Instead, the working environment, the happiness they derive from their work and respect from others are what matter most, she said.

"The post-1990 generation does not think twice about leaving in their first year of work. If they lose interest in a job or are not clear about their future career path, they will quit easily," Liu said.

Members of the generation are also more self-oriented. They want more time for themselves and are not willing to work overtime.

Their attitude to life is more casual, Liu said.

Zhang Gao, the campus brand director of Chinese Internet search giant Baidu, said a survey it conducted this year found that the post-1990 generation focus on work-life balance.

"They need some space when they work and don't want to be managed too strictly," Zhang said, adding that members of that generation often choose to work according to their interests and have their own ideas and views about work.

Zhu Guangchuan, 22, will graduate from Sanya College in Hainan province this July. He told China Daily he is now working as an Internet salesman for a local travel company.

"I chose this work out of interest. I think the salary is not the most important factor, and I focus on the opportunities for career development," he said.

Zhu said he once received about five notices for job interviews but only attended the one he was most interested in.

"My parents are open-minded, so they respect my personal choice," he said.

Sun Wan, born in 1990, is a fresh graduate who majored in Japanese. She said 30 to 40 percent of her classmates are not working after their graduation. Many plan to go abroad or take up postgraduate studies.

"I am not desperate for a job, although I have received some offers from employers. I plan to undertake a one-year training program in Japan then hunt for a job there. I like their corporate culture, and I also specialize in Japanese."

Sun said she once had an internship at a hotel but gave it up because the work was very tiring.

She said she follows her heart when job-hunting.

"If I don't like the work in Japan, I will consider coming back home." Her family does not require her to work immediately, she said.

Members of the post-1990 generation also pose challenges for employers.

Feng Lijuan, the chief consultant at 51job.com, said members can access lots of information online every day and have many work opportunities, so they compare and deliberate on different positions and might not stay in a company for long.

Feng said employers should communicate with their post-1990 employees regularly and provide counseling to help them solve problems.

This generation is very sensitive and has a lot of self-esteem, so employers need to be concerned about their temperaments and ways of communication, she said.