Graduates turn to 2nd- and 3rd-tier cities  

中国“最难就业季”：大学生选择“向下迁徙”

又到毕业季，天津工业大学大四毕业生刘斌和几个同学正奔波于各种招聘会。刘斌有点沮丧，“要么是专业不太对口，要么是工资太低，有些单位工资还不到3000元(人民币)，在天津这种城市，租房每月也要一两千，怎么生活？！”

Tianjin (CNS) -- Metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are no longer the first choice for job-seekers in China, as more graduates are turning their eyes on second- and third-tier cities amid the high pressures of employment.

This year, about 7 million students will graduate from college, an increase of 190,000 from 2012. This number is the highest since the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, indicating that 2013 is expected to be the toughest year for graduates.

A recent survey shows 76 percent of white-collar employees working in first-tier cities are in a state of poor health. Nearly 60 percent of them are overworked.

High living costs, including rising commodity prices and skyrocketing housing prices, in first-tier cities have pushed job seekers to face reality and turn their eyes on job markets in second- and third-tier cities.

Seeking jobs in small and mid-sized cities is a wise and rational choice for graduates, as lower living costs can provide a better environment for entry-level workers, said Jiang Jianrong, an associate professor from the Zhou Enlai School of Government under the Tianjin-based Nankai University.

By working in second- or third-tier cities, graduates can also contribute to the growth of those cities, Jiang added.