On Graduate Work at the Front Line as Well
Thread Content
I saw a few posts discussing the issue of graduate students working at the lowest levels in companies, and I’d like to share my thoughts as well. The year before last, I took students on a field trip to a larger plastic factory, and the factory manager said something that I will never forget: our company doesn’t lack workers, but it lacks talent. Now, every year I say this to my students and ask for their opinions. The main goal is to help them give up the idea of being special elites, to study hard and build a solid foundation; in the workplace, they must start from scratch and work hard to become skilled professionals as soon as possible. Originally, undergraduates felt that working as operators was a waste of their talents; now it’s the turn of postgraduates. In fact, companies generally don’t want to hire postgraduates either, for fear that they might develop their own ambitions and thus cause instability within the team. When training their management team, ordinary companies generally consider whether the candidates have worked on the front line and whether they are dependable. Why are many current leaders in companies graduates of Tsinghua University? Diligence and hard work are the foundation for standing firm. Regardless of your background or educational level, what matters is whether you can get things done, how well you perform in your work, and whether you can take on seemingly simple tasks in a short period of time. Once you’re truly able to handle tasks on your own, you gain the right to speak up. Even if there is no good opportunity for development, switching to a foreign company or another organization at this point will result in a significant difference in terms of benefits compared to before. Even foreign or private companies are willing to hire those with work experience; don’t think that having a university degree is enough – at the beginning of working in a company, it’s still a continuation of learning. When you have complaints in mind, ask yourself whether you have the right to them Let’s find out whether it’s a mule or a horse by taking it for a walk; once you agree to do that, you’re already half way there. Of course, many state-owned enterprises do not pay attention to building a talent development pipeline; in such cases, you should treat your work even more as a training ground. Remember: No pain, no gain. Last edited by dongping001 on 2009-4-5 14:13]
Work is learning for pay*; this is the best attitude toward work. Companies are not short of workers, but rather of talented individuals. One should not give up on the aspiration to become one of those outstanding people; therefore, it is even more important to study hard and build a solid foundation. When entering a company, one must start from scratch and work hard to become a talented professional as soon as possible. Because the chosen ones of heaven are supposed to do better.
Yes, companies are not short of people, but they lack talent. But companies should also consider that without investing in training people, where will the talent come from? I think today’s companies are too eager for quick results and are unwilling to invest in training employees; after all, there is a gap between school and workplace. It is not only China’s education system and its students that deserve reflection; China’s corporate employment systems also warrant consideration. ————One should not be too stingy.
Hehe, when you’re a leader and realize that all the people you trained have left for other jobs, you won’t think that way anymore. After all, it costs money for companies to train people.
It was well said upstairs – there is no corporate culture. Killing the chicken to get its eggs!
If you assign a graduate student to do manual labor, they might not be as good as a kid who graduated from a technical school. Graduate students, please lower your noble heads
There are countless graduate students these days. I remember a teacher saying that in class; haha. So, don’t overestimate yourself – just work hard.
The original poster is right; what companies lack are talents, not people willing to do the work
Most graduate students lack practical skills, yet their tuition fees are high, and it’s uncertain how much of what they learn can be applied in their work
LZ makes a good point! If you have the ability, there’s no need to worry; therefore, one should keep learning throughout life, be diligent, and approach learning with an open mind in order to achieve better progress
It’s nothing unusual; I’m an undergraduate and I do jobs that don’t require any technical skills. If I end up working at a company of average quality and my own educational level is also average, then that’s just normal
"Regardless of your background or educational level, what matters is whether you can get things done, how well you perform in your work, and whether you can take on seemingly simple tasks in a short period of time. Once you’re truly able to handle tasks on your own, you gain the right to speak up. Even if there’s no chance for good development, switching to a foreign company or another organization at this point would result in a significant difference in terms of benefits compared to before. I agree with your view, because that’s exactly how I started as well!
If a company is just looking to hire workers, then why hire postgraduates? Recruiting postgraduate students helps to improve the structure of the team by creating a talent pipeline at various levels, which facilitates the development of the company. However, graduate students are highly in favor of working shifts on the front line; without understanding the actual work conditions there, their knowledge remains theoretical and baseless.
Study hard!* There are risks associated with finding a job after graduating as a graduate student
What’s wrong with postgraduate students? They too need to work hard! If one can’t even tolerate working at the grassroots level, then no great achievements will be possible. I remember a famous foreign entrepreneur who, while giving a speech to graduate students at a university, said, “Look to your left; that person will be poor in ten years. Look to your right; that person will also be poor in ten years. And look at yourself – you too will be poor in ten years.” ”Why? Because you are a graduate student, you have a sense of superiority; you can’t put aside your arrogance and get to work. It is only when you’re cornered with no way out that you’ll think of making changes! Let’s all talk about it, right?
Graduate students in chemical engineering spend their time working with various bottles and containers in the laboratory, but those skills are of no use in companies. Many of them haven’t even learned CAD in design firms. I don’t see what advantages they have in terms of employment; many pursue a graduate degree simply because they think it will lead to better working conditions. Does such an attitude really help develop their ability to analyze problems?
You can’t generalize! Those who say something bad about postgraduates are definitely not postgraduates!
It feels like the “eight-year struggle” (four years of undergraduate study + three years of graduate study + one year of unemployment after graduation) was really a waste of time! ! !
There is a saying that I consider to be a famous quote; I would like to quote it here: China is not short of talent, but it lacks dedicated practitioners. I think Chinese people are very intelligent, but not many of them manage to put their intelligence to use. I hope everyone can utilize their talents to create a better environment for their own future.
Graduate students should also work diligently and do as much as possible in their jobs. Although it has been difficult to find work for graduate students lately, this is especially true for those from ordinary universities :). Therefore, they need to prove themselves through their work and help earn a good reputation for their schools!
It’s unfair to generalize and judge all postgraduate students in the same way; not everyone is like that. Some people pursue a postgraduate degree because they know their goals and the path they want to take in life, while others study simply for a higher degree, without really having thought about what they actually want. They are no different from those who just muddle through college, which is why it’s no wonder they struggle to find jobs after graduation.