Employment – don’t wait until graduation to start preparing last minute”

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As the waters of the rivers warm in spring, the \"ducklings\" are the first to sense it; college students are living out their own unique job-seeking stories during this job hunt season. We are able to roughly outline a positive trend in college students’ employment this year from various groups and perspectives. These cases have their successful aspects as well as areas that are not entirely ideal; therefore, the journalist invited several of the \"main characters\" to share their experiences, and together with the views of employment guidance counselors, they explored how college students can navigate the changes in the job market. They say that the time from freshman to graduate should not be wasted; one shouldn’t start preparing at the last minute when it comes to finding a job. Professional heating and cooling: a balanced perspective. In this series of reports, the students involved are primarily from specialties with distinct characteristics. In most cases, the major a student chooses upon entering college is the same one they will pursue in their career. As the \"starting point\" on the long road to employment, students place particular importance on their major. It is undeniable that there is a significant difference in the ‘temperature’ among various fields – some are enthusiastic, some intense, some cold, and some icy – but the ‘temperature’ of a field does not determine the ‘temperature’ of employment opportunities. Chen Lingling from Fudan University entered the Department of Culture and Museology as her last choice. She said outright that in 2006, when she took the college entrance exams, the major in cultural relics and museums was extremely unpopular; out of the more than 20 students in her class, a quarter of them had been admitted as a result of being assigned to this major. By the time graduation approached, the auction prices of individual art pieces in the domestic art market had repeatedly exceeded 100 million yuan, and the enthusiasm for collecting among the public further boosted interest in this field. Before long, the department of cultural heritage studies shifted from being considered a fallback option to becoming a popular choice for sophomore students who wanted to change their major. Professional heating and cooling sometimes transform in this way. Based on this trend, it is not only necessary for schools and departments to adapt their academic structures and program offerings in response to changing needs and circumstances, but students also need to approach things from a dialectical perspective. Huang Zhongni from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine originally aspired to become a doctor; after enrolling in the traditional Chinese medicine program, she considered changing her major for a while. It was only later that she realized that the department of traditional Chinese medicine at this university ranked first among similar departments in universities across the country. Moreover, the contemporary medical approach of systematic diagnosis and treatment as well as the growing emphasis on health maintenance for all members of society are all factors that are beneficial to the field of traditional Chinese medicine. At present, both students have achieved their wishes: they have moved on to positions in their preferred fields, away from the fields that were not their first choice, and these positions are relevant to their specialties. It can be seen that their rational choices at the time, as well as their professional convictions, were all correct. The career counseling teachers working with them believe that, generally speaking, so-called \"niche\" majors often also have specific employment opportunities, and the job prospects for such majors can sometimes be more favorable than those for \"mainstream\" majors. Know yourself and plan your personality. Planning ahead ensures success; failing to plan leads to failure. Through interviews with college graduates who have found employment, reporters found that a considerable number of those who were successful in securing jobs had a clear career plan, one that was developed early, in detail, and with a long-term perspective. Even within the same field of study, each student possesses distinct characteristics; therefore, planning a career requires self-awareness and a personalized approach. Wang Jin, a recent graduate from Shanghai University of Applied Science, is now a key researcher at a large fragrance company, specializing in \"salty flavors\". He was truly strategic in shifting from the broad field of \"flavors and fragrances\" to the more niche area of simulating meat flavors. The fragrance and flavor specialty is the flagship program of the college, divided into three areas: perfumery, applications, and marketing. Considering that he is not particularly outgoing and enjoys researching, Xiao Wang planned to pursue a career as a perfumer. However, perfumery can also be further divided into \"sweet\" and \"salty\" flavors; the former is mainly used in pastries, candies, etc., and there has been long-term research on this in foreign countries ； The latter mainly simulates the flavor of meat; there is still much room for development in this area in China, and the market potential is significant. After much deliberation, he chose the latter and followed the renowned masters in the academy, becoming one of their outstanding disciples. Compared to Wang Jin, Chen Lingling and Huang Zhongni did not pursue a research-oriented path. Chen Lingling said, “In my sophomore year, I tried to conduct research on Fujian’s Tulou architecture. I found it difficult to uncover clues and come up with innovative insights; I’m better at tasks such as collecting and organizing information.” ”Since she had previously chosen an economics-related major on a voluntary basis, she quickly changed direction and decided to pursue a career in the art auction industry. Huang Zhongni also told the reporters, “After entering the school, I took a career orientation test, and realized that my extroverted personality makes me well-suited for careers in consulting and sales.” ”Thus, combining her expertise in traditional Chinese medicine, she uniquely \"planned\" for herself a career in the traditional Chinese medicine industry, drafting a 10-year career plan that began with working as a salesperson in a pharmaceutical company, with the goal of gradually moving on to roles in pharmaceutical market management and planning. “Now, just like that plan, I have taken the first step in my career. ” Focus on key areas of study and supplement with extra learning; college time passes by in the blink of an eye, and many students end up studying in a scattered manner due to lack of clear goals, which weakens their competitiveness in the job market ； Conversely, having plans and strategies can enhance the relevance of learning and practice; the two complement each other to strengthen specific competencies. College elective courses are diverse, and many students have learned to choose them strategically. Huang Zhongni, who is studying traditional Chinese medicine, in order to meet the requirements of working in drug sales, not only mastered the basic courses but also took additional courses in \"Public Relations and Etiquette\", as well as management-related courses ； Chen Lingling, who is studying cultural heritage, focuses on career opportunities in art auctions; she often sits in the front rows during courses related to jade, porcelain, and the history of calligraphy and painting. Social practices that meet employment needs have also become a kind of “extracurricular supplement” for these students. As an engineering student, Fu Chunyan from Shanghai University of Mechanical Science and Engineering has recently joined a Fortune 500 company in Shanghai. Her ‘cards’ to get the job offer were not only scholarships but also patents and awards from university science and technology innovation competitions. Jiang Chunmin, the deputy dean of the School of Electrical Engineering where she studies, explained that Fu Chunyan joined a science and innovation team dominated by males; starting from her sophomore year, she developed two projects, obtained two patents, and won municipal-level awards. It is rare to find an out-of-town undergraduate who receives so many advantages like her; not only has she secured a good job, but she also has a chance of obtaining a Shanghai residence permit. “Aroma designer Wang Jin also talked at length about his own participation in competitions and practical experiences. “In a campus perfuming competition, I created the fragrance of ‘Wang’s Beef’, and I also traveled south to Shenzhen to help a company solve the problem related to the color of sweet flavors. ” According to recent graduates, finding a job is something that should be done at graduation, but it certainly shouldn’t be postponed until then.