Recently, many universities in China have issued "Employment Initiatives for the Class of 2024 Graduates," urging graduates not to focus solely on taking civil service exams, securing permanent positions, or pursuing further studies. Instead, they should adjust their job expectations by seeking employment in small and medium-sized enterprises and grassroots organizations. However, these initiatives have not resonated with students, with many even believing that "going against the grain is the right way."
In response to the strong desire of many young university students to enter government departments, public institutions, and state-owned enterprises, there is a popular phrase on the internet with a hint of sarcasm - "the end of the universe is a permanent position."
So, is a permanent position really the end of the universe?
The Temptation of Permanent Positions
The reason why many young people are obsessed with working in permanent positions is closely related to the advantages of such positions.
Firstly, stability and security. In China's historical and cultural tradition, Confucianism emphasizes order, harmony, and stability, advocating the "doctrine of the mean" and suggesting that individuals should have a stable and orderly position in the social structure. This cultural value shapes people's tendency to pursue a stable and secure way of life, reflected in their career choices, preferring jobs with long-term security and low risk. For many families and individuals, obtaining a permanent position through exams signifies successfully achieving a stable life.
Secondly, social status and recognition. In the minds of many, working in a permanent position not only represents economic stability but is also often associated with higher social status, prestige, and family honor. Having a job in the system often earns respect and recognition from family, community, and society as a whole, which is a significant driving force for many people to pursue permanent positions.
Thirdly, career development and welfare benefits. Permanent positions usually come with a standardized promotion mechanism and clear career development paths. Within the system, employees can expect to be promoted to higher positions according to established rules through assessments, training, and years of service, achieving career growth. In contrast, the career advancement in non-permanent positions depends more on market conditions, business performance, and personal opportunities, leading to greater uncertainty.
Additionally, permanent positions offer significant advantages in terms of welfare benefits. Apart from basic salaries, permanent positions often come with a range of benefits that are difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises to match.
Who is Most Enamored with Permanent Positions
In 2020, a book titled "My Second-Tier University Students" written by Huang Deng, a teacher at Guangdong University of Finance, sparked strong social reactions. Through a comparison of the fate of students in three classes from different eras (1992, 2006, 2015), the author discovered some touching results - differences in individual destinies, group differentiation, and solidification.
Huang Deng pointed out in the book that, thanks to the opportunities provided by the times, "post-70s" ordinary university students, even if born in rural areas, could change their destinies through the college entrance examination and lead a worry-free life; "post-80s" second-tier university students, though not as fortunate as the "post-70s," most students could still "enjoy the spotlight in the era's dilemma"; however, "post-90s" and even "post-00s" second-tier university students entering society are faced with soaring housing prices, devalued diplomas, and dwindling job opportunities.
In the author's view, the growth possibilities of second-tier university students are increasingly constrained by the spillover effects of their families. She even feels that the significant differentiation of second-tier students after graduation has mostly been completed before enrollment, and the actual effectiveness and marginal effects of education have already diminished.
The reason for mentioning "My Second-Tier University Students" is to tell readers that the "silent and vast" second-tier university students are most enamored with permanent positions. Unlike students from prestigious universities under the "Project 985" or "Project 211," ordinary second-tier university students have few opportunities for graduate school or studying abroad and generally lack high-quality job positions. In an era where academic qualifications are devalued, second-tier university students do not have many advantages in the job market.
In recent years, more and more second-tier university students have started to move away from the "Kong Yiji's long gown" and have shifted to positions that do not require high academic qualifications. According to statistics, the proportion of undergraduate students in the domestic and international food delivery industry has reached nearly 30%. Are university students not working hard enough? The answer seems to be not so simple. Many students are diligent from the moment they step onto the university campus, busy with various certifications and social practices, preparing for a good job in the future.
In contrast, taking civil service exams or pursuing permanent positions seems to be the best way out for second-tier university students today. The popular internet phrase "the end of the universe is a permanent position" is a reflection of this phenomenon.
In fact, besides the three major advantages mentioned earlier, obtaining a permanent position has another factor that cannot be ignored - the process of taking civil service exams is relatively fair and involves less influence from one's original family background. Generally, the public recruitment for positions in public institutions, civil service, and other permanent positions involves transparent recruitment information, strict qualification reviews, uniform exam standards, anonymous grading and score disclosure, comprehensive supervision mechanisms, and strict disciplinary actions, aiming to ensure that each candidate competes on an equal starting line. It is the openness, fairness, and transparency of the civil service exam process that has led many young university students to wholeheartedly engage in it and see it as an important channel to transcend social classes.
How to Overcome the Obsession with Permanent Positions
It is well known that permanent positions are limited, and not everyone is suitable for working within the system. When more and more university students, especially those from second-tier institutions, consider obtaining a permanent position as the ultimate goal in life, it is a phenomenon worth being vigilant about.
On one hand, the excessive emphasis on permanent positions by young people, even considering it as the sole criterion for success, reflects a disregard for innovative spirit and diverse career values, as well as limitations on individual development possibilities and a decline in social vitality. On the other hand, this phenomenon also reflects deep-seated social issues such as the devaluation of academic qualifications due to the expansion of higher education, a decrease in high-quality job positions, and the adoption of the belief that "education is useless" by some individuals. This means that it is not easy for current university students to break away from their obsession with civil service exams. It requires both the government to provide relevant policy guidance and institutional reforms to build a healthier, more diverse, and vibrant employment ecosystem, as well as the whole society and families to advocate for diverse career values, respect individuals' career interests and strengths, and continuously break the worship of civil service exams. Here, the author briefly discusses two suggestions from a personal professional perspective.
First, adjust the university's majors to promote high-quality employment. It must be acknowledged that many universities in China, especially ordinary second-tier institutions, are overly focused on academic reputation and neglect the cultivation of core competitiveness of university students. When setting majors, they either indulge themselves and work in isolation, or rush to duplicate majors without a deep understanding of market demand and environment.
How many university students does the job market need, and what kind of abilities should university students possess? How should universities cultivate these abilities in students? In the era of artificial intelligence, how should universities cultivate students' unique abilities? Many universities clearly do not focus enough or put enough effort into addressing these questions. In this context, the phenomenon of "graduating into unemployment," and even blindly pursuing civil service exams, public sector jobs, or further education, is not surprising.
Therefore, universities, especially second-tier institutions, should break their self-isolation, integrate into the local community, deepen the integration of industry and education, and collaborate with enterprises. As Professor Liu Xianjun from Huazhong University of Science and Technology said, "Based on the local economic development, resource conditions, and talent needs, explore the setting and construction of disciplines and majors. According to local characteristics and their demand for talents, determine talent training programs and modes."
Second, improve the way of educating people and cultivate "whole individuals." Currently, domestic second-tier institutions generally define university students based on a standard of success. For example, during graduation season, many second-tier institutions will post a red list for graduates who have succeeded in civil service exams, public sector jobs, or postgraduate entrance exams, or invite representatives to share their "success stories" with the entire student body.
In conclusion, domestic universities often treat university students as "tools" or "one-dimensional individuals" to be cultivated, neglecting the diversity and integrity of students' development.
In view of this, universities should establish the concept of cultivating "whole individuals" or "complete individuals," focusing on the multidimensional development of students' knowledge and skills, moral qualities, innovative spirit, physical and mental health, emotional intelligence, and social responsibility. In this process, we should integrate the curriculum system, strengthen general education, design interdisciplinary courses to break down professional barriers, innovate teaching methods to stimulate students' interest in active learning and inquiry spirit, and provide practical platforms to enhance guidance and support services.
It should be noted that only by becoming "whole individuals" can university students better understand society, understand themselves, and thus better display their talents, tap into their vitality, and not blindly follow civil service exams or public sector jobs.
(The author is a professor at Zhejiang Normal University)
