According to estimates in the 2009 Blue Book of Chinese Society issued by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, nearly 1.5 million graduates will be jobless by the end of the year, which has brought many students to boomerang right back home and continue living off their parents.
This phenomenon in China known as kenlao, which literally means “to chew your parents' food” in Mandarin, is partly due to the unrealistic standards held by students looking for their first job.
Although common to see 1,000 applicants vying for one position in today's job market, there are just as many graduates willing to pass up an offer because they are simply unimpressed with the salary.
Feng, although 61 years old, still insists on working to support his family, whereas his son, Feng Kai (pseudonym), 26, stays at home playing games online almost every day.
“I can't motivate him. Many young people nowadays lack a sense of responsibility, let alone survival skills,” Feng told the Global Times.
According to Feng, many relatives had arranged job opportunities for his son, but Kai panned them all, complaining the jobs offered either low salaries, weren't with well-known companies or just plain didn't seem promising enough.
“I've sent out a lot of resumes, but nothing that came back was any good. I don't think there are any good jobs out there right now, so now I'm just taking some time to regroup,” said Kai.
He added that his current situation also stems from his disillusionment of not finding his “dream job” after graduation.
“Living at home is not as much of a free ride as people think. I sti
ll feel a lot
of pressure,” added Kai.
It's not only the jobless who are relying on their parents. Many working
graduates still find they need to be supplemented, especially those renting
apartments from out of town.
Mo Ye, from Jiangxi Province, is a reporter at a newspaper in Beijing. She told
the Global Times that shortly after graduation her parents sent her 3,300 yuan
($483) for three months' rent.
And she also had to borrow 1,000 yuan ($146) from her friend to buy a few
household appliances, such as a fan, hair dryer and some kitchenware.
Earlier this month, she got her first paycheck: 3,400 yuan ($497).
“It's not going to be enough to pay back my parents and friend. I first
thought about buying them gifts, but then I thought, it would be better if I just
saved it so I didn't have to borrow money next month,” said Mo.
Mo's mother surnamed Wang told the Global Times that it's not easy for
young people to start out these days.
She said parents have to help their children get on their feet.
“I'm sure that my daughter will gradually become more independent,” she said.
Zheng Ruoling, a professor of education at Xiamen University, told the Global
Times that the employment situation is not an excuse for living off one's family.
“In this job market, graduates sh
ould take anything they can get. Even an
unsatisfying job is better than wasting time at home,” she said.
“There's nothing wrong with starting at the bottom,” she added.