Civil service craze reflects job-hunting pressure

The craze for civil service posts has continued to grip young people in the country, with many college grads vying to secure a position via the national civil servant exam.

With an average of 66 applicants registered to compete for a single vacancy and the hottest post attracting almost 10,000 applications, this year's test saw a slight decline in the number of applicants compared with last year, but each test taker's chances of admission remain terribly low.

The fervor was echoed by a People's Daily survey that found that 68.5 percent of respondents favor civil service posts when making career choices. About the same percentage of those polled believe the desire for "power," or official posts, pervades Chinese society today.

The craze is making a comeback after several years when attaining a place in a foreign-funded company was the first choice, and it reflects a change taking place in the minds of young people in light of the bigger economic picture.

Since the global financial crisis hit developed economies in 2008, stability has again become the top concern for many job hunters in China. With a stable income and little risk of being dismissed, the civil service system has become the apple of many eyes.

In recent years, the Chinese government has stepped up efforts to help college graduates find jobs, such as offering vocational training and psychological aids. More broadly, the government has also promised to put employment as a priority while drafting national policies like industrial restructuring.

Given the tough job market at present in China, where 6.8 million students are estimated to graduate from college this year and hope to grab jobs, trying to sit an exam, like that for the civil service, is certainly worth it for another chance at employment.

But associating civil service posts with power reveals a widespread misunderstanding of the government system and is a result of misleading cases about officials easily amassing great wealth.

Taking on a civil servant job via the national exam, the only official path to the civil service system, does not guarantee that one can assume a job with power some day, and even if one does, that kind of power should not be abused for personal gain.

The blame for such misunderstandings, however, should not just be shouldered by students vying for such posts, but also society and the education system.

The Chinese society has a long tradition of idolizing people holding public posts, which could have a psychological impact on the students, pushing them to pursue such jobs.

Meanwhile, schools and universities should encourage students to venture into different and more creative professions rather than simply find a job that provides a stable income.

Stability, which is valued by many, is one merit of being a civil servant. Important as it is, the promising young generation of a populous country should do more than simply be content with stability.

Young people can best utilize their abilities and the government can find those who are the most suitable to civil service jobs only when college graduates' career options are diversified.

Changes take time, but hopefully more and more young Chinese will be able to follow their hearts when seeking jobs in the future.