Vicky Chen  

I ever want to write something about difficult employment of chinese graduates, but shame of my knownledge in HRM, it still is an idea until this time. Trace back to the very first day I step into my career 25 years ago,  I just can't wait to share my feelings. My school days were as simple as the others, in primary school, parents told me my next step was entering a better middle school. After middle school, parents told me that my next step was entering a better hight school. After hight school, college was waiting for me. but over the years, I have never thought of this : Why am I doing these?

Passive is a common problem to Chinese students. Parents at the old age just told us what we can do, what we can't do, they seldom tell us why. Especially in China's education system, all we need to do is to obey parents or teachers. On the other hand, Chinese parents are used to lead the way for their children, so as to "feel safety". As a result, children as individuals, their personel and hobbies will be ignored. When they grow up, facing all kinds of problems, they might get "lost" after stepping into their career.

Furthermore, Chinese put high value in social group consciousness， stress obedience and social conformity. This though still affect many students in today's world. As a matter of face, graduates take the civil service exam hoping to becoming a civil servant. This phenomenon is a very good interpretation of "being an officer is better than a business man". An example of my own is really the right proof: in a class of University of Texasa, my professor  ask my fellow student：“What is the best job for you？”and my fellow student reply: "Work for the government of course,  it’s  Tie Fan Wan". The answer shocks everyone and I take it as the failer of chinese educational system. I am not arguing the disadvantages of chinese education system, but to share some of my experience of how to being step into our career.

Be proactive, be a person with determination

Thirty years ago, companies recruited hardworking people who have expertise.  By now, most companies are more inclined to those who act proactively and dare to take their responsibilities. According to my experience, the one who dare to make choice is the one who is dare to take his responsibilities. Stop waiting, we can't just sitting there and wait for anybody else to tell us what should be done next passively.

Three years ago, I was honored to be invited to share my  experience on studying abroad with undergraduates at the South China Normal University by the Department of Foreign Affairs. During the talk, I found that many students dislike what they were learning and then gave up on themselves.  Some spended  a lot of time to learn english and recite vocabulary without any purpose. These actions act  passively and aimlessly. I personally at the same age, had chosed Political Education as my specialty blindly. But when I found that I didn't like that specialty, I tried to change my specialty proactively. Although it didn't work at last, but I token those courses in which I was interested selectively. I learned a lot in my four years  college life and became the one that I wanted to be. As we can see, every one of us should grasp the part that we can make change in our life without hesitation.

Inspection theory in practice

There is a saying,"It doesn't matter what you are learning, because you are not gonna need it when you graduate". I believe many students have sympathy with this saying, just because they find the knowledge they learn in college can not solve the problem in working. Such a question in fact also deny the necessity of university education.

However, I think practice should be established on the basis of theory. If there is no comprehensive and systematic theoretical framework, all activities are disorder and untenable. Many students think that the theoretical knowledge is unimportant may only because of their loose theoretical foundation. When they step into their career, they just can't think of any related theoretical knowledge, so they deny the necessity of the theory instead.

Break rules and being flexible

Anyone has work experience knows: universal solution doesn't exist. Well Known as The McKinsey Way  can not be the best business solution for all enterprises . Thus, my advise for graduates is "dare to break the thinking limitations ". Here quotes an Adv. slogan of Li Ning "Anything is possible". Only can you break through the thinking limitations to understand newthing and obtain frash ideas.

Here, I recommend a book for the frashman of career and especially for those who engaged in the job of human resources and management consulting. This book was worte by a famous professor Jay b. Barney from Fish Business school. The book's name is "What I didn 't learn in Business school - How the strategy works in the real world. The book is telling a story of an outstanding graduates Justin's first job experience as a corporate consultant. When he confidently participate in project of a chemical company, he found that he looked down the complexity of the cases, and the so-called strategy tools and case analysis experience he learn in college actually does not work practically. After understanding the gap between theory and the real facts, he find the blind spot of strategy management. Finally he make progress and improvement.  

Finally, I wish all graduates who are stepping into your career carefully plan your life so as to grasp the initiative in your hands, to combine the theory with practice. Remember this: Just do people say you can not; and one day, you say you just did it.

April 18,2013