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Food firm hires top students

By Liang Qiwen (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-12-06 09:50

GUANGZHOU - Sun Xiaogang is more familiar with studying the works of famous Chinese writers such as Lu Xun, but now he is swotting up on how to make the best cuts of pork.

Chen Sheng, chairman of Guangdong Tiandi Food Group, gives postgraduates tips on how to sell pork on Thursday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. [China Daily]

Sun was one of 35 postgraduates hired by Guangdong Tiandi Food Group who worked in markets throughout the city.

The postgraduate student majoring in Chinese literature at Guangzhou's Sun Yat-sen University, will graduate from the school in the summer of next year.

"We do not have specific requirements regarding what they learn, but our one requirement is that all applicants are postgraduates," a manager at the company surnamed Lin told China Daily.

To win the post, Sun sold pork in the market for three days.

The 35 successful applicants signed agreements with the company on Thursday, meaning that they can formally start working as soon as they complete their studies.

After they start work, they still need to sell pork in markets for at least two months, Lin said.

"This is training for all of our new employees," she said.

After the two months, they will be appointed to managerial posts, earning between 80,000 yuan ($12,000) and 100,000 yuan a year, she said.

"The job market is very tough this year. Among all of the students of the Chinese literature postgraduate department at our school, I am the first one to get a job," Sun said.

In contrast, most of last year's batch of postgraduates had no problem finding jobs, he said.

Sun said he did not mind having to work in the market as a pork seller, given the current poor state of the job market. In addition, the firm has offered him a great opportunity, he said.

Li Xiaolu, director of Guangdong education department last month warned students who are going to graduate from college and graduate school next year that the job market they will face will be the toughest in three decades.

He encouraged students not to set their sights too high, adding that working in less-developed areas or setting up their own businesses were two options open to them.