Gimme shelter
Karen Liu sometimes feels as if she were back in her college dorm. Today, she lives in a tiny, single room walled off from the kitchen and living room by a wraparound curtain. From the other side of the drape, she can usually hear the sounds of people brushing their teeth, whispering and busily walking around the room.
Ten pairs of bunk beds pack two other bedrooms and a former living room. Wind chimes and furry toys are revealed as their owners lift their bed curtains. Mounds of luggage are propped against each bunk. Another morning has arrived at this 100-square-meter apartment in Shanghai.
Liu, who declined to give her full Chinese name, quit her job six months ago and moved into this hostel for job seekers upon a friend's recommendation.
Inset: Ding Yuanyuan, a senior student of Jilin University, scatters her resume and job information on her bed in the hostel for job seekers in Beijing. Above: Ding Yuanyuan searches for job offerings at a job fair in Beijing. Photos by Pu Feng |
"The single room costs merely 600 yuan ($80) a month - half the price of a two-bedroom apartment in Shanghai. Moreover, it only takes me 40 minutes to get to work. That saves a lot of money on transportation," she said.
At 8 am, Liu bids farewell to the resident warden and heads for the office. Her 20 roommates are out for a new round of job-hunting.
They are senior students, graduates and students returning from abroad, struggling to win a place in China's fiercely competitive job market. Some are studying maps to find routes to job fairs or interviews; others are surfing the Internet for openings. None has any idea how long it will take to find a satisfactory job.
Soon, the apartment empties and the warden begins cleaning up. Most tenants won't return until nightfall. They seldom cook and often dine outside.
"We do laundry and chat before going to sleep. There is a TV set, but we won't watch much; we are all tired and dying for a good rest," she said.
Liu plans to stay at the hostel for a long time. And so do some of her roommates, who reside in company dorms in the suburbs on workdays and spend their weekends at the hostel.
"I don't feel annoyed living with so many people," she said. "We are all in our early 20s and have a lot in common. We've formed a temporary family here. And we encourage each other to stick to our dreams."
The hostel where Liu stays is not the only one of its kind in the neighborhood. Logging on www.jobhostel.com.cn, a network association of job-seekers' hostels across the country, one can access a wide selection of such hostels in Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities.
Statistics show that the number of college graduates will reach 4.95 million this year, with an increase of 820,000 over last year, said Xiao Jiangping, one of the website's founders. He said that about half of the graduates will head for major cities where they foresee umpteen career opportunities.
But recent research shows that university senior students spend an average of 3,000 yuan ($390) on job hunting, which is a big expense for many. It will cost much more if they stay in a strange city where they have no friends or relatives to rely on, Xiao said, adding that under such circumstances, many students must put up with cheap but badly managed hostels.
Around 2006, hostels aimed toward job-seeking seniors emerged. "They are cost efficient, comfortable and cater only to students and graduates," Xiao said. Xiao was among the earliest beneficiaries of such hostels. He first lodged in a famous international youth hostel in Shanghai, where many other young job hunters had congregated. So, Xiao believes that youth hostels inspired the development of job seekers' hostels.
When Xiao moved to Beijing, he stayed in a job seekers' hostel he found on the Internet. Many hostels have websites displaying the types of rooms on offer and their prices. Customers can make reservations online or just leave a message, he said.
For Liu, good management is part of the appeal. "The community where our apartment is located is quite safe. When we register at the hostel, we are asked to show our ID cards and diplomas. The wardens will keep our valuable properties for us."
A printed version of the lodgers' convention pinned to the wall declares that all tenants must go to bed between 9:30 pm and 10 am.
She added that most people adhere to the lodgers' convention. But some residents come back very late without informing the warden, and some talk on the phone late at night.
"That is why we need a resident warden who has the authority. We get along well with our neighbors, and no one has ever complained," Liu said.
"Only through good management could job seekers' hostels operate smoothly and their businesses develop healthily," said Li Guibao, who started offering cheap beds to graduates in his two apartments in 2005.
He later rented three other apartments and opened the Glorious Prospect last March. Since then, more than 1,000 people have lodged in Li's hostel. In the eyes of many of his younger customers, Li seems more like a big brother than an entrepreneur - amiable and reliable. But in his managerial role, he is strict with rule breakers.
One boy was found to have smoked in his room twice. And another girl let her friend stay overnight without permission. Li expelled them both.
"If I cave in to their pleas, nobody will observe discipline, and the hostel could not remain safe and orderly. I hope they will learn good conduct during their stay at my hostel. That is their first step towards a glorious prospect, " Li said.
The hostel is also a place where job seekers make friends and exchange employment information. Some managers wish to broaden their hostels' functions, such as developing employment guidance centers.
"This type of hostel bridges the campus to society," said Sun Cunjun, Liu's landlord. Sun plans to open a human resources company and turn his hostel into a talent pool.
"Many graduates appear self-assured and fearless when they just arrive here, but they gradually taste frustration and disappointment on the market. In a week, their salary demands would drop by more than 1,000 yuan ($130)," Sun said.
Sun worked for several companies at home and abroad for a decade. So, he often talks with his tenants to see if he could help them.
When Liu moved into Sun's hostel, she was among the few that had working experience. Seniors and new graduates would seek suggestions on resumes and interview tips from her.
"I think they should be more down-to-earth and foresighted, and not judge their first jobs only by the salary," she said. She suggests that graduates seek sufficient consultation about career planning before hurrying to employment fairs and distributing resumes randomly.
"Many graduates disconnect career building with their personalities and interests. They are in need of professional instructions on psychological adjustment. I think job-seekers' hostels should be more involved in helping them adapt to society," said Li Guibao.
While the concept of a job-seekers' hostel remains little known, those who are aware of their benefits believe these hostels have a bright future.
"I think the disparity between demands and needs on the market will last for a long time," said Xiao Jiangping.
His website has more than 50 members across the nation, including the Glorious Prospect. To guarantee their service quality, member hostels must sign a pledge, and the website investigates prospective tenants.
"The number of quality apartments for job seekers is far from enough to meet the demand," Xiao said.
So his website is formulating a set of standards and regulations for a national league of job-seekers' hostels.
(China Daily 05/25/2007 page20)
