China’s post-80s and -90s prefer white-collar jobs

Becoming a white-collar worker is the top job choice for the young generation of migrant workers, in sharp contrast to their parents, who are mostly manual laborers making money by working overtime and living a frugal life.

如今的外出务工青年更倾向于寻求一份白领工作，远不同于大多数父辈那样从事体力劳动，收入主要靠加班和省吃俭用。

Jobs in the manufacturing, service and building sectors failed to attract migrant workers at several job fairs last week, experts said, though the first few weeks after Spring Festival are usually the peak time of year for people from rural regions to flock to big cities for job opportunities.

专家在上周举行的几次招聘会上发现，尽管春节后的前几周是农村外出务工人员返城求职的高峰期，但是有些行业像制造业、服务业和建筑行业却很难再吸引这些求职者的目光。

Such ambitions among migrant workers under age 30, who make up nearly two-thirds of the 6.6 million migrant workers in Shanghai, have made jobs with more friendly working environments, like real estate agent and hair dresser, more popular, experts said.

专家称，这些有追求的外出务工人员年龄大都在30岁以下，占全上海660万流动务工群体的三分之二，他们更青睐于像房地产、美容美发等工作环境相对高档、更加体面的行业。

"Young people from rural regions also grew up using the Internet and iPhones, like their counterparts from cities," said Zhao Jiande, deputy director of the Shanghai Migrant Workers' Affairs Leading Group Office.

“像城市的同龄人一样，农村年轻人的成长过程也伴随着互联网和苹果手机。”上海农民工工作领导小组办公室副主任赵建德说。

Yang Zhiqiang, 22, from rural Jiangsu province, began working as a real estate agent for a well-known brokerage in Shanghai a year ago. Becoming part of society is the most important reason for choosing the job, he said.

杨志强，一位来自江苏农村的22岁青年，一年前开始在上海一家知名房地产中介从事销售代理的工作。他表示，能真正成为这个社会的一员是自己从事这项工作的主要原因。

"I provide professional suggestions to local residents, deal with people from all walks of life and win their trust and respect. This is very different from my parents' situation. They've worked as manual workers in the municipality for two decades but still feel marginalized," said Yang.

杨说：“我可以为当地市民提供专业的建议，与来自各行各业的人们打交道并赢得他们信任与尊重，这些都远远不同于我那在政府机关辛苦了二十多年至今仍默默无闻的父母。”

In addition, such jobs provide them with decent pay.

另外，这些工作还给他们提供了不菲的收入。

"I work at a branch in Xuhui district, where housing prices are soaring. Usually the company gets around 100,000 yuan ($15,200) per case if it's successful and we get commissions in addition to a basic salary of 3,000 yuan," he said.

“我所在的分店位于房价一直疯涨的徐汇区，每笔订单下来公司会支付我们10万左右的分红，除此之外我们每月还有3000元的底薪。”他表示。

Before becoming Yang's colleague, Liu Jiabin worked in an electronics factory for half a year and quit for a better career.

刘佳斌，在成为杨的同事前曾在一家电子厂工作半年，为了更好的前途他放弃那份工作。

"We hope to do office work as many of the Shanghai young people do, which will be an absolute advantage no matter whether we want to find a spouse here or at home," said Liu.

“我们希望像大多数上海年轻人一样在写字楼里上班，这样也有利于寻找另一半，无论在上海还是在家里。”刘说。

Liu prefers to settle down in the city.

刘更想在城市里定居。

"The colorful life in the city, where residents have various opportunities, is alluring," he said.

他说：“城市里丰富多彩的生活，在这里充满着各种各样的机会，这一切都吸引着我。”

Zhou Haiwang, deputy director of the Institute of Urban and Population Development Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said one reason for the change is that the young generation has received a better education.

上海社会科学院城市与人口发展研究所副主任周海旺称，发生这种转变的原因是如今的年轻人接受了更好的教育。

"Roughly 70 percent of them have finished junior high school, and I believe the percentage is much higher than that of the past generation. It's understandable that they have higher expectations for a career," Zhou said.

“他们当中有大约70%的人具有初中及以上学历，这一比例肯定比老一辈高出很多，所以不难理解他们对于事业有更高的期望。”周主任说。

However, the young generation also has a different concept of consumption than their parents.

然而，这一代的年轻人在消费观念方面也明显不同于他们的父母。

Guo Mengya is a top performer among the young people in her home village in Anhui province, who swarm to cities for work. She earns more than 10,000 yuan per month at a secondhand car dealer in Shanghai.

来自安徽省的郭梦雅，在她同乡的进城务工青年中属于佼佼者，她在上海的一家二手车交易市场做销售工作，每月收入上万元。

"But after expenditures on rent, clothes, cosmetics and hanging out with friends, I have little money left every month. This is very different from what my parents do. They just wanted to save up every penny they earned in Shanghai and take it back home for their old age," said the 27-year-old Guo.

“但是扣除房租，买衣服，买化妆品以及和朋友逛街的开销外，每个月基本都剩不下钱。这一点和我的父母明显不同，他们把在上海赚到的每分钱都攒起来，留着回家养老用。”27岁的郭梦雅说。