Employment Pressure of Master’s Graduates in the Post-Pandemic Era: An Interview Study of Ten Graduate Students

The outbreak of COVID-19 at the end of 2019 not only had a severe impact on China’s national economy but also created tremendous pressure on the employment of college graduates. Despite significant progress under the efforts of the Party and government, the overall employment situation remains grim. In order to better understand the employment pressure of master’s graduates in the post-pandemic era, this study conducted interviews with 10 graduates of the class of 2021. The findings reveal several issues, including a severe employment situation, shrinking job opportunities, psychological anxiety, and a tendency to prefer stability in job choices. Therefore, it is suggested that the government optimize the employment environment, universities improve employment guidance systems, and individual master’s graduates reasonably adjust their job expectations. Joint efforts from all three parties are required to alleviate employment pressure.