Fight for a job or strike off on your own after graduation?
毕业季来临 你毕业还是失业?

This month, the Beijing government helped create over 40-thousand jobs for new college graduates. But with millions of young workers flooding the job market every year in China, the fight for jobs remains fierce. That's why many of them - despite lacking both money and experience - opt to start their own business.

With a mixed sense of hope and uncertainty. Liu Huanhua has decided to try her luck at this on-campus job fair.

As a graduating student at Beijing's Renmin University, she believes the fair represents her best shot at finding a job.

"The on-campus job fair provides us with more opportunities to find companies. We can have face-to-face talks with potential employers to know more about their companies and evaluate each other," she said.

Huanhua is one of more than 7 million graduating students in China this year, most of whom are under intense pressure to find a job.

Huanhua dreams of following in her parents' footsteps and opening her own business... but she admits that getting a job is more practical option in the short term.

"Both my parents are entrepreneurs, so I am fully aware of the hardship of starting a business. It requires a steadfast determination to cope with all sorts of difficulties. I have seen what my parents have been through. I am not ready for that. I prefer to gain some working experience first, and then maybe I'll start my own business. But not now," she said.

Which is why graduating students like Liu Huanhua have decided not to start their own businesses, at least for now. But across China, there are still hundreds of thousands of other young people who have decided to face up to the challenges and employ themselves right after their graduation.

Zhang Meng is one example.

She founded the "Alliance for Global Youth Leadership". Although the alliance is a non-profit organization, she believes entrepreneurship does not necessarily have to be money-oriented.

"All types of entrepreneurship or commercial activities are actually about meeting social and economic needs in new ways, and bridging the gap between supply and demand. It’s about applying new ideas to an old system. This is the dynamics of entrepreneurship," she said.

Her team has been providing graduating college students and young pioneers with guidance to start their own business.

"When you're in college, first of all, you have no start-up fund, no connections, and you have no guidance. What you’ve learnt at school is far from enough. Our organization is now offering such a platform where college students and entrepreneurs can come together to solve those problems," she said.

Thanks to the alliance, more and more companies are offering start-up funds for young entrepreneurs. A trend the government has been encouraging.

Just last month, Premier Li Keqiang stressed the importance of stimulating employment and helping new graduates start their own companies.

But that takes creativity, determination, and a sense of initiative.

"Starting a business is not for everyone. It's quite demanding. But for those who have problems finding a proper job, I encourage them to start their own business. It can give full play to your dynamic side. And you can do things that will surprise others, as well as yourself," said professor Sun Qixiang, from Peking University.

The path to success is tough. Liu Huanhua is still searching for the job that suits her best. Those striking off on their own face equal difficulties.

But with the government and civil society increasingly lending a helping hand... expect the number of success stories to rise.