The luggage of an unemployed graduate

Before closing her suitcase, Li Qian (name changed), 21, carefully placed her university diploma and household registration book on top, checking back and forth to make sure they were not crumpled.

Just a few months ago, she had brought all her belongings to Shanghai to find a job, renting a place to sleep in a youth hostel in the city center. But by mid-August, Li Qian had to pack up and return to her hometown.

“Let's go home first and then see if there's any chance,” she said anxiously in front of the door of the eight-bed dormitory room.

In recent years, youth hostels in big cities have gradually become a shelter for unemployed young people, more than backpackers .

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Nearly 1/5 of young graduates cannot find jobs. Photo: Thinkchina

At around 80 yuan a night (over 290,000 VND), cheap dormitories have become the choice of a series of unemployed graduates from all over China. Some stay for only a few weeks, some stay longer, but most only stop for a short time before quietly leaving.

That image clearly reflects the precariousness that young people are facing. They are like floating duckweed, swept away by the changing currents of society - with no place to hold on to, no anchor.

Kun, 28, is one of them. He chose to stay in a dormitory when he first started working because he didn’t want to be tied down to a long-term rental contract. Last July, Kun left Shenzhen for Shanghai to seek new opportunities. In his cramped room, he ate instant noodles while editing his resume. With a daily budget of 50 yuan, his savings were only enough to last him six months.

“If I can’t find a job in Shanghai, where there are the most opportunities, then I’ll go back to my hometown. There’s no point in trying,” Kun said.

"If there is anything that can be done, accept it"

K, 34 years old, has been living in the dormitory for more than 10 years, commented: “In the past, living in the dormitory was very fun, people made friends, told stories everywhere. Now it is all job seekers, everyone is quiet, focused on their laptops.”

In a dormitory near Jiangsu Road in Shanghai, bunk beds measuring less than 2 square meters are the only private space. Every night, the common study area is packed with people editing resumes, studying foreign languages, and studying for interviews – with almost no one talking.

It's a stark contrast to the past, and one that's accompanied by alarming figures: Nearly one-fifth of China's out-of-school youth are unemployed.

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Young people in a youth dormitory in Shanghai. Photo: Thinkchina

According to official figures, the unemployment rate for the 16-24 age group has increased from just over 10% (2018) to a record 21.3% (2023), then adjusted for the calculation (ie excluding students) but still maintained at nearly 19% in August 2025.

Even students at elite universities are nervous. Lei Xi, 20, who studies finance at a top Shanghai university, has had three internships at an internet company, a hedge fund, and a foreign company. Still, she calls the current job market “cutthroat, distorted, and scary.”

“Most of my friends choose to live a temporary life. They accept whatever they can do and don’t dare to dream anymore,” she said.

Invisible pressure and loneliness

According to sociologist Trieu Le Dao (National University of Singapore), the core problem of young people does not lie in individual capacity but in the changes in economic and employment structure. Without a network of fellow countrymen or family support like the previous generation of migrant workers, many young people are "drifting" in strange cities, falling into a state of "social isolation".

Professor Truong Chi Trung (Kainan University, Taiwan) added: "In particular, students from top schools feel the most disappointed - studying all their lives but in the end still cannot find a worthy job."

While waiting for an opportunity, some young people prepare for the worst. Kun frankly said: “If I lose my job, I will sell grilled sausages. I only need 200 yuan in capital, buy a stove and ingredients. I used to sell hamburgers before, but it didn’t make any profit. But sausages are simple and easy to make a living.”

He believes that with the rise of artificial intelligence, it is likely that by the time he turns 35, many jobs will disappear, so "it's better to try to be your own boss now."

Many young people seek faith in tarot, horoscopes, astrology, and incense burning to pray to gods. Li Xuehan, 20, a sociology student, believes that fortune telling gives her “faith and motivation to live.”

“If the card predicts a bright future, I will find the present more comfortable. In an uncertain society, spiritual beliefs give me support,” she shared.

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Li Xuehan in a quiet space to review documents. Photo: Thinkchina

According to Thinkchina , the trend of “introversion” – seeking spiritual life – is also becoming a characteristic of the young generation of China, according to Professor Yen Van Tuong (University of California, Los Angeles, USA). Many young people learn to slow down, discover their true needs and assert their independence, instead of chasing after traditional standards of success.

Li Xuehan believes: “Our generation has had a comfortable material life. Our mission is to develop our spirit. If we don't start now, we won't know where we and society will go.”

Need a more tolerant society

Experts say that to reintegrate “lost” youth, society needs not only to create more jobs but also to build meaningful living environments. The government can support this through employment services, transitional housing, social networks and community organizations.

“We need a truly tolerant environment that accepts many different career paths and lifestyles,” researcher Trieu Le Dao emphasized.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/cuoc-song-kieu-troi-dat-cua-nhung-cu-nhan-dai-hoc-loay-hoay-tim-viec-2449123.html