When a Chinese livestock farmer was looking for two shepherds for his 3,000 sheep, he never expected his job posting to become the most viral post on social media. More than 700 applicants responded, including a surprising number of university graduates.
Source: Reuters, The Guardian
Chinese livestock farmer Zuo Xiaoyong posted a vacancy at the end of April on Weibo, China’s version of In winter, when temperatures drop below -30°C, shepherds also have to feed the sheep and clean the stables.
According to the advertisement, the herders would each earn 8,000 yuan ($1,016) per month, well above the national average of 6,000 yuan ($762). In addition, their groceries and accommodation would also be taken care of. “The salary is high, but it is hard work and you have to be able to withstand the winter temperatures,” said Zuo. “This is not tourism.”
Rising unemployment
Within hours, the posting had been viewed more than 59 million times and received 21,000 responses. Ultimately, 700 people applied. A tenth of them were recent graduates, others were in debt, worked in tough industrial jobs or were exhausted by political games in the workplace. “I didn’t expect it to be such a success,” Zuo responded. “It seems that ordinary people are having difficulty finding work.”
The official unemployment rate in China is 5.2 percent. According to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, this rises to 17 percent among young people between 16 and 24 years old. Analysts predict that unemployment will rise further due to higher costs due to the war with Iran, the rise of AI and the 12.7 million graduates who will look for a job this summer.
Ultimately, Zuo hired four experienced shepherds: two couples who had previously worked on a farm. In addition, 40 couples are on a waiting list. Single people are not eligible for him. “You sometimes don’t see anyone here for a year,” says Zuo. “I don’t know if single people can handle that loneliness.”
