Let’s be honest, with 6.99 million college graduates in China swarming into a dim job market, it’s going to be tough. Figures from the Beijing Municipal Education Commission indicate that the employment rate of graduates in Beijing is now 33.6 percent, much less than the 89.7 percent 10 years ago. English majors, who are looking for jobs based on their language skills, face pressure from all sides.
坦白讲，由于今年全国将有699万毕业生涌入前景黯淡的就业市场，求职真是难上加难。北京市教委提供的一系列数字表明，今年北京市毕业生就业率为33.6%，远远低于10年前的89.7%。凭借语言技能来找工作的英语专业毕业生更是面对着来自各方的压力。
In order to help students get the big picture of this year’s job market, 21st Century talked to three HR managers from leading companies to offer students inside information on what employers want. In addition, faculty members and experts provide an analysis of the prospects for English majors.
为了帮助毕业生来了解今年就业市场的整体形势，《二十一世纪英文报》采访了三位来自知名企业的人力资源经理，为毕业生“探听”内情，看看用人单位最看重哪些方面。除此之外，大学教师和有关专家也对英语专业毕业生的就业前景给出了一系列分析。
Consumer products company
消费品公司
Chen Yankun in Shanghai
陈汉坤（音译） 上海
HR manager, P&G
宝洁公司人力资源经理
As a foreign-invested company, English is one of the most essential skills for employees. We started requesting TOEFL and IELTS scores from applicants in 2012.
对于一家外企而言，英语是员工必备技能之一。我们自2012年起，便开始要求应聘者提供托福和雅思成绩。
But despite our emphasis on English skills, we don’t have a preference for English majors. We consider applicants from all academic backgrounds and assess their creativity, analysis, teamwork and communications skills.
尽管我们强调英语能力，但并不会偏好于英语专业的毕业生。我们考察应聘者的综合学历背景，评估他们的创造、分析能力，团队精神以及沟通能力。
It’s worth mentioning that with the overall English level rising in recent years, English majors are losing their edge. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve been hiring less English majors in recent years.
值得一提的是，近年来，学生整体的英语水平不断提高，英语专业毕业生正在失去他们的竞争力。这也是近年来我们职员中来自英语专业的人数有所减少的原因之一。
Financial services
金融服务业
Li Ximing in Shanghai
李锡铭（音译） 上海
senior HR manager, PwC （China）
高级人事经理 普华永道（中国）
PwC, one of the world’s largest professional service firms, hires 1,500 to 2,000 graduates nationwide and, based on last year’s figures, 7 to 8 percent of them will be English majors.
作为全球最大的专业服务公司之一，普华永道每年会面向全国招收1500到2000名毕业生，根据去年的相关数据显示，其中7%到8%的雇员来自英语专业。
The upside of English majors is they have good English communication skills. The downside is that they often lack business analytical skills, mathematical skills and other specialized knowledge.
英语专业毕业生的优势在于，他们具有良好的英文沟通能力。而劣势则在于，他们通常缺乏业务分析能力、数学功底以及其他的专业知识。
At PwC we have no specific degree requirements. Intern experience is beneficial, but it doesn’t have to be with a major enterprise. What’s important is that students understand how a company works, reflect on their experience and acquire good learning skills.
在普华永道，我们没有特定的学位要求。尽管实习经验对求职有利，但不一定非要是一些大型企业实习。重点是毕业生要能够了解公司的运作情况，反思自身的工作经历进而提高学习能力。
Job hunters are suggested to have precise career planning. Employees who know what they want in their professional life are more committed to the job, which means the company can offer them more opportunities. A double major would be ideal for English majors to exploit their edge.
建议求职者要设立一个明确的职业规划。那些职业目标清晰的员工工作时会更加投入，这就意味着公司可以为他们提供更多的机会。对于英语专业毕业生而言，考取“双学位”是增加求职优势的理想选择。
Tourism
旅游行业
Jia Dongmei in Beijing
贾冬梅（音译） 北京
HR supervisor, BTG Hotels Group
人力资源总监 首旅酒店集团
The tourism industry used to be a hub for English majors, due to frequently contacting foreign agencies and other organizations. But despite growing demand, the number of student applicants has declined in recent years. The reasons are twofold. First, the fierce competition among travel agencies and hotels is squeezing the industry, so entry-level employees cannot expect a competitive salary. Second, tourism is a labor-intensive industry, but most students nowadays prefer jobs in the office rather than bustling around outdoors. Most tour guides do the job out of a passion for traveling rather than money.
由于需要经常接触国外机构及其他组织，旅游行业曾是英语专业毕业生的聚集地。但近年来，尽管需求不断增长，英语专业求职者的数量却在逐年减少。究其背后有两重原因。首先，旅行社之间的激烈竞争再加上酒店对这一行业的挤压，刚刚入职的员工不可能得到优厚的薪资待遇。其次，旅游业是一个劳动密集型行业，而如今更多的学生会选择白领工作而不是在外面东奔西跑。很多导游做这一行完全是出于热爱旅游而并非看中收入。
International trade
国际贸易
Deng （first name withheld） in Guangzhou
邓同学 广州
English department at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
广东外语外贸大学英语专业
The economy this year isn’t that strong, so it’s been tough for students to find jobs, especially with international trade companies.
今年经济不景气，这对毕业生求职很不利，尤其是那些国际贸易公司。
According to Nanfang Daily, international trade companies, one of the major employers for English majors, have lost their aura with the global recession hitting exports. At a job fair for export companies in Guangdong last year there were 30 percent less vacancies than usual.
《南方日报》报道称，全球经济衰退使得出口贸易遭受重创，作为英语专业人才的主要雇主之一，国际贸易公司已经失去了他们的吸引力。去年，在一次广东省出口企业招聘会上，用人单位所提供的职位数量较以往缩水30%。
