Some 80 percent of graduate students in East China's Zhejiang Province said in a survey they will give up trying to find jobs in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, first-tier cities in China that have been considered dream places for many, because of the untouchable home prices and high living costs.

The Yangtse Evening Post conducted the survey among 50 job seekers who were attending Sunday's job fair in Jiangsu for graduate students. The survey showed graduates are becoming more realistic in their job search despite the job market becoming better.

The fair attracted more than 10,000 graduate students with 7,382 positions.

"The pressure of buying a house in Beijing is unbelievable," said Wang Jian from Nanjing Normal University, who acknowledged he had thought about finding a job in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, but in the face of huge pressures, he has no choice but to be "realistic."

People can have a very comfortable life in Nanjing with a monthly salary of between 3,000 yuan (US$450) and 4,000 yuan, but in Shanghai, 5,000 yuan a month can only help you survive and buying a house will remain a dream, Wang said.

A student from Nanjing University of Science and Technology said he just turned down an offer from a Shanghai company of 7,000 yuan a month because "living costs in Shanghai is too high."

An unnamed male student from Nanjing University said he will try first-tier cities only if he can get a high salary. "I would go to Beijing only if I can earn 200,000 yuan a year," he said.

"Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou once had the advantages that other cities don't have, but the high housing prices and living costs make young people barely able to breathe," said Ren Leiming from the job service center of Jiangsu's colleges and universities.

"First-tier cities have plenty of talents that make it hard for people to be outstanding, and if you go work in smaller cities you can become a dominant player at your position much easier," said Ren.

(chinadaily.com.cn November 22, 2010)