Background Information
China’s economy has been growing for decades. Recently, China’s tech industry has been an especially promising destination for new graduates hoping to land a job. However, it is also no secret that China’s economic growth has been slowing in recent years. Jobs are becoming increasingly competitive as more and more individuals attend college. Once looked at as a gold standard for employment to high-end positions, studying abroad is becoming less and less of an advantage for young adults caught up in the job search. Career plans for Chinese students and American students alike are becoming increasingly shaky with an uncertain economic future ahead.
China’s Slowdown Is Starting to Hit Where It Hurts: Employment (The Diplomat)
Increasing number of Chinese graduates returning home from overseas (ICEF Monitor)
职业规划 Career Plans
Suggested Level
Context Information: Mark is an American student, and 王 (Wáng) is a domestic Chinese student. They are discussing careers in the sports industry.
Mark: 好 (laughing)。所以你想毕业以后你想当什么1，有什么工作2？
王: 这个问题也很好。我最近一直在思考这件事情。我马上就要——
Mark: 因为你，你是大四3所以你一定要——
王: 对，哇这个问题就很，复杂。
Mark: (laughing) 平常事4。
王: 对。我，最开始，我想继续做，我想从事体育行业。
Mark: 体育行业。
王: 体育行业，因为我，比较喜欢踢足球。
Mark: 哦。
王: 然后我也会打篮球。
Mark: 哦。
王: 而且我，就是平时也会关注这方面的一些新闻或者，一开始我觉得，从事体育行业有，几种可能，一种是，当一个记者，一种是当一个记者，还一种是当一个体育老师，还有一种是去做一个，管理者或者组织者。
Mark: 嗯。
王: 就像我现在在学校，因为我要去给大家办足球赛相当于，这样的事情所以我是这样考虑的，但是我的父母希望我，从事别的行业
Mark: (laughing) 当然我觉得就是这样我觉得。
王: 你看好体育行业吗？就是你觉得在美国因为我知道在美国会有很多人，去看比赛
Mark: 嗯。
王: 像篮球或者，冰球、棒球。他们会去看很多比赛会去现场看比赛。到体育馆里看比赛会买很多球队的商品。每个人会在这，个方面花费很多钱所有很大的市场。但是，在中国有一个统计，就是中国人花在这上面的钱只有美国的，四分之一。
Mark: 四分之一。
王: 四分之一。所以，他们认为中国的这个行业体育行业将来会有很多很大的发展的空间。
Mark: 啊。
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1. 做 (zuò) is normally used when referring to ‘doing’ jobs. 当 (dāng) refers more to ‘becoming’ something (as in a position).
2. 做 (zuò) is normally used when referring to ‘doing’ jobs.
3. 大四 (dàsì) is an abbreviation for 大学四年级 (dàxué sìniánjí) ‘fourth year college student’ or ‘college senior’.
4. Here, Mark is trying to say something similar to ‘it’s a common thing/problem’. However, this phrasing may sound strange to native speakers. While 王 probably understood what Mark meant, a clearer phrasing might say something similar to 很多别的学生都有这个问题 (hěn duō biéde xuésheng dōu yǒu zhège wèntí) ‘many other students have a similar problem/dilemma’.
Vocabulary
- 毕业 (bìyè) To graduate
- 一直 (yìzhí) All along; continuously
- 思考 (sīkǎo) To think over; to ponder
- 从事 (cóngshì) To undertake
- 体育 (tǐyù) Sports
- 行业 (hángyè) Profession; industry
- 记者 (jìzhě) Reporter; journalist
- 管理者 (guǎnlǐzhě) Manager
- 组织者 (zǔzhīzhě) Organizer
- 相当于 (xiāngdāngyú) Equivalent to
- 考虑 (kǎolǜ) To consider
- 现场 (xiànchǎng) Site; scene
- 商品 (shāngpǐn) Merchandise; goods
- 花费 (huāfèi) To spend; to cost
- 市场 (shìchǎng) Market
- 统计 (tǒngjì) Statistic(s)
- 发展 (fāzhǎn) To develop