Value Orientations of the “Delayed Employment” Cohort of Hebei College Graduates and Their Impact on Long-Term Employment Quality

Abstract

We have now investigated the backward college graduates living in Hebei Province, under what circumstances, what values they have and what impact they have on the quality of their work. In this study, questionnaire survey and semi-structured interview are used. We collected 1724 valid questionnaire and 20 samples of in-depth interviews from the graduates of the representative universities in Hebei Province from 2022 to 2025. The statistical results show that graduates who do not work in Hebei Province can be roughly divided into four categories. That is, those who are actively looking for jobs, those who are studying for exams, those who are looking for jobs in a free form, and those who have a little rest. The most people are those who are actively looking for jobs and those who are studying for exams. Graduates have a clear tendency to like stable jobs. Under the expectation of their families, more than half of the people give priority to the work of government or public institution. There are great differences in the choice of delaying employment among graduates with different academic qualifications and different family economic conditions. Furthermore, while the employed group has relatively high satisfaction with their current jobs, they generally lack confidence in long-term career development. This study clearly depicts the overall picture of the delayed employment group in the region and can provide data reference and practical basis for employment guidance in Hebei Province universities and the formulation of local employment policies.