China’s viral ‘dream job’: tough labour market fuels rush for unconventional work
A highly-coveted mountaintop gig has exposed the sobering economic realities facing young jobseekers
When 22-year-old content creator Li Sichen beat nearly 3,600 applicants to become the first cloud observer at Laojun Mountain in Henan province, Chinese social media called it the ultimate dream job: earning 60,000 yuan (US$8,888) a month to simply “lie down and watch the clouds”.
The reality proved far less casual, with early morning wake-ups, unpredictable alpine weather and relentless daily publishing deadlines quickly ending any illusion of a carefree holiday.
According to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the youth unemployment rate for the 16-24 age group, excluding students, stood at 14.9 per cent in June.
While this marked a third straight month of modest decline, pressure remains acute as a record 12.7 million university graduates enter the workforce this summer, while average weekly working hours nationwide hover around a demanding 48.2 hours.
The job’s popularity is reflected in its fiercely competitive selection process.