Human resources experts said that having a higher academic degree does not necessarily lead the holder to a better job.

In the northern port city of Tianjin, graduates with bachelor's degrees or even those with diplomas sometimes get jobs ahead of applicants with master's and doctor's degrees, say human resources specialists from the local labour market.

Statistics they cited show less qualified employees make up over 90 per cent of staff and administration in local firms, while those holding master's or doctor's degrees account for only 4-5 per cent.

While further education is crucial for those who want to become researchers in high-tech fields or to become actuaries, economists or linguists, those majoring in more practical fields such as accounting or fashion design generally find jobs fairly easily without having to attend graduate schools, experts say.

As the competition is increasingly high for the very limited number of openings in graduate schools in China, experts say students should take this into account when setting their future vocational goals.

"In the long run, what matters is not your degree, but your capacity and skills," said a recruitment officer at a Tianjin labour market.

Experts suggest that if a liberal arts student seeks further schooling, he or she would be better advises to move to a different field to broaden his or her knowledge and skills.

"For example, a journalism or English major might consider extending his or her training in economics or law," said the recruitment officer.

Long queues of candidates are gathering at graduate schools across the country this week as schools start to receive applications on Monday for the admission test scheduled for January, 2004, an all-too-familiar scene for Chinese people who are keen on furthering their education in order to succeed in the market economy.

Among the candidates there will be senior students who are expecting to get their bachelor's degrees next year, but are set on either strengthening their research capacities or postponing entry into the dog-eat-dog job market, as well as those who simply want further schooling to boost their career opportunities.

Chinese universities and colleges reported a total of 490,000 graduate students in 2002. The figure is expected to top 1 million by 2005.

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