Leaving home to broaden horizons

Determined to leave her comfort zone and gain more life experiences, Hu Shiyi packed her luggage three months ago and embarked on a 13-hour train ride from Chongqing to Shanghai where she was scheduled to undergo an internship at an investment analysis agency.

The 22-year-old, who could have opted to help her parents run the family business, said she was eager to experience a different lifestyle in what she has dubbed to be the most dynamic city in China.

Hu accepted the offer of a full-time role at the company following the conclusion of her internship. Though she admits that life in Shanghai has turned out to be more hectic than expected, she intends to work in the city for at least two years before deciding on her next step in life.

According to an online survey by networking website LinkedIn which polled 1,000 people from the post-90s generation, 85 percent of respondents share the same desire as Hu to study or work away from their hometowns. The survey results also showed that this desire was stronger among the younger respondents.

In addition, more than half of those polled listed career prospects as the main factor in choosing a destination.

"Following China's opening-up and rise as a global superpower, society has experienced an information explosion and has now become a more diverse environment. This has subsequently empowered the millennials to become more strong-minded and courageous to leave their comfort zones and pursue their ideals," said Wang Di, vice-president of LinkedIn China.

According to Wang, major Chinese cities such as Hangzhou, Chengdu and Nanjing rank among the most popular career destinations for the post-90s generation. He also noted that this group of individuals are more inclined to take into account work-life balance when picking a city to work in.

The survey also found that Chinese are leaving home at younger ages to search for job opportunities. About half of the respondents born between 1995 and 1997 have worked as an intern during their university years. The percentage was lower for those in the older age groups.

Chang Yiwa, a 22-year-old who was born in Changchun city, Jilin province, traveled to Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, to do an internship after graduating from Temple University in Philadelphia two months ago. She was recently offered a full-time position at the company.

"Hangzhou is one of the country's largest film and television producers. The city is where the G20 summit was held last year and the 2022 Asian Games will be held here. This is a place with great potential and I hope to prosper along with it," said Chang, who majored in film and television during her university days.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn