A job advertisement in China seeking accountants aged between 18 and 30 for a grocery store has sparked debate on social media about the dangers of "mid-age unemployment." This comes amid efforts to provide jobs for various age groups and revitalize the stagnant economy. With tens of millions of university graduates about to enter the job market in the coming years, the country, with a population of 1.4 billion, is grappling with the risk of rising unemployment rates among young graduates, complicating the situation for those over 30 in finding employment.
One individual in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, posted on Weibo, sharing a picture of the grocery store's advertisement that requested accountants aged 18 to 30, stating, "It's not easy... Do you think it’s easy to find a job now?" This post attracted over 140 million views and sparked 41,000 discussions filled with numerous emotional comments. Another Weibo user questioned, "Was it hard to find a job when you turned 35 before?" using an expressive emoji to convey their frustration. They added, "Now the difficulty starts at age 30. Meanwhile, the retirement age will be delayed. So what will you do between these two periods?"
Official media have reported that China plans to gradually raise the retirement age, given the rapidly aging population. China has one of the lowest retirement ages globally, with men retiring at 60 and women at a lower age—55 for administrative roles and 50 for factory work. However, China has not yet announced a change in retirement age or specific national strategies to ensure employment until an older age. It is noted that the youth unemployment rate in China reached approximately 15% by the end of 2023.
