The money is not all spent on packaging a student's image or travelling for interviews, but also on getting professional certificates.

Many say that if you don't have more documents proving you are better, it's unlikely you will get a position.

Education research DOng Chengjun said, "Many employers require not only a degree, but also professional certificates. Usually the test for the certificates costs hundreds, even thousands of yuan And there are no discounts for students."

While many are eagerly searching for a job, the Shanghai Municipal Government is offering funds for graduates to start their own career.

Authorities have held competitions to pick out the most outstanding projects from university students. The winners receive low interest loans worth anywhere between 5 thousand yuan and 3 million yuan.

But the government says it has received far fewer applications than it had expected.

A Shanghai Uni. student said, "I spend most of my time studying and so I don't know many good methods of looking for employment."

The central government has released a variety of policies to boost this year's employment of students. These include subsidies and social insurance for graduates who work in rural areas, and extra incentives for companies that employ more graduates.

(CCTV January 15, 2005)