China's once buzzing economy is a shadow of what it used to be.

Analysts projected it would come roaring back once COVID lockdowns eased up, but that

hasn't been the case, and the job market for new graduates is especially bleak.

Many of them have taken to social media to share their struggles through day-in-the-life

lately life is like this.

Either I'm interviewing or on the way to interviewing.

When I had left home, my family asked, what kind of a job do you want?

At that time, I still had ideals and goals.

Now, I don't have any standards, as long as I can make money.

I want to ask you all, when you are looking for jobs, is it also this hard?

More than 20% of young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who want a job don't have a job.

Our colleague Brian Spiegel based in Beijing just came back from a reporting trip where he tried to figure out why.

The most surprising thing I took from this trip is that it's not that jobs don't exist in China.

Jobs do exist in China.

The real crux of the matter is that there's a disconnect between the sorts of jobs that young people want today in China, especially college graduates,

and the sorts of jobs that are available to them out in the market.

Welcome to the journal, our show about money, business, and power.

I'm Jessica Mendoza, it's Tuesday, August 8.

Coming up on the show, millions of young people in China can't find the work they want.

This episode is brought to you by Nike.

It's back to school season, and you and your child might be feeling a bit anxious.

As a parent, you're the best teammate for your mini-me, and together you can use sport to help overcome anxiety.

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