To advance graduate employment support and promote high-quality employment, the Department of Educational Psychology hosted an online Graduate Career Experience Sharing Session on the evening of March 20. The event was attended by Mr. Gu Xin, Secretary of the Faculty-Student Party Branch of the Department, and Ms. Zhang Jing, the Class Advisor of the 2024 graduating cohort. Mr. Gu Xin presided over the session, which drew active participation from the 2024 graduates and students of all other grades.

Session Overview

At the opening, Secretary Gu Xin outlined the current employment landscape. With a larger graduating cohort than last year, overall employment pressure has intensified. As spring is the peak period for job offers, the Faculty of Education and the Department of Educational Psychology will launch a series of recruitment events in the near future to help students secure high-quality jobs.

Based on pre-session surveys showing strong interest in K-12 teaching positions, the department specially invited Li Yue and Cao Xinquan, two 2023 master’s graduates now working as teachers in Shanghai primary and secondary schools, to share their career insights.

Career Experience Sharing

Li Yue

Li Yue currently works as a school psychologist at Shanghai Foreign Language School (SFLS). She detailed her job search journey, career mindset, and on-the-job experience, and shared practical tips for different career paths and recruitment processes.

On the civil service exam for education positions, she noted that the biggest challenge lies in the application stage. Students with self-designed majors should clarify eligible positions, contact recruiting institutions for inquiries, and prepare course comparison documents if needed. She advised drafting educational background, awards, and self-evaluation statements in advance to streamline applications.

For university counselor roles, she covered four key areas: information preparation, experience building, interview formats, and interview etiquette. She encouraged students to monitor official websites and WeChat official accounts for vacancies and stressed the importance of tailored resumes and relevant internships. "Shoes must fit the feet," she said—resumes should highlight alignment with the role and stand out with strengths. Experience as a research assistant, teaching assistant, or student leader adds competitive value. She also advised familiarizing with structured and competency-based interviews, researching the target university’s history and motto, preparing self-introductions of varying lengths, and maintaining professional speech and appearance.

On K-12 teaching positions, she explained the standard process: resume submission, written test, interview, and recommendation by the school for the municipal/district public teacher recruitment exam (with a typical elimination ratio such as 1:1.5). Interviews usually combine demo teaching/lesson presentation + structured interview + defense. She suggested preparing at least one lesson per unit in advance. Relevant teaching internships are a strong plus, and online guides and experience posts can support targeted preparation.

In the Q&A segment, she answered questions about daily teaching, job responsibilities, and work–life balance. Despite a heavy workload teaching mental health across grades, she finds fulfillment and professional pride in building trust with students, describing her role as "tiring but rewarding, full of happiness and achievement." She emphasized adapting teaching goals and designs to different age groups. Her duties include mental health courses, student activities, club sessions, counseling and crisis intervention, and moral education administration (youth protection, anti-bullying, etc.). On life in Shanghai, she expressed overall satisfaction, noting that a healthy budget allows for a decent life and savings.

She encouraged graduates: "A good offer is often a matter of time; anxiety and pressure are normal." She quoted a classical line: "After endless mountains and rivers that block the way, suddenly a hundred sails come into view." Perseverance through hardship leads to success. She wished everyone smooth journeys and bright futures ahead.

Cao Xinquan

Cao Xinquan now works as a primary school Natural Science teacher at Shanghai Qingpu District Xujing No.1 Primary School. During her job search, she aligned her career choice with her interests and strengths, targeting junior high Physics or primary school Science positions. She found junior high Physics roles less competitive, with lower written test scores and higher admission odds. Her job search went smoothly due to low competition for her target role.

As a non-core subject teacher in a public primary school, she enjoys more flexibility than core-subject teachers, though she handles diverse administrative tasks—now streamlined through reasonable division of labor, leaving more time for teaching. Her job satisfaction comes from focusing on teaching innovation and digital transformation, a frontier trend in Shanghai’s education sector. She was honored to deliver the district’s first interdisciplinary open lesson, with strong support from teaching researchers and school leaders. "Hardship shapes success," she said; the effort felt worthwhile as her discipline gained recognition, with her growth intertwined with the subject’s development.

On daily schedule, she works 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., with a lighter pace that supports personal growth and student development. She stressed that primary school teaching goes beyond lessons: continuous self-improvement, tracking school projects, and professional promotion are essential. Natural Science posts face less competition, making it easier to stand out. She also highlighted the importance of shaping learning habits and discipline in young pupils, learning from senior teachers to improve classroom management.

On work–life balance, she said: "One can choose a busy or relaxed rhythm." As a Natural Science teacher, she enjoys greater autonomy over workload. While suburban schools offer slightly lower salaries, they provide better overall quality of life and work–life balance.

Her career choices offered students a fresh perspective, inspiring them to stay grounded and embrace promising futures.

Closing Remarks & Outlook

Ms. Zhang Jing thanked the two speakers and acknowledged the elevated employment pressure this year. She encouraged active job hunting while urging students to broaden their career horizons. She emphasized staying calm and prioritizing the high-quality completion of graduation theses—a prerequisite for degree conferral—and balancing job search with academic work. She expressed sincere hope that everyone would land their ideal job.

Secretary Gu Xin urged students to stay focused and seize the moment in both thesis writing and interviews. He looked forward to continuous good news of successful job offers.

The journey is long but never stops the determined; time flies but marks the path of ambition. This sharing session delivered tailored guidance and warm encouragement to graduating students, while broadening horizons for underclassmen. We wish all students smooth progress and a promising future!