What Job is a “Good Job” for Chinese Undergraduates: An Exploration Study

Abstract

An exploration study was conducted to explore what Chinese undergraduates considered to be a “good job.” A total of 143 (M = 21.45, SD = 1.53, 51.04% male) undergraduates from 10 cities participated in this study. The prototype research methodology was applied to explore the underlying complex structure of the “good job.” The results revealed 157 items associated with the “good job” that were merged into two categories “high-quality work” and “high-quality life.” Furthermore, each category included basic- and superordinate-levels prototypes. The structure depicted Chinese undergraduates’ expectations of a “good job” and emphasized the importance of work-life balance among young people. Additionally, traditional Chinese culture was consistently found to have a significant impact on young people’s expectations of a “good job.” These findings have implications for career development research and career counseling practices about Chinese young people.