Recently, an advertisement from Haidilao Catering Co., Ltd. (Haidilao) seeking 985/211 degree holders as delivery staff has sparked attention and discussion.
The recruitment ad circulating online specifies that the positions open are for “delivery staff and kitchen staff,” with a monthly salary of 1200 Chinese Yuan for ordinary undergraduate degree holders, and an extra 2000 Yuan/month subsidy for those with 985/211 degrees or higher. The subsidy is paid every 6 months, and individuals are required to present a full-time graduation certificate to be eligible.
Moreover, these employees are expected to be able to ride electric bikes and meet the physical fitness requirements set by the national catering industry standards.
Public information indicates that “985 Project” and “211 Project” are construction projects for Chinese higher education institutions.
The “985 Project” was initiated in 1998 to support major construction projects at 39 universities, mostly well-known institutions in China.
The “211 Project” aimed at developing around 100 universities and key disciplines for China’s higher education system in the 21st century. A total of 112 universities have been included in this initiative, mostly affiliated institutions.
Following the release of this recruitment advertisement by Haidilao, discussions have arisen online, engaging nearly five hundred netizens on Baidu.
Some netizens believe that the requirement for 985/211 university graduates as delivery staff is too high: “Food delivery is not high-tech, it’s a waste of talent for Haidilao to recruit university graduates with such high qualifications as delivery staff.”
“MHL flagship store” expressed concerns: “This will disappoint countless students. Is it necessary to exploit young labor force like this, where they work hard to study only to end up with a 1200-2000 Yuan job delivering food, while wages remain stagnant and prices keep rising?”
“Xiaoyao4p” lamented: “This is the path after university graduation.”
Others argue that life is tough, jobs are hard to come by, and these individuals also need to earn money to sustain themselves.
“FANGCAOXIAOYI” stated: “985 and 211 degree holders also need to earn a living. Why shouldn’t they be allowed to deliver food?”
“Ha1984ha” added: “Children are not naive. If there were better options, no one would opt for this. Many do this because they have no better choice for survival.”
However, some netizens believe that Haidilao’s actions are aimed at recruiting highly educated talents from the grassroots level as part of a strategic move.
In response to this, Haidilao’s official recruitment customer service explained to Jiupai News on February 11 that they receive resumes every year from graduates of prestigious universities, including the “Double First-Class” and 985/211 institutions. The company offers promotion channels or dedicated positions for highly educated talents, emphasizing that regardless of academic background, individuals must start from grassroots positions, where higher qualifications may bring stricter requirements.