Greener pasture of a shepherd’s life lures Chinese workers penned in by ‘996’ jobs
Summary
A Chinese farm owner in Inner Mongolia successfully hired four shepherds after his job ad went viral on social media, attracting many applicants from crowded cities. His offer of higher-than-average pay and simple rural work drew attention amid China's tough job market and widespread long working hours culture.Key Facts
- Zuo Xiaoyong posted an ad seeking two shepherds to care for 3,000 sheep on his Inner Mongolia ranch.
- The job pays about 8,000 yuan ($1,180) monthly, above China’s urban average salary of 6,000 yuan.
- The job involves outdoor work in summer and indoor tasks in winter with temperatures below -30°C.
- The ad gained about 59 million views on Weibo, China’s social media platform.
- Over 700 people applied, including recent graduates, factory workers, and office employees.
- China’s official unemployment rate is 5.2%, but youth unemployment is higher at 16.9%.
- Many workers want to escape the "996" work culture: working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.
- Zuo ended up hiring four shepherds (two couples) with prior farm experience and prefers couples due to the remote location.
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