Jobs to die for in China

This group of women in Guangxi Province's Nanning (南宁) have just completed their state-sponsored training and received their certification as trained maternity matrons (月嫂), who according to our favourite English-Chinese dictionary, are maids -- usually married women who already have their own kids -- that are hired to take care of mothers and their newborns ("Chinese women traditionally are confined indoors for a month after delivering a baby on the grounds that they are particularly susceptible to various gynecological diseases in this period."). Apparently even the recruiting companies have all come waiting like vultures at the certification ceremony, and are paying as much as RMB2,800 per month for a mid-level maternity matron and RMB4,800 for a senior-level maternity matron. That's more than some white collar workers get!

In the meanwhile, some street sweepers in Binhai County, Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, have much less to smile for. They have been asked by the city's urban hygiene administration (环境卫生管理所) to put down deposits of RMB5,000 or RMB8,000 before they can be hired for their RMB380 per month jobs! Star street sweepers who make it pass the probation period can look forward to a whopping RMB520 per month!

From a Yangtze Evening News story, via China Digital Times:

Among the 39 positions, 25 people have paid their deposits, unwillingly of course. Most of them had to loan money from friends or relatives. Over a dozen of other job aspirants couldn't come up with such a big sum and gave up the job. For those who haven't paid up the deposits in full, they will be short-paid every month, by 200 yuan a month, until their required deposits are fully paid.

The good news, the only one maybe, is that after five years the deposits plus interests will be returned to the sweepers. The head of the hygiene agency said the deposits were required to make sure the new hires don't jump ship too soon or have others to fill in their jobs. (This could also bring quite some handsome revenue to his agency.)

Related links
China Digital Times: Need A Street-sweeper Job? Job Deposit Please - Yangtze Evening News
Yangtze Evening News: 江苏滨海招收环卫工人收取数千元上岗金

Readers of this blog who happen to be:
1. between jobs,
2. looking for something openings other than maternity matron or road sweeper jobs,
are encouraged to look for their dream jobs at NewChinaCareer.com.