A MONTHLY salary of anywhere from 3,000 yuan to 9,000 yuan (US$363 to US$1,088) is now a fading "day dream" for university graduates. They had already come to accept that 2,000 to 3,000 yuan (US$242 to US$363) was all they could hope for.

But in their first venture into the job market after the Spring Festival, the expected monthly salary for graduates has taken a further downward slide - it is now 1,500 yuan (US$181), according to the Shanghai Morning Post.

And one graduate student from a province even asked for only 800 yuan (US$97) for a secretarial position.

Though the new term starts on February 15, many graduate students came back to Shanghai during the Spring Festival holiday with the aim of finding a job as soon as possible.

Most graduates were said to be cautious when discussing salaries with potential employers.

In the stall of one high-tech company, five students told the human resources staff that their monthly salary expectations ranged from 1,500 to 2,000 yuan.

From interviews with several employers, salaries for university graduates have come down markedly compared with three or four years ago.

"The salary depends on supply and demand in the market," said one employer. "The ability of university graduates is tested on the job. If they are competent in their work, their income would increase gradually."

But most employers said they wouldn't employ graduates just because they asked for very low pay. They said they were worried that such graduates were only seeking a temporary position and would change jobs soon after settling down in the city.

(Star News)