Causes of and Intervention Strategies for Chinese College Students’ “Slow Employment”: A Study in Grounded Theory

Background: The phenomenon of "slow employment," where college graduates intentionally delay their entry into the workforce, has become increasingly prevalent in China. Despite growing concern about this trend, systematic research examining its causes and potential intervention strategies remains limited. Methods: This study employed a grounded theory approach to investigate the underlying factors and potential solutions to the slow employment phenomenon. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 13 undergraduate college counselors in Wuhan, China. Analysis reached theoretical saturation after examining data from seven participants. Results: The systematic coding process yielded twenty-four distinct concepts, seven subcategories, and two main categories. Our findings revealed that slow employment is influenced by a complex interplay of direct factors (personal characteristics and social environment) and indirect factors (family background and peer group dynamics). Conclusions: This study contributes to understanding employment transition challenges in Chinese higher education by proposing a comprehensive framework of influencing factors and corresponding intervention strategies, including early career intervention, targeted employment assistance, and ideological guidance.