BEIJING, June 1 -- A job fair open to all students ¡ª and not just college seniors ¡ª was held at the Shanghai International Studies University yesterday.

    Sixteen companies offered students full-time and parttime jobs, with organizers ¡ª themselves students from the university ¡ª calling it a "simulated job fair."

    "Many job fairs are held in our university every year, but they are only open to graduates- to-be," said Zhu Xiaoxia, one of the organizers from the university's Youth League Committee.

    "But other students are also eager for a chance to work and gain experience."

    The five-hour fair attracted hundreds of students, most of whom were from the first or second year of university looking for summer-holiday intern places.

    "I just handed in a resume to a company, and we have set a date for an interview," said Chen Wen, a second-year major in Japanese. "Talking to the company employees face-toface made me feel it's reliable."

    Zhang Yuying, a first-year major in Chinese language told Shanghai Daily that it was getting harder to find a good job.

    She said students had to gain experience as early as possible.

    A human-resource employee recruiting at the fair surnamed Fei said, "Students nowadays are more conscious of gaining experience for their future. I'm surprised to see so many freshmen applying for part-time jobs here."

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)