A serial number that stands out during the job-hunting season has already determined the employment destination for Cai Wanli, a 2027 doctoral graduate from the School of Data Science and Engineering at East China Normal University. At the autumn campus job fair for Shanghai's 2027 graduates, which kicked off yesterday, he signed with his preferred company and secured contract No. 0000001, becoming the first graduate in Shanghai to sign a job agreement this season.
Reflecting on the fortune of this "Number One" status, Cai said that confidence is a crucial foundation for successful job seeking. Rather than worrying early about employment, he advised making plans ahead of time, clarifying career goals, and then enhancing skills and submitting resumes in a targeted manner.
The "No. 0000001" Contract: A Relief and a Career Milestone
The moment he signed the contract, Cai felt a sense of relief. As a doctoral student, the pressure of research leaves little time for job hunting. Completing the signing felt like finishing a major task, allowing him to focus on his dissertation and graduation preparations. "The No. 0000001 agreement symbolizes an important starting point for my career," he said.
Dameng, a leading enterprise in domestic databases, has followed an independent innovation path from "starting up" to "breaking through." Cai believes that connecting his career start with such a company is highly meaningful. He chose Dameng for two main reasons: first, professional alignment and shared values, as Dameng's work closely matches his research direction in database management systems. For science and engineering students, transforming theoretical knowledge into practical products is an exciting prospect. Second, he valued the work-life balance, noting that Wuhan's work pace and cost of living are relatively moderate, allowing him to better balance career and family. For Cai, this "No. 0000001" agreement not only secures his employment but also links his personal expertise with national needs and industrial development.
Signing with Just Two Applications: Breaking Big Challenges into Small Steps
Cai's job search went more smoothly than most would expect. He applied to only two organizations and received an offer from his preferred employer. This success stems from early planning and long-term accumulation. When he entered the third year of his doctoral program, he deliberately began mapping out his career direction: finding work related to his research area that could offer stability. He paid attention to campus recruitment presentations and, coincidentally, the college collaborated with Dameng, which came to campus for exchanges and recruitment. After attending, he felt Dameng met his expectations and maintained his interest. Once he met his graduation requirements in June, he immediately updated his resume and submitted applications.
What truly impressed the interviewers was a research experience from his doctoral studies. He participated in a national key R&D project that required building a query engine. When his supervisor, Professor Hu Huiqi, first assigned the task, Cai admits he was quite confused. Nevertheless, he persevered and eventually produced a working version. Though its functionality and performance had room for improvement, the experience significantly boosted his growth and helped him develop his own methodology: when facing difficulties, do not easily give up. Every challenge starts with a difficult beginning, so aim to make a good start. For any tough problem, first ask what knowledge is needed and what should be prioritized, break the large obstacle into smaller ones, and solve those step by step.
"Starting from knowing nothing, I consulted papers and books, learned about cutting-edge achievements, and understood the architecture and advanced technologies needed for the query engine. Then I was able to decompose it into smaller modules, implement each one, and finally assemble the complete target," Cai explained.
The interviewer asked questions along similar lines, such as what the biggest challenge he faced was and how he handled it. He shared this project experience, and the interviewer was very satisfied with his response. He believes Dameng valued most his attitude toward difficulties, his approach to problem-solving, and his engineering capability.
For job seekers, Cai advised graduates to broadly monitor recruitment information while also identifying several key target companies. He recommended learning about their businesses, roles, and requirements in advance, preparing deliberately, and showcasing compatibility with the position during interviews. When choosing a work location, he suggested broadening options based on personal circumstances to find more suitable opportunities. He also acknowledged that anxiety during job hunting is normal and can even be motivating. With intensifying employment competition, especially amid the rapid development of AI and large models, finding a suitable and satisfying job is harder. However, with thorough preparation, the right positioning, and clear goals, pursuing target companies should yield good results.
"Do not panic just because others have received multiple offers, and do not scatter your energy by applying everywhere just to increase the numbers. Find your direction, prepare seriously, and be ready to seize opportunities when they arise. That is enough," he said.
From a Single Signing to a Full Support System
Looking back on his job search, Cai said the support from the university, the college, and his supervisor was constant. The college's cooperation with Dameng gave him direct face-to-face interaction opportunities with the company, and his supervisor, Professor Hu Huiqi, kept track of his job search progress. During the signing process, because the procedures for the "No. 0000001" agreement were unique, the staff at the Student Career Development Center patiently coordinated and verified each step to ensure everything went smoothly.
"This was not just completing a formality. At this critical juncture between graduation and employment, it let me feel the university's solid and careful support for students. That sense of being supported by an entire system left a deep impression on me," Cai said.
Behind this support lies the long-established, high-quality employment service system at East China Normal University. The university treats employment as a compass for assessing talent cultivation quality, using employment outcomes to inform adjustments to academic programs and educational reforms. It has built a comprehensive employment framework that integrates recruitment, training, and employment, with full participation and coordinated division of labor, embedding career education and guidance throughout the entire talent development process.
Under this system, the university implements whole-stage career education and offers flagship courses such as "Career Awareness and Development." It holds career planning competitions, with 15,000 participants in the campus competitions over three years. It has established 102 career practice bases and dispatched over 1,800 students to grassroots practice. A total of 61 micro-majors have been launched, including the "AI+X" series, to foster interdisciplinary talent. Additionally, AI empowers employment services: the university independently developed the "Youth Q&A" intelligent companion and AI counselor, building a complete set of self-developed AI tools covering resumes, interviews, planning, and Q&A, including Liwa Cloud Recruitment, AI Career Planning Book, AI Resume Optimization, "Little Flower Lion" Employment Agent, AI Interview Booth, and AI Tips, all integrated into classroom teaching. Using 600,000 recruitment postings and campus data platforms, it maps school-enterprise supply and demand profiles, develops AI employment avatars and monitoring tools, and provides precise, individualized guidance by major and student group.
Starting from a single employment agreement numbered "0000001," Cai Wanli's career path is now clearly defined. Behind him, a more precise and warmer employment service system is paving the way for more graduates to achieve high-quality, full employment.
Sources: Student Career Development Center and School of Data Science and Engineering. Written and edited by Dai Qi.