High hopes for low-probability job
Since being a public servant means good benefits and a stable income, many graduates apply each year for such jobs.
This year, the Guangzhou government plans to recruit 2,118 public servants and had received 57,509 applications.
Chinese nationals aged between 18 and 35, with a bachelor's degree or higher qualification, can sit the official exam.
Liang Ruiting is a graduate of Guangzhou Peizheng University. She had never considered becoming a public servant before, but after struggling to find a job, she began to think that public service might be a good career choice.
'I went to the job fairs and sent my resume to many companies, but I didn't get any replies,' she says. 'So now I just want to stay at home and prepare for the exam.'
The application process is extremely competitive. Liang says she is fighting with 66 applicants for a single post.
Chen Wanping, a graduate from Guangzhou, is also taking the exam. She is determined to get the job, so has been preparing since last year.
Chen has wanted to be a public servant for a long time, saying: 'I just want to find a stable job.'
Luo Xing, a director of the Student Career Services Centre of the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, says: 'I encourage graduates to take the exam since it's a great career choice.
'But there are two things they must pay attention to. Firstly, they should make sure they are right for the job. Secondly, they can't view it as their only career choice. After all, it's not that easy to become a public servant.'
