On the positive side, the novel coronavirus is offering people a chance to boost their skills and find new ways to make a living. Zhou Mo reports from Shenzhen.
Salespeople representing cosmetics brands promote products through livestreaming at a chain shopping mall Maoye Commercial Co, on Huaqiang North Street in Shenzhen as the novel coronavirus has battered the retail sector in the city. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
‘Boys and girls, welcome to my show tonight. Love you all!” Xu Lingyu posts a message on WeChat’s Moments.
The 35-year-old was to make her third livestreaming broadcast on Douyin — a popular short video platform based in China. This time, she would show her audience how to cook boiled fish with pickled cabbage and chili, a typical Sichuan cuisine.
“To be honest, I really don’t like being an anchor. I’m the sort of person who feels uncomfortable in front of the camera. But, I’ve no other choice. I’ve to do it,” said Xu.
The coronavirus outbreak has given me a strong impetus to learn something new and make a change. ... Indeed, it’s a bad time for businesses and the job market. But, it’s a good time to power yourself and prepare for a better future
Hu Xin, a 39-year-old employee of a jewelry company in Shenzhen
Xu runs a homestay in Shenzhen’s Nanshan district — the most expensive area in the southern metropolis. The coronavirus pandemic, which swept across the country in late January, caught her off guard as her business plummeted. Although the overall situation is gradually returning to normal, many people are still wary of traveling.
For several months, Xu had no income. But, she still has to fork out more than 30,000 yuan (US$4,242) a month to cover her homestay rent, and livestreaming is her answer.
“For my first live broadcast, I had only 16 people watching it. I made just a few yuan — it was heartbreaking,” she said with a bitter smile. “But, I’ll keep doing it.”
Xu is among hundreds of thousands of people in Shenzhen who have resorted to taking on new roles to keep themselves afloat financially, as various industries took a heavy hit from the pandemic that has claimed more than 248,000 lives and infected nearly 3.5 million people worldwide.
Many people have had their daily lives severely hit by the outbreak. According to a recent national survey by market consultancy iiMedia Research, about 70 percent of respondents said their income has been drastically reduced due to the COVID-19 outbreak. More than 30 percent said they have lost revenue or their income has significantly declined.
In Shenzhen, where the cost of living is much higher than that of most other mainland cities, the situation is even harder. People cannot afford to sit and wait for “spring” to arrive, and have to find a solution themselves.
In the fitness industry, one of the hardest hit sectors, many instructors have taken up food delivery services. The rapid growth of e-commerce has offered them a cushion against the financial hardship.
Dozens of workers wait for job opportunities at Lu Yuan labor market in Shenyang, Liaoning province on April 21. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Jiang Minghao, 26, said he could earn more than 4,000 yuan monthly by delivering food to businesses and households who are observing social distancing.
“If you work very hard, you can earn more,” he said.
“Food delivery is a sector that doesn’t require you to have previous knowledge about it, so it’s easy for us to make a switch and step into the field,” said Jiang.
According to Meituan Dianping, a food delivery platform, 37.6 percent of its newcomers are from the catering or related businesses, 27.2 percent are from the manufacturing sector and 13.8 percent are micro and small business owners.
Although the fitness club where Jiang works has been in business since mid-March, many members are hesitant to show up there for fear of contracting the virus. And, it’s also difficult for the club to recruit new members.
“Now it’s not the time to cherry-pick jobs. The important thing is how to survive,” he said.
Other people, however, are taking advantage of the adversity to switch careers which they’ve long considered, but lack the impetus to act.
“It’s hard to decide on taking up a new job when times are good. But now, you’ve to force yourself out of the comfort zone,” said 39-year-old Hu Xin.
Hu is engaged in network construction and maintenance work for a jewelry company in Shenzhen’s Shuibei area, which is known for its jewelry industry. His salary shrank by a half in February as sales of luxury goods slumped due to the outbreak. Now, he only has to go to work twice a day as business declined.
“I’ve long been thinking of joining an industry that’s more stable and sustainable for self-development. The coronavirus outbreak has given me a strong impetus to learn something new and make a change,” he said, adding he has registered for an information technology course that will help him acquire the knowledge to make a career transformation.
“Indeed, it’s a bad time for businesses and the job market. But, it’s a good time to power yourself and prepare for a better future,” reckoned Hu.
Contact the writer at sally@chinadailyhk.com
