China's civil service, dubbed the "iron rice bowl," is no longer viewed as a dream job by job hunters. During this year's recruitment season from February to mid-March, more than 10,000 civil servants switched to the private sector, a 34-percent increase over last year, according to a report on the flow of professionals between different sectors.

The report by Zhaopin.com, a major employment website in China, says following the Spring Festival in February, civil servants were the most active in switching careers. Real estate, the Internet and finance were the top three sectors favored by them.

This trend has sparked a heated public debate. Critics say job-hopping ex-civil servants are motivated by greed and have broken their promise to serve the people. Others maintain that like their private-sector peers, civil servants too have the freedom to change jobs for better prospects.

Pro

Wu Jiang

Former President of Chinese Academy of Personnel Science

It's civil servants' legitimate right to change their jobs and it is endorsed by China's Civil Service Law. The current job-hopping by civil servants should be considered a normal phenomenon. During periods of favorable economic policy, the number of civil servants leaving their jobs will increase. Currently, the majority of civil servants who switched their jobs are young people. It's related to the past craze for public positions. Today's young people pay more attention to the realization of personal values.

In addition, thanks to the government's anti-corruption campaign, civil servants no longer have special privileges as before. So many will return to other career choices. In fact, when people no longer fight for public positions, it indicates their idea of choosing a career has changed and the traditional concept of becoming a civil servant is gradually fading out. When civil servants job-hop, we should not only understand and respect their choice but also consider it a positive transfer of personnel and a development trend.

Con

Zhi Feng

www.rednet.cn

It is true that civil servants have the same freedom as private employees to change jobs. However, civil servants' job-hopping is no normal occurrence as their job is not an ordinary post but one designed for public service. Before starting their careers, civil servants have to go through an entire gamut of examinations and other selection procedures. Also, their interests are safeguarded by a well-established system.

While prospective public servants are required to be capable and ambitious, do civil servants hop to other fields in pursuit of loftier goals? Seemingly not. Most jobseekers, civil servants included, flow to real estate, the Internet and finance sectors.

While being interviewed during the civil servant recruitment process, the applicants presumably did not say they had applied solely for the money. But now it has been finally revealed that for many, money was the top consideration all along. Although they used to be civil servants, such persons were not driven by a burning desire to serve the public. It is unpredictable how many of these ex-civil servants will employ the knowledge and skills picked up in the civil service in their new positions.

Pro

Zhu Hengshun

www.people.com.cn

Despite the sharp rise in job exodus from the public sector, it is important to bear in mind that this occurs in every industry and sector, public or private. It does not matter what job you have, as long as you are able to fully realize your potential. So when civil servants change jobs to put their talents to better use, their choice should be respected. With their accumulated experience in government departments, civil servants who change over to relevant jobs might be able to better use their abilities, thereby helping develop their adopted industries.

Of course, while their decisions should be respected, civil servants' career moves should be regulated and standardized. According to current laws, if senior civil servants resign, they are barred for three years from working in businesses or profit-oriented organizations related to their previous roles. Ordinary civil servants have a similar ban for two years. This regulation must be fully observed, and to ensure its implementation, public supervision should be encouraged. 

Pro

Wu Zuping

www.jxcn.cn

To be a civil servant means signing a contract with the government. If one wishes to end the contract, it is his or her legitimate right. Given their education and experience, some public employees could find a better use for their human capital in other sectors. The concentration of too much talent in government departments is undesirable; such talent should be distributed across different sectors to maximize economic development.

It is a win-win situation. After some civil servants quit, the remaining ones will adapt to the workload. Moreover, the talent flow will also be conductive to other industries. For those who want to become civil servants, the vacancies will increase their recruitment chances. Therefore, the public should not pay too much attention to civil servants' interests in other careers.

Pro

Wu Gang

A 30-year-old civil servant

Some people are denouncing civil servants who switch jobs, saying the latter care only for money. However, many surveys suggest that salaries are not the primary consideration behind civil servants' job switches. Many are more concerned about their future development and the realization of their personal values rather than income.

In my department, in six or seven years, only a few peers have been promoted for their outstanding ability and communication skills, while others continue to work hard and wait for promotion opportunities. Very few people have been brave enough to quit.

Corrupt officials and those remiss in their duties are fair game for criticism but we can't blame those who leave to seek a better life. If government agencies wish to retain excellent employees, it should do more to improve the working conditions for those who remain and create better prospects for the industrious.

Con

Wang Yanhu

www.people.com.cn

Ex-civil servants' backgrounds in government institutions provide a helpful asset. Their new employers, of course, wish to take advantage of these government connections, in addition to the political knowledge and experience they have accumulated. So it's vital that civil servants cut ties with their departments once they are gone.

Sectors such as real estate and finance are the ones to be most affected by policy changes, so recruiters' interest in civil servants is eminently understandable. This, however, gives rise to a potential conflict of interest. When civil servants enter the business world, will they influence government work via their previous connections? Job-hopping among civil servants is therefore not simply a matter of talent flowing from one sector to another. Consequently, it's necessary to watch out for illicit behind-the-scenes dealings.