Jobless graduates flock to Man Mo Temple, dubbed 'Offer God' online

Job-seeking graduates are flocking to Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan after the temple went viral online as an “Offer God” and “heavenly Labour Department,” with young people praying for job offers amid a difficult employment market.

Some said they turned to the temple after months of job hunting, hoping to gain some peace of mind as they face an uncertain future.

The temple has recently gained attention on social media, with users sharing stories of landing jobs after praying there. Despite the summer heat, young job seekers have continued to visit to burn incense and draw fortune sticks.

One graduate said she had visited the temple four times after learning about it online. Three or four of her classmates had also visited to pray for jobs.

She said she was not superstitious but had been looking for a job for months and wanted some reassurance amid the uncertainty.

Another graduate, Helen, said she had no religious background but became curious after repeatedly seeing posts about the temple online.

She said a friend’s father had been unemployed for nearly a year before finding a job two months after visiting the temple, prompting her to try it herself.

However, Helen said she felt the temple had become too commercialized, pointing to its “Offer God” wish cards, which she said were “always out of stock, like trying to get concert tickets.”

The temple has also attracted people who are already employed but hoping to change jobs.

Kelvin said he visited to pray for a new job and was surprised that the temple was now seen as a place to seek job offers.

He said he would treat the fortune stick as a reference only, but believed praying could give people hope and help them stay positive.

The trend comes as the number of full-time vacancies suitable for university graduates has fallen sharply.

Figures from the Joint Institutions Job Information System showed such vacancies fell from about 80,000 in 2022 to around 31,000 in 2025, a drop of more than 60 percent.

Wong Man-shun, an officer with the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups' Youth Employment Network, said more graduates had sought help over the past two years.

The federation has also contacted tertiary institutions and found that some graduates from last year were still unemployed.

Wong said companies had cut entry-level positions amid economic uncertainty and the growing use of artificial intelligence, particularly in fields such as design, translation and data analysis.

He warned that prolonged unemployment could affect graduates' mental health and confidence. Those who remain unemployed for 12 months may develop “learned helplessness”, causing them to doubt their abilities or even give up looking for work.

The federation is working with universities to provide one-on-one counselling and internship opportunities for unemployed graduates.

It is also arranging exchanges with alumni and graduates working outside their fields, allowing job seekers to explore other industries and gain work experience while continuing their job search.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓