Analysis of the factors influencing the college students’ employment willingness under the strategy of “strengthening the provincial capital”

University graduates can inject strong impetus into the development of cities. However, China’s “Strengthening the Provincial Capital” strategy attracts many college graduates, resulting in many limitations in attracting college students to employment in non-provincial capital cities. This paper systematically studies college students’ work and entrepreneurial intention factors. We conduct a social survey of employment and entrepreneurial intentions among university graduates in Xiangtan City, Hunan Province, and obtain 12,897 questionnaires. Then, we construct an index analysis system (IAS) and analyze the 12897 questionnaires systematically based on IAS. The results show that urban characteristics and personal orientation most directly affect college graduates’ employment and entrepreneurial willingness. Based on the statistical conclusions, we put forward corresponding policy recommendations. Colleges should build a “government-enterprise-school” cooperation mechanism, implement strategically focused attraction policies following local conditions and local conditions, and promote the employment of college students to promote employment and entrepreneurship in non-provincial capitals.