Job seekers and recruiters across China are resorting to the internet as the country vows to stabilize employment through various channels amid COVID-19 epidemic.
March is typically a busy time for job hunters in China, because it's just months away from graduation. However, traditional recruiting activities like on-site job fairs have all been canceled to avoid mass gatherings, and the whole process was moved online.
"During the epidemic, I think it's the best method of recruitment for both employers and job hunters. It's very efficient and helps me save time and money," said Yang Qiuping, a postgraduate student from Beijing University of Chemical Technology.
Like millions of other job hunters, from resume submission to interviews, Yang just goes through each step online in the comfort of her own home, no long-distance trips or long waitings.
According to China's Ministry of Education, there are about 8.74 million graduates this year, 400,000 more than last year. Most universities and colleges across the country have established special online platforms in conjunction with major job-hunting websites to help graduates jumpstart their careers.
The University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) located in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu arranges three online job fairs, with around 500 participating companies.
"Judging from the first two fairs, this form actually works well. Each one attracted more than 1,000 students, showing a high degree of participation," said Zhang Zebao, director of the Students' Career Service Center of the UESTC, adding that each student submits six to seven resumes on average.
Some teachers are also on standby for online support — polishing the applicants' resumes or teaching interview skills.
For employers, unlike in the past, their promotional sessions have also been moved online. They have also been inspired by "cloud recruitment."
"The new practice just helps us address the urgent need of talents with high efficiency and low costs. It can reach a wider range of people. Even when the epidemic is over, we will continue to take this approach in the hunt for talent," said Wang Youqiang, general manager of the Chengdu Guibao Technology Company.
Job applicants, including those from Hubei province, the epicenter of China's COVID-19 epidemic, seem to be confident despite still living under lockdown.
"I'm not that worried about the impact of the epidemic. It's our own abilities that matter. As long as we are well-prepared, getting an ideal job shouldn't be too hard," said Zhang Junjie, a student of UESTC from Hubei.
It's undeniable that quite a few companies have suffered great losses from the lengthy business suspension, which has resulted in fewer job opportunities in the market.
You Jun, vice-minister of human resources and social security, said in late February that China will take more targeted measures to ensure stable job creation, including encouraging online hiring and providing financial support for small firms, to mitigate the impact of the outbreak on employment.
Zhang Zebao of the UESTC said they would invite some enterprises to hold offline recruiting sessions at the campus when the epidemic is completely brought under control.
