Job Competition Rises in China Amid COVID-19

By Ryan Gandolfo, April 14, 2020

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Recent data released by job recruitment platform Zhilian Zhaopin shows a surge in job competitiveness for white-collar workers in the PRC during the first quarter of 2020.

China’s job competitiveness index was at 46.3 this past quarter, an increase from 34.5 in the last quarter of 2019. The index is calculated by the number of applicants – in particular, the number of resumes received – compared to the number of job postings. For the past quarter, more than 46 applicants, on average, were competing for every available position.

The latest index figure is actually down one point compared to the same period in 2019, when the competitiveness index was at 47.3. In 2018, the index never surpassed 43, showing reduced competition for jobs nationwide.jobs-china.jpg

Chinese cities with the highest job competitiveness index are Beijing (120.2), Chengdu (64.1), Guiyang (61.9), Shanghai (61.3) and Shenyang (59.2). 

Competition for employment opportunities in real estate, construction and engineering ranked highest, with 75.6 applicants per job opening, according to the report. Industries hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak, such as F&B, entertainment, hospitality and sports, saw a drop-off in both job vacancies and applicants this last quarter.

Due to the pandemic, more job interviews have shifted online, while the public health crisis is gradually brought under control. Chinese Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua has encouraged employment agencies to share job vacancy information and improve recruitment activities both online and offline to create a stable job market, according to China Daily.

The report also noted that the average monthly salary this quarter among the 38 Chinese cities in the survey was RMB8,821, a 9.6% increase from the same period in 2019.

Cities with the highest average monthly pay are Beijing (RMB11,982), Shanghai (RMB11,303), Shenzhen (RMB10,616), Hangzhou (RMB9,848) and Zhuhai (RMB9,302). Guangzhou followed right behind Zhuhai, with an average monthly salary of RMB9,197.

[Cover image via Pixabay]

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