Chinese jobseekers are now turning to dating apps to search for work, while some recruitment platforms have become places to connect for dates instead.
The youth unemployment rate in China among the 16 to 24 age group, excluding students, has remained above 16% since last July. Many young people express their frustration over the increasing challenges of finding a job. Some report applying for hundreds of positions daily but receiving only a few responses.
In this landscape, some individuals have taken an unconventional approach by seeking jobs on dating apps.
They openly express their job-hunting intentions in their profiles, or seek networking opportunities after matching.
One Chinese woman recounted matching with a man with whom she did not initially feel a spark, but soon discovered he worked at her dream company.
He ultimately assisted her in planning her career and referred her for a position.
Another jobseeker mentioned her preference for using dating apps for job searching, noting that people tend to respond more respectfully.
Conversely, some individuals are utilising recruitment apps for dating.
One user shared a screenshot where she inquired about a recruiter’s relationship status on a job-seeking platform.
A human resource professional recalled inviting a woman to consider a position at her company. Though the job application did not succeed, they ended up having such an engaging conversation that they became friends.
In 2024, Boss Zhipin, a major online recruitment service provider in China, rebranded its company rating platform, Kanzhun, into a dating app.
Its promotional slogan is “Looking for dates is like screening résumés..”
Unlike many other platforms that may allow users to misrepresent their job and assets, Kanzhun claims to verify user information, including name, profile photo, educational background, job, income, marital status and personal assets.
For instance, to verify income, the app requires users to upload a screen recording of their individual income tax application.
Additionally, it restricts users from swiping through candidates’ profiles unlimitedly, presenting only 10 profiles each day – similar to a job interview.
When users indicate their preferences, the app offers several job-related options, such as “working in state-owned enterprises” and “having start-up experience”.
The concept of a recruitment-turned-dating app has resonated well with many, who believe it helps prevent dishonesty and acts as an effective means of risk control.
A founder of a high-end matchmaking platform that caters exclusively to graduates of top universities noted that material conditions have increasingly overshadowed emotional connections, becoming a date’s most valued attribute over the past decade.
This shift is also evident in the trend of referring to partners as “teammates” and “roommates,” suggesting a relationship based on collaboration rather than romance.
However, not everyone is comfortable using these two types of platforms interchangeably. Some users complain of harassment from job recruiters because of their attractive profile photos.
One woman shared that while she was job hunting, a divorced man professed his love to her. “Who knows how troubled I was?” she wrote, accompanying her post with the screenshot on social media.
Searching for jobs on dating apps also carries risks, including the potential for personal information leaks or encounters with scammers impersonating recruiters.
Zhang Yue, a lawyer with the Shanghai Quncheng Law Firm, pointed out that this is largely due to the lack of verification mechanisms on these dating platforms.
Moreover, users face challenges in protecting their rights if their information is misused on dating apps. – South China Morning Post
