Job seekers in China are getting creative with their job search strategies and turning to an unlikely platform: Tinder. Facing fierce competition and job restrictions, young professionals like Jade Liang are using social networking apps to connect with employers and colleagues in the industry. Liang is a college student who turned to Tinder after unsuccessfully applying for more than 400 jobs in Shanghai. She gravitated towards people in the tech industry and made her goals clear when he met with them. Liang’s experience shows that the number of job seekers in China who are using non-traditional methods to get ahead in the challenging market is increasing.
“I simply swiped right on individuals in the industry I aspire to join,” said Liang, 26, to NBC News.
China’s youth unemployment rate reached a high level of 21.3% last June, prompting job seekers to find new ways to find work. Some even work as “stay-at-home kids” for their parents in exchange for money. The economic slowdown in China, combined with the impact of the epidemic, has caused increased pressure on young people looking for work.
Although Tinder is one of many foreign applications blocked in mainland China, it can still be used through a VPN, and it seems that resourceful youths are using it for more than just one purpose. This approach has led to mixed opinions; some criticize it as inappropriate for a dating app, while others see it as a creative online tool.
While Tinder restricts the use of its platform for marketing purposes, job seekers like Liang have found the app an important tool in their job search. Since the traditional method of job searching does not work well, using unconventional methods such as dating apps can create new opportunities for job seekers in China’s competitive market.