Nailing the perfect handshake no longer crucial to getting a job in China, with hiring done via a screen
- This is the sixth in a series on the impact of the coronavirus on China's technology sector
- China has launched nationwide online recruitment initiatives as it grapples with unemployment amid the coronavirus pandemic
Smile. Make eye contact. Shake the interviewer’s hand firmly.
For years, that has been the standard-issue advice for fresh graduates seeking to make a good first impression and snag a job. A lot of that wisdom has become redundant in recent months, though, as in-person interviews are becoming a rarity in China amid lockdowns, social distancing and the temporary closure of many businesses.
For 22-year-old Wang Hengli, job hunting ahead of his graduation from the Wuhan Institute of Technology in June, two of four job offers he has received were secured entirely through video interviews.
The final year student said that while he was initially not used to speaking to human resource staff through the screen instead of face-to-face, he now prefers video interviews due to their convenience.
“Though people can still see my upper body during video interviews, I can avoid some awkward moments if I’m too nervous and do not know where to place my hands,” he said.
Wang is just one of the 8.7 million university students expecting to enter the workforce this year at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has complicated the recruitment process.
