Swipe Right For Job: How China's Youth Are Navigating Tough Labor Market Through Tinder

People in China are resorting to unconventional ways to look for jobs. For example, Jade Liang, a Shanghai-based master's student, turned to Tinder after more than 400 rejections. Despite having used the app for dating at first, she now uses it to arrange casual coffee dates with professionals. The 26-year-old Liang says, "I just swipe right on people working in the field I want to join." Liang wants to work in technology. When she strikes up a conversation, she makes her intentions clear, and most of the time, matches respond favorably, per CNBC.

Challenges in China's job market

People like Liang are resorting to unconventional techniques in their job search in China because of the country's intense competition and lack of work opportunities. In exchange for financial support, some jobless people are even adopting the persona of "full-time children," helping their parents with errands and domestic duties.

China, the second-biggest economy in the world after the US, is having trouble with high rates of youth unemployment. It was at its highest of 21.3% in June 2023. Chinese officials declared in December 2023 that the unemployment rate for people aged 16 to 24, excluding students, was 14.9%. This came after they had temporarily stopped releasing youth unemployment statistics to review the methodology used in the calculations. In contrast, 8% of Americans between the ages of 15 and 24 were unemployed in the same month, as reported by the Federal Reserve.

Economic challenges and youth unemployment

Su Yue, a chief economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit in Shanghai, says that although high youth unemployment is normal in nations like China that deal with different economic difficulties, the current state of affairs seems especially dire. Yue clarified, “The country’s economic downturn, the impact of the pandemic and the consolidation of industry all came at the same time, making the impact on the youth population even greater.” 

Finding connections in difficult times

Joy Geng, a recent graduate of a British institution who is currently living in Beijing, said that meeting others in the same industry—even through a dating app—brings exhilaration in the face of these difficulties. Following a viral post on Xiaohongshu, China's version of Instagram, Liang got the notion to use Tinder for her job search. A user's post claimed to have found a job using a Chinese dating app.

On Chinese social media platforms, there are many examples of people using dating apps to look for jobs. One amusing joke from last year went something like this: "When hiring managers ask me how I know about the vacancy — me: Tinder." Residents of mainland China can still use virtual private networks (VPNs) to access Tinder despite it being restricted there.

Tinder's role in job search

Liang said, "With dating apps, we can connect with more people quickly," highlighting the benefit of using them for networking. Generally, it takes time to establish relationships, but with dating apps, you can spend several hours getting to know strangers and learning a great deal of personal information." Geng said that the lack of LinkedIn, which has been blocked in China since its exit in 2021, could be the reason why job seekers are using Tinder instead. Furthermore, discontent with nearby options might be an additional factor.

Liang used Tinder instead of typical job search methods, even though she can access LinkedIn using a VPN. She stated, "The job market is oversaturated due to the economic downturn." Conversely, Tinder discourages similar behavior, stressing that its site is meant for personal connections rather than commercial ventures. "Tinder is not meant for promoting businesses or making money," an official from the firm said.

Criticism and alternate perspectives

Critics express concern about the motivations of users and call into question the practice of utilizing dating apps for job hunting. Romy Liu, a former executive search specialist, believes this strategy has potential because it demonstrates great social skills to land a job on Tinder. She draws attention to its inefficiency in comparison to more conventional approaches, arguing that positions with multinational corporations or giants of the internet are better suited for it.

Liu warned that not all employers like the idea of using Tinder for job hunting, especially state-owned companies, which might even ban people who do it. Zoey Zeng, a finance worker in Paris explained that Tinder is more helpful for job seekers in China, where educated people use it. But in France, it's mostly for casual dating. She uses Tinder only for professional networking.

Despite the tough job market, Liang keeps searching in China. She's thinking of using dating apps to find a job even though it's hard. She believes it might help her find the right job.