The app is banned in the country, but not for Chinese job seekers.
In China, young people are facing serious difficulties in finding work amid rising unemployment and a slow economic recovery after lockdowns due to COVID-19. According to the latest data, the unemployment rate among young people aged 16 to 24 was 14.9% in December and peaked at 21.3% in June last year.
Due to censorship and blocking of many social networks in China, including Tinder, young Chinese people use VPNs to access the app in an effort to expand their job search experience. Users note the ease of establishing contacts through the app, which is especially valuable when searching for rare or unusual vacancies both at home and abroad.
Chinese youth still have an alternative in the form of LinkedIn (the social network is also blocked in China from 2021, you can access it via VPN). However, students note that traditional job search methods, including LinkedIn, are now ineffective due to the oversaturation of the market.
"With dating apps, we can reach more people," says Jade Liang, a student from Shanghai. "It usually takes a lot of time to establish close contacts, whereas you can get a lot of personal information through the app in a few hours."
However, Romy Liu, a former employee of a Chinese recruitment company, notes that the use of Tinder for job search is controversial among traditional employers. There is a concern that state-owned companies may blacklist those who use the app for such purposes.
In addition to the conservative attitude of employers, Tinder itself is strongly opposed to using its app as a job search platform, as this violates community rules. "Tinder is not a place to promote your business and make money," the company said.
It is noteworthy that this practice is not unique to China. In the US, some people also use the Grindr dating app for networking and career development purposes. According to Grindr itself, 25% of users say that one of their main tasks is professional communication.
In China, young people are facing serious difficulties in finding work amid rising unemployment and a slow economic recovery after lockdowns due to COVID-19. According to the latest data, the unemployment rate among young people aged 16 to 24 was 14.9% in December and peaked at 21.3% in June last year.
Due to censorship and blocking of many social networks in China, including Tinder, young Chinese people use VPNs to access the app in an effort to expand their job search experience. Users note the ease of establishing contacts through the app, which is especially valuable when searching for rare or unusual vacancies both at home and abroad.
Chinese youth still have an alternative in the form of LinkedIn (the social network is also blocked in China from 2021, you can access it via VPN). However, students note that traditional job search methods, including LinkedIn, are now ineffective due to the oversaturation of the market.
"With dating apps, we can reach more people," says Jade Liang, a student from Shanghai. "It usually takes a lot of time to establish close contacts, whereas you can get a lot of personal information through the app in a few hours."
However, Romy Liu, a former employee of a Chinese recruitment company, notes that the use of Tinder for job search is controversial among traditional employers. There is a concern that state-owned companies may blacklist those who use the app for such purposes.
In addition to the conservative attitude of employers, Tinder itself is strongly opposed to using its app as a job search platform, as this violates community rules. "Tinder is not a place to promote your business and make money," the company said.
It is noteworthy that this practice is not unique to China. In the US, some people also use the Grindr dating app for networking and career development purposes. According to Grindr itself, 25% of users say that one of their main tasks is professional communication.
