DistantNews
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

Chinese Job Seeker's Interview Canceled After Asking About Days Off; HR Rep Curses Applicant

From Liberty Times · (7h ago) Chinese Critical tone

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A Chinese job applicant was reportedly insulted and had his interview canceled by an HR representative after inquiring about the number of days off per month.
  • The HR representative stated the company needed someone results-oriented who prioritizes work over salary and rest, and that the applicant's focus on time off made him unsuitable.
  • The incident, shared online, sparked widespread discussion in China about the treatment of employees amid economic downturn and rising unemployment, with many criticizing companies for treating workers as expendable.

This incident, originating from China and widely shared, paints a stark picture of the current job market and employer attitudes in the country. The applicant's simple question about monthly days off was met with an aggressive and dismissive response, highlighting a perceived lack of respect for employee well-being and basic labor rights.

If you still want to talk about rest, then you don't need to come for the interview tomorrow.

— HR RepresentativeThe HR representative's aggressive response to the job applicant's question about days off.

The HR representative's justification – emphasizing a results-oriented approach and prioritizing the company's needs over an employee's desire for rest – reflects a growing trend in some Chinese companies. This perspective, often termed '996' (working 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week), prioritizes intense work schedules, and any questioning of these norms can be seen as a lack of commitment.

Online reactions from Chinese netizens reveal a deep frustration with such employer practices. Many commenters expressed that companies feel empowered to treat employees poorly due to the high unemployment rate, viewing job offers as a "favor" rather than a mutually beneficial agreement. The incident has been labeled as an example of "PUA" (pick-up artist, but used colloquially to mean psychological manipulation or gaslighting) in the workplace, extending from corporate culture to individual HR interactions.

I was just asking about the situation of the position, if I don't ask now, won't I have to ask tomorrow?

— Job ApplicantThe applicant's bewildered response after being insulted for asking about days off.

This event underscores a significant disconnect between employer expectations and employee rights in China's competitive job market. While economic pressures are undeniable, the harshness of the HR representative's response and the subsequent online backlash suggest a growing public awareness and dissatisfaction with labor conditions that prioritize profit and productivity above all else, even basic human dignity.

We need someone who is results-oriented, who can make themselves valuable first before talking about making money, and who can truly complete a project. If you are always concerned about salary and rest, then you don't need to come for the interview tomorrow.

— HR RepresentativeThe HR representative's justification for canceling the interview, emphasizing a demanding work ethic.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog