Competition remains fierce for jobseekers

Competition among jobseekers remains fierce this spring, according to the latest study from recruiting company Zhaopin.com.

The national talent competition index stood at 46.3 in the first quarter, which means that for each job vacancy, there will be 46 people on the waiting list.

The index rose by 11.8 month on month, but fell 1.0 year on year.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of job postings and resume submissions decreased from January to March compared with the same period last year, Zhaopin.com noted.

State-owned enterprises recorded the highest job competition index (76.0), followed by listed companies (56.1) and joint ventures (44.6).

Recruitment demand by privately-owned enterprises and small businesses contracted a lot, as they have been hit most by the pandemic, the online recruiter said.

Beijing ranked first among the 38 major cities monitored by Zhaopin.com with its index for jobseeking standing at 120.2.

Shanghai ranked fourth, with its talent competition index at 61.3 in the spring job market.

Of the top five local industries, the Internet/e-commerce sector had the highest competition level, followed by the banking sector. Real estate, construction, building materials and engineering came in third, according to the survey.