'Curse of 35': Chinese Companies Reject Millennials

'Curse of 35': Chinese Companies Reject Millennials

Ageism, including discrimination against job applicants because of their age, is common across the world.

Companies sometimes say people are too old or too young for a job, without even looking at their qualifications and work experience.

In China, most millennials — people born in the 1980s and 1990s — already face managers rejecting them because of their age.

It's being called the "Curse of 35," as job applicants over 35 face ageism from Chinese companies and even government offices, with the biggest impact on women.

A social media debate on the "Curse of 35" grew in June 2023, after an advertisement asked for new monks to be under 35 years old.

One social media user said guests older than 35 were also often unable to get accommodation in Beijing, CNN reported.

High unemployment among people in their early 20s means companies often want young people for "996" jobs — jobs in which they might have to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.

But China's population is aging fast, with many older workers also looking for jobs.

The country's economic growth has slowed down, and one economist said China could face serious problems in employment in the next few years.

Government media have already said there should be an end to discrimination against over-35s.

And many government offices have already increased the highest age for job applicants from 35 to 40 years old.

But Chinese law allows age discrimination in employment, and advertisements asking for applicants under 35 are still common.

A study by Sichuan University found that up to 80% of 300,000 job advertisements in two of China's largest cities said applicants had to be under 35 years old.

By Engoo.com