Yang Jianchun, a 50 year-old citizen of northeast China's Changchun city, is happy with his new job which he found through the internet several days ago.
"I could not have found this new job without the employment listings on the Internet," said Yang.
Affected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, growing numbers of residents in China are turning to the Internet as a job-hunting aid.
In Changchun, in northeast China's Jilin Province, large job fairs used to be held twice a week for laid-off and unemployed workers. However, traditional job-hunting methods are giving way to the modern Internet service owing to SARS. Like Yang, many out of work Changchun residents have found new jobs with the help of the Internet.
Yang, a former driver with the Changchun Transport Group, was laid off in 1998. He took several temporary jobs, but none of them suited him. He is now satisfied with both the new job-hunting method and his new job.
"You can find lots of information on the Internet, and it is much easier to apply for the job you want," said Yang.
On-line job hunting is a popular choice because it makes large gatherings unnecessary and guarantees the health of both job-seekers and employers.
The labor and social security website in Changchun has posted 3,000 positions which are updated every day. Applicants can visit the website directly for job information. Since May 1, 1,225 people have found jobs through this website.
Apart from Changchun, many other cities in China have launched Internet job services, including Beijing, Shanghai, Zhuhai, in south China's Guangdong Province, and Shenyang, in northeast China's Liaoning Province.
Analysts say that the growth of on-line job hunting, formerly used by just young people and graduates, is a sign of the development of China's information industry. It also promotes China's electronic commerce.
(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2003)
