Jobseeker snubs job offer with no weekends, furious recruiter hits back, denies future interview: ‘Already on blacklist'

As the hustle of new jobseekers continues, a recruiter's work demands crossed limits when she decided to offer a job without off on weekends. Times when work life balance is gaining currency, superfluous demand of a recruiter sparked discussions about workers' rights in job market. A job applicant holding a bachelor’s degree appeared for a job interview in which the recruiter made unwarranted demands for the specific vacant post.

The incident came to light on 18 January, when the jobseeker shared the ordeal online. The applicant disappointed with excessive work demand was told that they “did not deserve weekends off” because of limited qualification. The recruiter on the job platform Boss Zhipin, a publicly listed Chinese company specialising in online recruitment, came under scrutiny after this case.

China Life Insurance Company Limited came under scrutiny after its senior HR and administrative manager, named Kai, presented unacceptable terms and conditions. The recruitment process was facilitated by the job platform Boss Zhipin, a publicly listed Chinese company specialising in online recruitment.

Recruiter: “Can you come for an interview tomorrow afternoon?”

Applicant: “I am still considering other opportunities. I cannot really accept a job without weekends off.”

Recruiter: “With just a bachelor’s degree and you expect weekends off?”

“You are already on the blacklist. You will not be allowed to interview with us in the future.”

After this conversation went viral, the recruitment platform issued a statement on 19 January, suggesting that the recruiter had made inappropriate remarks and had been issued a formal warning. Soon after, China Life confirmed that the matter was under investigation.

The 2024 annual report of China Life indicates that the company employs nearly 1 lakh individuals, including 7,586 with postgraduate degrees and 71,710 with bachelor’s degrees.