Zhaopin: Emerging First-tier Cities More Attractive to Job Seekers in China

Zhaopin: Emerging First-tier Cities More Attractive to Job Seekers in China

First-tier cities become a key source of talent outflow

BEIJING, May 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Zhaopin Limited ("Zhaopin" or the "Company"), a leading career platform in China focused on matching talent with skills and opportunities through their career lifecycle, released its Spring 2018 China Talent Flow Report. Based on Zhaopin's online recruitment data, the report identified major trends in the flow of talent among cities, sectors and occupations.

Spring is the most active season in China's labor market, when both job seekers and job vacancies surge. Zhaopin analyzed the data from its online recruitment platform and identified talent flow trends in China, which are a valuable reference for job seekers, recruiters and government policy makers.

Spring 2018 China Talent Flow Report highlights:

  • Emerging first-tier cities were more attractive to job seekers in third-tier cities and below. About 23.4% of job seekers in third-tier cities favored jobs in emerging first-tier cities, while the percentage was 33.6% for job seekers in fourth-tier cities, and 38.8% in fifth-tier cities.
  • While first-tier cities continued to attract talent from neighboring areas, they were becoming a key source of talent outflow to other parts of the country.
  • There was an outflow of professionals from real estate to other sectors. All of the top 10 sectors with the most job vacancies in the first quarter of 2018 drew from the real estate sector as a major source of talent.
  • Talent from the internet/e-commerce sector was welcomed by other sectors as the internet transforms traditional industries.
  • While it is relatively easy to move across sectors, it is more difficult to change occupations for job seekers, as occupations have more barriers to entry in terms of required skills and experience.
  • Male job seekers dominated positions with monthly salaries of RMB6,000 and above. More female job seekers applied for positions with relatively low pay.
  • Employees from private companies were a major source of talent for other types of companies.

Bigger cities more attractive to talent than smaller cities

Bigger cities were more attractive to job seekers than smaller cities, Zhaopin found. The ability to attract talent decreases as city-size declines. About 87.6% of job seekers in first-tier cities preferred positions in first-tier cities, while only 19% of job seekers in fifth-tier cities wanted to stay in their cities.

Emerging first-tier cities were more attractive to job seekers in third-tier cities and below. About 23.4% of job seekers in third-tier cities favored jobs in emerging first-tier cities, while the percentage was 33.6% for job seekers in fourth-tier cities, and 38.8% in fifth-tier cities.

While first-tier cities continued to attract talent from neighboring areas, they were becoming a key source of talent outflow to other parts of the country. As a major talent hub, Beijing saw its talent outflowing to north, northeast, northwest and even southwest of China.

Breakdown of job seekers by cities

City

From first-
tier cities

From

emerging first
-tier cities

From
second-tier
cities

From third-
tier cities

From fourth-
tier cities

From fifth-
tier cities

First-tier cities

87.6%

7.1%

3.3%

1.3%

0.6%

0.1%

Emerging first-tier cities

7.8%

87.5%

2.1%

1.3%

1.0%

0.3%

Second-tier cities

10.8%

8.4%

77.6%

1.8%

0.9%

0.5%

Third-tier cities

21.8%

23.4%

7.6%

45.6%

1.1%

0.5%

Fourth-tier cities

20.1%

33.6%

11.6%

2.3%

31.8%

0.6%

Fifth-tier cities

18.8%

38.8%

16.9%

5.0%

1.4%

19.0%

Talent moving across sectors

There was an outflow of professionals from real estate to other sectors. All of the top 10 sectors with the most job vacancies in the first quarter of 2018 drew from the real estate sector as a major source of talent.

Talent from the internet/e-commerce sector was welcomed by other sectors as the internet transforms traditional industries.

Talent source for top ten sectors with most job demand in first quarter 2018

Job
demand
ranking

Sector

Top 1 talent
source

Top 2 talent source

Top 3 talent source

Top 4 talent source

Top 5 talent source

1

Internet/e-
commerce

 

 

Internet/e-commerce


 

17.7%

Real
estate/construction/b
uilding
materials/engineerin
g

6.8%

Computer software

 



5.8%

Education/training/co
llege

 



4.5%

Funds/securities/futur
es/investment


3.9%

2

Real estate
/construction/
building
materials/en
gineering

Real estate
/construction/buildin
g materials/engineerin
g

55.0%

Home
furnishing/interior
design/decoration

2.9%

Internet/e-commerce

 


2.5%

Processing and
manufacturing (raw
material processing/mold)


2.1%

Professional
service/consulting
(finance and
accounting, legal and
HR, etc.)


2.0%

3

Education/tra
ining/college

Education/training/c
ollege


 

24.9%

Internet/e-commerce


 

7.9%

Real
estate/construction/bu
ilding
materials/engineering


7.0%

Hotel/catering

 



3.2%

Media/publishing/film
and television/cultural
communication



3.0%

4

Computer
software

Computer software


 


19.0%

Internet/e-commerce

 


16.3%

IT services
(system/data/mainten
ance)

9.9%

Real
estate/construction/b
uilding
materials/engineerin
g



5.4%

Electronics/semicond
uctor/integrated circuit


3.3%

5

Funds/securi
ties/futures/in
vestment

Funds/securities/futu
res/investment


 

18.9%

Real
estate/construction/b
uilding
materials/engineerin
g

9.3%

Internet/e-commerce

 


8.2%

Professional
service/consulting
(finance and
accounting, legal
and HR, etc.)

5.0%

Banking

 



4.8%

6

Professional
service/cons
ulting
(finance and
accounting,
legal and HR, etc.)

Real
estate/construction/b
uilding
materials/engineerin
g

12.1%

Professional
service/consulting
(finance and
accounting, legal
and HR, etc.)

8.1%

Internet/e-commerce

 



7.1%

Education/training/co
llege

 



5.3%

Funds/securities/futur
es/investment

 



4.8%

7

IT services
(system/data
/maintenanc
e)

Internet/e-commerce


 


14.5%

Computer software

 



11.6%

IT services
(system/data/mainten
ance)


8.5%

Real
estate/construction/b
uilding
materials/engineerin
g

7.2%

Communications/telec
ommunications/netwo
rk equipment


4.0%

8

Trade/export
and import

Trade/export and import

 

9.7%

Real
estate/construction/b
uilding
materials/engineerin
g

7.9%

Internet/e-commerce

 



7.4%

Processing and
manufacturing (raw
material
processing/mold)


5.2%

FMCG (food, drinks,
alcohol and tobacco,
and chemicals for
daily use)


4.3%

9

Medicine/biol
ogical
engineering

Medicine/biological
engineering


 

24.2%

Real
estate/construction/b
uilding
materials/engineerin
g

6.2%

Medical
care/nursing/beauty/h
ealthcare


5.9%

FMCG (food, drinks,
alcohol and tobacco,
and chemicals for
daily use)


5.9%

Medical
equipment/devices

 



4.6%

10

FMCG (food,
drinks,
alcohol and
tobacco, and
chemicals for
daily use)

FMCG (food, drinks,
alcohol and tobacco,
and chemicals for
daily use)

30.6%

Internet/e-commerce

 



6.3%

Real
estate/construction/bu
ilding
materials/engineerin
g

5.5%

Retail/wholesale

 



5.3%

Processing and
manufacturing (raw
material
processing/mold)


3.2%

While it was relatively easy to move across sectors, it was more difficult to change occupations for job seekers, Zhaopin found. Occupations have more barriers to entry in terms of required skills and experience.

More female seeking low-pay jobs

Female job seekers were more interested in sectors such as education/training/college, medical care/nursing/beauty/healthcare/health services, and government/non-profit organizations.

Top 10 sectors with most female job seekers in spring 2018

Ranking

Sector

Female

Male

1

Education/training/college

65.0%

35.0%

2

Medical
care/nursing/beauty/healthcare/health
services

63.9%

36.1%

3

Government/non-profit organizations

57.9%

42.1%

4

Professional

Services/consulting (finance and
accounting/legal/HR)

57.8%

42.2%

5

Trade/export and import

55.8%

44.2%

6

Tourism/vacation

55.7%

44.3%

7

Advertising/exhibition/public relations

55.5%

44.5%

8

Gifts/toys/arts & crafts/collectibles/luxury
goods

55.0%

45.0%

9

Outsourcing service

54.8%

45.2%

10

Media/publishing/film and television/cultural
communication

54.8%

45.2%

For occupations, female job seekers preferred finance/auditing/tax, hospital/medical care/nursing, and healthcare/beauty/hairdressing/bodybuilding.

Top 10 occupations with most female job seekers in spring 2018

Ranking

Sector

Female

Male

1

Finance/auditing/tax

84.4%

15.6%

2

Hospital/medical care/nursing

79.0%

21.0%

3

Healthcare/beauty/hairdressing/bodybuilding

75.7%

24.3%

4

Administration/logistics/secretary

75.5%

24.5%

5

Human resources

73.4%

26.6%

6

Education/training

68.1%

31.9%

7

Sales/business administration

67.6%

32.4%

8

Translation (oral and written)

67.4%

32.6%

9

Tourism/vacation/entry and exit services

63.9%

36.1%

10

Part-time job/temporary

62.5%

37.5%

In terms of salaries, male job seekers dominated positions with monthly salaries of RMB6,000 and above. More female job seekers applied for positions with relatively low pay.

Breakdown of positions by monthly salaries in spring 2018

Salary (RMB)

Male applicants

Female applicants

Above 50,000

82.9%

17.1%

35,001 to 50,000

80.7%

19.3%

25,001 to 35,000

77.0%

23.0%

15,001 to 25,000

75.2%

24.8%

10,001 to 15,000

71.9%

28.1%

8,001 to 10,000

67.4%

32.6%

6,001 to 8,000

61.0%

39.0%

4,001 to 6,000

48.9%

51.1%

2,001 to 4,000

35.8%

64.2%

Below 2,000

53.4%

46.6%

Most job seekers looking for better pay

The majority of job seekers were applying for positions with better pay than their current level. However, more than 20% of job seekers, who currently made RMB50,000 or more per month, were applying for position with salary between RMB10,001 to RMB15,000. Most of them had been working for startups, which had inflated salaries to attract talent. These professionals have had to reset their expectations and be more reasonable with salary expectations.

Breakdown of positions by salaries in spring 2018


                                                          Current salaries of job seekers (RMB)

Salaries
applied

Below
2,000

2,001 to
4,000

4,001 to
6,000

6,001 to
8,000

8,001 to
10,000

10,001 to
15,000

15,001 to
25,000

25,001 to
35,000

35,001 to
50,000

Above
50,000

Below
2,000

1.7%

0.7%

0.5%

0.5%

0.5%

0.6%

0.7%

0.3%

0.5%

0.8%

2,001 to
4,000

21.7%

23.6%

11.0%

4.2%

2.4%

1.1%

0.8%

0.3%

0.9%

1.6%

4,001 to
6,000

38.5%

42.7%

37.3%

21.7%

12.3%

6.3%

3.4%

1.6%

4.1%

9.4%

6,001 to
8,000

18.1%

19.0%

27.1%

28.4%

21.1%

12.2%

6.1%

3.1%

3.7%

13.3%

8,001 to
10,000

8.6%

7.2%

12.3%

20.2%

21.4%

16.1%

8.7%

4.7%

4.8%

9.2%

10,001 to
15,000

7.3%

5.2%

9.1%

18.6%

29.4%

34.6%

26.1%

16.5%

13.9%

20.4%

15,001 to
25,000

2.4%

1.2%

2.1%

4.8%

9.7%

20.4%

27.1%

23.7%

17.6%

11.0%

25,001 to
35,000

1.1%

0.3%

0.4%

1.0%

2.3%

6.2%

16.7%

24.6%

17.6%

11.8%

35,001 to
50,000

0.4%

0.1%

0.1%

0.3%

0.7%

1.8%

7.4%

17.1%

23.1%

11.8%

Above
50,000

0.2%

0.1%

0.1%

0.2%

0.3%

0.7%

3.1%

8.2%

13.7%

10.8%

Private companies are a key force in China's labor market, and employees from private companies were a major source of talent for other type of companies.

Breakdown of job seekers by type of companies

Company

From state-
owned enterprises

From  joint
ventures

From private
companies

From public
companies

From public
institutions

From
wholly
foreign-
owned
enterprises

State-owned enterprises

22.1%

5.2%

55.8%

8.0%

2.5%

6.4%

Joint ventures

12.0%

7.1%

61.6%

7.7%

1.6%

10.0%

Private companies

11.1%

5.9%

67.6%

7.2%

1.5%

6.7%

Public companies

14.0%

5.7%

62.5%

8.8%

1.7%

7.4%

Public institutions

22.4%

5.6%

50.8%

9.0%

5.8%

6.4%

Wholly foreign-owned
enterprises

11.9%

6.9%

56.0%

8.3%

1.5%

15.4%

For more information, please contact:

Zhaopin Limited
Ms. Serena Sun
roujia.sun@zhaopin.com.cn

ICR Beijing
Mr. Edmond Lococo
Phone: +86 10 6583-7510
Edmond.Lococo@icrinc.com

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