‘Killing is cruel’: China job ad seeking vegetarian candidates who don’t smoke or drink raises eyebrows on mainland social media
- Job candidate so surprised by bizarre questions in interview that they asked interviewer if she was ‘all right’
- Company employee tells journalist that eating meat is an act of killing and people who do so are incapable of showing kindness
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A job ad by an electronics company in China seeking candidates who do not smoke, drink alcohol or eat meat has trended on mainland social media.
The unnamed company in Shenzhen, southern China, drew public criticism after an applicant shared their interactions with the company’s human resources staff online on July 8, Bailu Video reported.
Screenshots from the applicant show that operations and merchandiser roles at the company paid a monthly salary starting at 5,000 yuan (US$700) and provided free accommodation.
The ad also asked that job applicants be kind and easy-going, insisting that they not smoke, drink or eat meat.
The applicant asked about the unusual demands during an online interview with the company.
“Don’t smoke? Don’t drink? Don’t eat meat?” the applicant asked.
“If you don’t eat meat, why do others kill animals? Fish give all to fishermen, but fishermen eat them,” the interviewer replied.
“Are you all right?” the applicant asked.
“Just mind your own business,” the interviewer snapped back.
The interviewer then explained that it was not because of bias against candidates but due to the company’s corporate culture.
In an interview with Bailu video afterwards, the unnamed human resources employee claimed there was no denying that eating meat was an act of killing, despite bringing pleasure, and said that if people were hungry for meat, they could not show kindness to themselves or others.
“Eating meat is a sin. Killing is cruel. Eating no meat is doing good deeds,” she said.
In order to establish a healthy corporate culture, the employee said that the company canteen did not offer any meat dishes, adding that the employer did not want to force any candidate to follow its culture.
When asked whether the corporate culture applied to employees who did not eat in the canteen or live in staff accommodation, she said that possibility existed.
The story has sparked a heated discussion on social media.
One person asked: “Is the company hiring monks, nuns or employees? Funny.”
“Might it because the canteen doesn’t want to spend a penny on meat?” added another.
Stories about strange company hiring requirements often cause debate and amusement online in China.
In May, a factory refused to hire two prospective employees unless they had their tattoos removed, sparking a debate about cultural stereotypes and workplace discrimination.
In October last year, a Shenzhen-based company came under fire for interview questions that asked if potential employees would be willing to work extra hours for free.
