Companies using star signs to pick job candidates

Candidates are generally turned down for jobs because their work experience or skills are not good enough.

But now job hunters in China are finding themselves being rejected by hiring managers over “Zodiac discrimination” – being passed over because they were born under the wrong astrological sign.

Xu Jingmin, a college graduate, told Bandao Morning News she applied for a job at a travel agency to find she matched all the qualifications and requirements – apart from the Zodiac sign.

“We are looking for Geminis, Libras, and Aquarius,” the ad allegedly said. Xu, who is a Leo, said this meant she was disqualified.

The paper wrote stereotypes are held against Virgo and Libra job seekers, as many employers consider them to be “picky” and at risk of job hopping too soon.

However, many hiring managers insist they do not discriminate.

“We have lots of Leo colleagues despite a belief that they are bad-tempered,” Sydney Wen, a manager working in finance, told the South China Morning Post.

“It might be a criterion to consider, but I will not make my decisions based on this alone.”

Terrence Wong, a Hong Kong public relations executive, told International Business Times he is familiar with this superstition in the workplace, but zodiac discrimination is a rarity.

He said companies are more likely to refer to applicants’ Chinese Zodiac animals to judge whether they might be compatible with a team.