Want a job in China? US$7,700 VVVVVIP service still leaves applicants out of pocket, out of work
- Career coaching consultancies charge up to 50,000 yuan (US$7,700) to help jobseekers in China gain an edge in an increasingly competitive market
- But the coronavirus pandemic has made the fast growing industry a hotbed for complaints and controversies
In an increasingly competitive job market, many Chinese graduates have turned to career advisory firms for help. Yet the coronavirus pandemic has made this fast growing industry a hotbed for complaints and controversies.
The service offered 10 small group lessons pre-recorded by coaches, who were said to be professionals from different industries, five one-on-one coaching classes on anything from resume revisions to job interviews, and perhaps the most valuable, internal referrals to companies that matched Zhao’s background. It guaranteed a 70 per cent refund if he did not receive an offer at the end of his service period.
UniCareer extended his plan to a year until November for free due to the coronavirus, but Zhao did not receive many job referrals. He attended one interview with a consultancy who carried out outsourcing work for other big firms. In April, he got a job on his own.
But when Zhao applied for refund when his service with UniCareer ended in November, the company kept delaying the payment without giving clear reasons. And since late February, he has lost touch with the company when the staff in charge of his service stopped replying to his messages.
