140-character micro-resumes change job applications in China

Chinese job seekers, both new and experienced, might not have much of a choice but to summarize their work history in 140 characters or less as China’s highly competitive job search spills over the country’s most popular microblogging service, Sina Weibo.

As CNNGo reports:

The trend has grown from an informal tagging system where people can post “微简历” (micro-resumé) and “微招聘” (micro-recruiting) pitching themselves to employers, to a more formalized approach with Sina Weibo’s launch of its online recruiting service, “micro-recruiting” in late March.

Jon Russell of The Asian Correspondent points out that with more than 140 million Chinese people using Sina Weibo, the effects of 140-character bursts of information are changing processes and communication across the nation. Typically known as a place to discuss politics and entertainment, Weibos have recently spilled into the jobs market, an area where, globally, social media is increasingly important for job seekers and employers alike.

The establishment of Sina’s job-focused service has definitely helped provide a dedicated space for micro-resumes and employers seeking to fill vacancies. One Xinhua article counted more than 17,000 micro-resumés posted on Sina Weibo as of Friday, May 20, less than three months after the weibo system launched.