Chinese company makes job applicants wear masks to avoid discrimination on basis of looks

A Chinese company has gained online praise for its unusual approach to job interviews. It asked applicants to wear full face masks in an effort to prevent bias based on physical appearance. A viral video, recorded on February 3 by a woman named Zeng and shared on her Douyin account, shows several masked candidates sitting silently in an office while listening to an interviewer who is also wearing a mask, as per a report from South China Morning Post.

scene, which took place in Chengdu, in southwestern China's Sichuan province, has sparked curiosity and discussion. Zeng reportedly noted that company instructed candidates to take a blank mask and decorate it as y wished. While some have found concept strange, ors see potential benefits for individuals with social anxiety.

People on Chinese social media praise company

Online commentators have praised  Chinese company's use of full face masks during job interviews, with some remarking that it promotes equality and eliminates physical appearance as a factor in hiring process. In contrast, many expressed disdain for China Railway No.3 Engineering Group, which came under fire for a recruitment vertisement seeking female employees with a "nice face" and "good body shape" in December of last year. response to masked interviews has been largely positive. 

Fighting discrimination or a publicity stunt?

Chengdu Ant Logistics has gained reputation for its unconventional job interview methods, including a past requirement that applicants hoe lawn of company's logistics park as a test of ir executive capacity and aptability to hardship. However, some have questioned aunticity of company's latest viral interview, with speculation that it may be a publicity stunt. One observer noted that company may have been concerned about legal implications of showing candidates' faces during a live brocast of recruitment fair.

Zeng, who posted a video of interview on her Douyin account, agreed with commenter's perspective, stating that company h indeed conducted interview while livestreaming process. Chengdu Ant Logistics has confirmed that video in question was recorded during its biannual recruitment fair, where company hires for a variety of positions, including new media operator, live-stream brocaster, and data analyst. logistics firm emphasised its focus on valuing individual abilities over physical appearance and claimed that it sought to alleviate stress of job interviews for candidates.