Competition for China's stable civil service jobs has grown fiercer, prompting official media to issue guidelines on modest dress and grooming for interviewees. Banyuetan magazine notes that appearance and demeanor account for 5 to 10 percent of interview scores.
Banyuetan, a magazine produced by state news agency Xinhua, has published an article offering guidelines on appearance for civil service interview candidates. It states that scoring sheets include a separate "appearance and demeanor" category, requiring candidates to be "appropriately dressed, with good temperament and poise, and minimal fluctuations in behaviour," accounting for 5 to 10 percent of the total score.
Men are advised to get a haircut, while women should keep nails clean, avoid jewellery, complicated make-up, and ensure hair does not cover their ears or eyes. The article stresses giving a "clean and confident" impression, with women urged not to use pale facial foundations, colourful eye shadow, fake eyelashes, or decorative nails.
Candidates should wear "light and elegant" clothes in colours such as grey, camel, beige, and light blue, avoiding pointy shoes or high heels. "The civil service interview is a setting that allows very little room for error in appearance," the article said, while adding that proper answers to questions remain essential.
The guidance comes amid intensified competition for civil service jobs—known as an "iron rice bowl" for their security—as the economy has faltered and youth unemployment has risen.