Recently, as graduation season for mainland Chinese university students approaches, some job recruitment intermediaries have launched programs such as “internship at well-known companies” and “internal recommendations” on online platforms. Some of these services are priced as high as tens of thousands of yuan, claiming that they can arrange internship opportunities and even secure full-time positions upon receiving payment. However, there are cases where individuals have paid tens of thousands of yuan only to realize they have been deceived.
Unemployment rates among young people in mainland China are high, and the job market is fiercely competitive, leaving many graduating students facing job search anxiety. With graduation approaching, various advertisements for “paid internships” and “guaranteed internal referrals” have become increasingly prevalent, targeting the anxieties of university graduates.
According to a report by Xinhua News Agency on the 18th, as graduation neared, a student named Liu Mingyu from Chongqing University was feeling anxious about finding a job. In May, he came across a message from a “referral intermediary” on a social media platform.
The intermediary claimed to be able to modify resumes, provide interview tips, and even “guarantee” positions by delivering resumes directly to the general manager. The fees ranged from 199 yuan to 19,000 yuan, increasing gradually with the richness of services provided.
“Many students seek to enhance their resumes when applying for jobs upon graduation, with a strong desire to intern at well-known companies,” said Yang Bing, Vice General Manager of Liaoning Talent Recruitment and Human Resources Consulting Services.
On the “Idle Fish” platform, a job intermediary claimed to facilitate internships and “internal referrals” for several major investment banks and internet giants, with internship offers for each position priced at 8,000 yuan and a 100% pass rate.
When inquired by a Chinese media journalist about the availability of formal positions for internal referrals at major investment banks, the intermediary stated that these positions have high requirements. However, meeting conditions such as graduating from a prestigious university or holding a master’s degree in finance could lead to a direct recommendation for a fee of 250,000 yuan. They also mentioned a position at a state-owned travel agency priced at 110,000 yuan.
Such information on “paid internships” and high-priced “internal referrals” is predominantly concentrated on platforms like Idle Fish, Zhuanzhuan, and Xiaohongshu. Some sellers avoid platform restrictions by setting keywords like “internship,” “PTA (part-time assistant),” and “Big Four.”
On these platforms, sellers usually advertise services such as resume editing, internal referrals, and interview guidance openly, with prices ranging from a few hundred to several thousand yuan. However, upon adding the sellers on WeChat as instructed, clients are privately offered high-priced “guaranteed referrals.” The methods for these “guaranteed referrals” vary, with some claiming to provide one-on-one training by former employees of hiring companies, while others reveal their internal connections to top management.
The report highlighted that the “internship at well-known companies” and “guaranteed internal referrals” offered by some job intermediaries are actually a form of fraudulent scheme.
On the Black Cat Complaints platform, searching with the keyword “internal referral” revealed many job seekers complaining about intermediaries for “false advertising,” “consumer fraud,” and “refusal to refund.”
In May this year, a consumer filed a complaint against a company offering an “internal referral class,” promising direct access to state-owned enterprises in the power grid and tobacco industries, deceiving consumers into spending over 20,000 yuan. In another case, many individuals complained about a business conducting live broadcasts to recruit a large number of students, claiming that “job seekers with at least a college degree can be referred to the entertainment industry at an 85% success rate.” As a result, dozens of students were duped, with the total amount involved nearing 1 million yuan.
“Some intermediary agencies claim to offer ‘internal recommendations’ and use ‘guaranteed passes’ as a gimmick, targeting the information and channel gaps between job seekers and recruiters,” said a woman working in human resources management on a short video platform. “Even if some intermediaries promise ‘refund if unsuccessful,’ they are still making money based on the probability of employment.”
“Nowadays, recruitment practices at major internet companies are becoming increasingly standardized. Even for job seekers recommended by internal employees, their treatment is generally the same as other applicants, requiring them to pass written tests, interviews, and background checks,” stated a Tencent Human Resources spokesperson. “For example, at Tencent, internal referrals are just a way to submit your resume, allowing you to understand the positions and businesses you are interested in through the referrer to better prepare for interviews, but it is not a guaranteed shortcut.”
Liu Yan, a lawyer from Liaoning Tongfang Law Firm, mentioned that if job services offering “paid internal referrals” provide false information or engage in deceptive and misleading behaviors, it could constitute a breach of contract. If intermediary agencies engage in these actions with the purpose of illegal possession, and the amount of money defrauded reaches a certain level, they may be suspected of fraud.
Industry insiders stated that even if some companies have internal channels, cooperating with intermediary agencies and internal personnel could lead to illegal activities. Once confirmed, the recruitment results from such activities would be deemed invalid, leaving job seekers facing the consequences of a futile effort.
Several years ago, Tencent Group conducted an anti-corruption investigation where multiple employees collaborated with external job intermediaries. The intermediaries were responsible for recruiting interns, and Tencent employees arranged for these interns to conduct fake remote internships, sharing the profits among themselves.