Not born in the year of the dog? You’re hired: China’s zodiac job quirks

A transportation company in Guangdong, China, has recently gained attention for its unconventional hiring practices. Sanxing Transportation, located in the southern province, posted a job listing for a clerk position with a monthly salary ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 yuan (US$420 – US$550), which is significantly lower than the average salary in the region.
However, what caught the public’s eye was the company’s explicit requirement that candidates born in the Year of the Dog should “not apply for the job”, South China Morning Post reported.
According to a staff member interviewed by Hubei Television on August 2, the company’s decision to ban applicants born under the dog zodiac sign was based on the belief that their boss, who is a “dragon”, would not get along well with “dogs”.
The Chinese zodiac consists of 12 signs, each assigned to a year in a repeating 12-year cycle, and it is believed that signs positioned opposite each other on the cycle, such as the dragon and dog, are in conflict. The staff member further said that the company would consider less qualified applicants as long as they were not born in the Year of the Dog.
The Chinese zodiac signs are associated with different elements and phases, with the dragon being linked to water and the dog to fire. Superstitious beliefs suggest that if a dragon works with a dog, they will often disagree, and dog people are considered vindictive and capable of bringing bad luck to the career of dragon people.
Interestingly, when it comes to romantic relationships, the opposite is believed to be true, with dog zodiac people suffering more if they date dragon zodiac people due to the latter’s perceived lack of loyalty and tolerance. Some feng shui theories propose that dog and dragon zodiac colleagues could hang lucky charms in the workplace to promote harmony.
The company’s hiring policy has faced criticism on mainland social media, with many users denouncing the practice as discriminatory and overly superstitious. One user said, “This is discrimination,” while another expressed their unwillingness to work for a company with such policies.
A third user shared a similar experience, revealing that their boss had inquired about their birthday and horoscope before hiring them based on the belief that their zodiac sign and birth time indicated they would be a hard worker.
Wu Xingjian, a lawyer from Hubei Chisheng Law Firm, noted that while the company’s rule could be considered discriminatory, preferences based on zodiac signs are not currently illegal.