In interviews, it helps to look good. But according to China's state media, some job hopefuls may be going to extremes.
A number of recent college graduates are turning to plastic surgery to bolster their job prospects, the Xinhua News Agency reported over the weekend. The article ─ headlined 'Cosmetic surgery, a choice for college graduates to be confident in job hunting' ─ lacked specific numbers, but cited two examples of job seekers who felt that surgical alteration on the outside would lead to increased confidence on the inside. 'The new appearance makes me more confident in interviews,' said one who sought out an operation on her eyelids.
While it's unclear whether data would back up the article's claims, they speak to the uncertainty faced by China's swelling ranks of college graduates as they enter what might be the softest job market in years. They also offer a look into the oft-times superficial aspect of job-hunting in China, where help-wanted ads often specify that candidates be of a certain age or height.
Even as the job market looks weak, knife work may prove resistant to economic softness. Optimists in the cosmetic surgery business see a continued growth market in China despite the economic slowdown.
好的容貌在面试时会有所帮助。但据中国国有媒体报导，一些求职者却可能走向了极端。
新华社周末报导称，许多大学毕业生为了增加求职时的胜算而走进了美容院。这篇名为《我国大学生为求职整容者增多》的文章没有提供具体数据，但列举了两名求职者的经历，她们认为外观的`整容增加了内心的自信。其中一名想做双眼皮手术的大学生说，新的形象让我在面试时更加自信了。
尽管并不清楚数据是否支持这篇文章的说法，但这却说明了在面对数年来最为疲软的就业市场时，数量激增的中国大学毕业生所面临的不确定因素。它也让人们看到了在中国求职时常常遭遇的肤浅的一面：招聘广告中常常对求职者的年龄或身高做出限制。
尽管就业市场低迷不振，但美容业却可能经受住经济萧条的考验。虽然经济出现了滑坡，但对美容业持乐观看法的人士认为，中国的美容市场还将继续增长。
