A funeral home in Rushan, Shandong province, China, is hiring a “morgue manager”, offering a monthly salary of 2,200 yuan (Rs 25,000). Sounds simple? Wait till you read the fine print. The job requires candidates to endure 10 minutes in a freezing morgue to qualify for an interview.
Details of the unconventional test were shared on December 11 by an internet user from Rushan. The hiring process, conducted by Rushan Xinmike Human Resources Co., Ltd., was advertised by the Rushan Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security on December 6.
Applicants must meet specific criteria, including permanent household registration in Rushan, the ability to work 24-hour shifts, male, age below 45, and at least a junior secondary school education, the SCMP reported. Candidates must also pay a 70 yuan (Rs 816) exam fee to participate in the process.
The position, a three-year contract, includes various evaluation stages such as the morgue room test, structured interviews, background checks, medical exams, and a six-month probation period. However, the role does not offer “bian zhi” – a benefit that guarantees stable, lifelong employment.
A Rushan Funeral Services Centre representative explained the purpose of the morgue test. “The special requirement is just a test method because some people have strong taboos or fears staying too long in such settings, but our work requires someone who can remain in the room for more than 10 minutes,” they told Eastern Business News.
Some experts, however, questioned the ethics of the hiring process. Wang, a funeral home management professional in southwestern China, called the test inappropriate, saying, “This on-site test might assess a candidate’s psychological resilience, but it seems unethical. Professional psychological tests or internships would be better alternatives.”
Despite these concerns, China’s funeral services market continues to expand, growing from 169.5 billion yuan in 2015 to 310.2 billion yuan in 2022, according to Zhiyan Consulting.
