Chinese firms have stepped up recruitment on online recruiting websites as businesses gradually return to normal amid the containment of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.

From March 23 to 26, new job postings on LinkedIn China jumped by 21 percent year on year, compared with a 35-percent drop during February 3-February 7 period, the first week after the Spring Festival break, when the confirmed cases in the country were quickly climbing, said LinkedIn China President Lu Jian during an online conference.

From February to early March, online job applications via Chinese job recruitment company Zhilian Zhaopin's app increased at an average weekly rate of 30 percent, and the average weekly use of video interviews skyrocketed by 123 percent.

China's major cities have the highest acceptance of online recruitment, with 86.7 percent of respondents availing such services. But the percentage in second-tier cities is relatively low, standing at about 79.4 percent, according to Liepin, China's largest e-recruitment site by revenue.

COVID-19 has brought significant challenges to the job market, Lu noted, with job postings published by companies with fewer than 200 employees slumping by 83 percent year on year from February 3 to 7.

Postings by these firms have recovered swiftly recently, with demand for workers in industries including fitness, transport, logistics, education and finance rebounding, Lu said.

Job applications also jumped 39 percent year on year from March 23 to 26, when the coronavirus spread was basically curbed, showing resilience in the country's job market, Lu said.

China has been intensifying efforts to help keep employment stable amid the control of COVID-19. Measures including waiving companies' social insurance payments and deferring the collection of rents were introduced, slashing firms' operating costs.

(With input from Xinhua)