Revealing your birth year should not be a reason to be rejected for a new job. But a recent online job advert in China demonstrates the importance some hiring managers place on the zodiac.

The job post by Sanxing Transportation, based in the Guangdong Province, asked applicants born in the year of the dog not to apply for an open clerking role, which had a monthly salary of between 3,000 and 4,000 yuan (£329 to £439).