After the Chinese government lifted the one-child policy, most women, who plan to have a second child, are having a hard time looking for work.

Chinese employers nowadays are reportedly asking female job seekers if they have any plans to have a second child.

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One job seekers told China Daily that in order for her to get an interview, she had to answer a question first on whether she plans to have another child.  Thinking that it would be easier to look for a job after giving birth, these women had not realized that they would face this kind of challenge.

Employers anticipate a prolonged leave of absence for women who plan to have two children after the one-child policy ended in October last year. Maternity leaves can extend until eight months in China.

A survey published by Ganji.com reveals that 76 percent of career women are holding back on having a second child because of financial reasons. Meanwhile, 71 percent of career women are anticipating difficulty balancing their family and career. Lastly, 56 percent admitted that having a second child may affect their career negatively.

According to Feng Lijuan, an expert on human resources, most employers - especially private companies - are scrutinizing closely the contribution of potential employees. Since most companies are facing mounting human resources cost and falling profits, they need to choose their employees economically.

Given this new challenge faced by career women in China, most of them are forced to choose between family life and their profession.

TagsEnd of one-child policy, China's one-child policy, Women and career, gender equality, China Gender Equality, family and career