However, experts in relevant fields hold different views on horoscopeism.

"It is a bit preposterous," said Chen Xin, senior career consultant for Zhaopin.com, one of China's biggest employment agencies. "The signs of the zodiac were once seen simply as part of small talk among young people, who were trying to get to know each other better. They have never been viewed as a good method of evaluating a person's professional qualifications, character or personality. Not in an important way, at least."

However, for some employers, astrological signs are becoming a yardstick by which to assess potential employees. In November, an ad was posted on the campus of China University of Geosciences in Wuhan saying, "English teacher and secretaries wanted. Preferred candidates are Capricorn, Libra and Pisces. Virgo or Scorpio need not apply."

The recruitment manager of the institution said that in her experience, Virgos tend to be fussy and frequent job-hoppers. Meanwhile, the manager, surnamed Xia, said that Scorpios are tough and bad tempered, according to reports in the local media.

Astrological signs

"I think employers are one-sided when they pin down a certain range of applicants according to astrological signs and judge them without giving it a second thought," said Fei Xiaoou who has studied astrology and the tarot for many years and now, with help of some European astrologers, offers a micro blog horoscope service. "Astrological signs are not a comprehensive guide to someone's nature, because when we speak of a horoscope, we mean an all-encompassing overview of a person, not just a single aspect. In the same way that the stars and planets change their positions within the course of a sign, two people sharing the same astrological chart can be extremely different."

However, some people believe that the stars may have an influence on one's career path. Last year, The Staffers, China's first fashion magazine for working people aged 20 to 35, and supervised by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, examined the complexities of one zodiac sign per monthly issue as its main discussion topic.

The key words for the magazine in 2011 were astrological signs and jobs. "No superstition, no fortune-telling: we will give you easy access to understanding people in the workplace. That is the horoscope, through which you can learn more about yourself and your surroundings so that your capacity to judge people and solve problems will improve," read one of the ads for the magazine. The ads also promised that the magazine would help people to embark on a voyage of self-discovery.

"Previously, horoscopes were always treated as superstition or recreation, and were never seen as important in mainstream society," said Chen Xin, the career consultant. "However, we can see that that's all changing now."