Market-needs surveys have been conducted to bridge the market-academia gap by eliciting data from students, trainers, course profiles, graduates, professional translators and interpreters, clients, and employers. Yet surveys of interpreting market needs based on content analysis of job advertisements are rare. The current study aims to investigate interpreting market demands in China, in terms of qualifications, interpreting modes and directions, and competences, as well as the difference in demands between LSPs (language service providers) and non-LSPs. An eleven-step content analysis method was applied to the coding of 400 interpreting job ads for in-house English-Chinese interpreters. The results highlight that the market entry threshold in China is low and that the dominant mode is consecutive interpreting. They also indicate that the market requires interpreters to both interpret and translate into and from English, prefers versatile language users with prior interpreting experience and overseas experience, expects physiological, psychological and interpersonal competences, and demands professional ethics, computer literacy, as well as a background in certain areas of thematic knowledge. Another finding is that LSPs and non-LSPs have different expectations. While LSPs are more demanding in terms of prior interpreting experience and accreditation status, non-LSPs expect more versatile employees.