Finding a job from abroad or after landing - non teaching

[asheh]

I am a newbie posting here but have been a 'long timer' lurker of these forums.

I finally decided to go to work in China for a while. I want to know the best way to land a 'decent' job in Beijing... Would it be to find a headhunter (exec agency) from overseas or land in BJ first and look for a job from there?

Here is some background about myself... 7 yrs work experience in Product Management /Marketing and sales working mostly in the US but also HK/Latin America. I am fluent in Spanish, English and my Chinese is OK but not great. (I am ABC) I studied in BJ a while back.

After working in the States for a few years hoping I could get an expat transfer that never materialized, I am deciding to make the big plunge myself. I can possibly that a 12 wk course to brush up my Chinese (used to be HSK level 7) while looking for a good job and get a 'better' network?

Or do people recommend some good head hunters?

I am not at the executive level , so I don't expect a great expat relocation package, but would like to get a decent job & pay. What is the best way to get this?

Appreciate any suggestions ... happy new year.

[BrandeX]

7 yrs work experience in Product Management /Marketing and sales working mostly in the US but also HK/Latin America. I am fluent in Spanish, English and my Chinese is OK but not great. (I am ABC)

Best of luck to you. We already have an almost exact thread on this somewhere in the forum. It could be tough to make more than a few K rmb a month.

[asheh]

Hi Brandex,

I simply couldn't see the other post. -Do you mind sending me the link, if you have it.

I am interested to find out why you bolded "ABC" and "Chinese is OK" part of my original message. I seems that that is the reason to get only a few K/month.

I would say I can work in a Chinese office (read/listen) without problems, if I didn't have to 'write' anything myself, since my Chinese writing is only 'fair'. I hope there is not a big reverse-racism in China

[zozzen]

i'm not good enough to be hunted, but i've heard that Korn/ Ferry is well established in China. Try to send your resume to them.

[simonlaing]

I have heard of trade with Latin america and China increasing faster and faster.

Spanish and Chinese skills here are lacking and so a trade job that asks for these would fit you well. I have seen a couple of postings on the Shanghai American Chamber of Commerce. They have a email newsletter that you can sign up for as well.

This would fill a niche as the number of Chinese people learning spanish is much less than english, Japanese, Korean.

Good luck,

Simon:)

[BrandeX]

I simply couldn't see the other post. -Do you mind sending me the link, if you have it.

Sure, it is right here:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician1654

[asheh]

Thanks for the suggestions and links. Keep the suggestions coming.

I am trying to leverage the 7yrs of work experience and Spanish/English/Chinese angle. As Simon said, maybe to South America, but the truth is that there are not that many 'Spanish' opportunities. It is a big market, but it doesn't 'buy' much.

I pulled some addresses/info from websites. If they work, I might post some for later reference.

[lilongyue]

Please keep us up to date. I'd like to know more about foreigners who find work other than teaching English in China