Job prospect in IT field...

[Quakebum]

How is the pay for someone in the IT field working in China, is it common to see $55k+ if you're foreign? Let's say a sys admin with 3-4 years of experience with background in Linux and Windows? That can also speak chinese?

[WestTexas]

I'm not sure what the salary is like for IT administrators in the US or UK or wherever you are from, but I think it would be lower in China. In my experience Chinese who do IT are very good at it, and I don't think there's a shortage of such people. Also, I'm not sure how much bilingualism would help an IT person working in China versus a Chinese person who speaks a little bit of English. Some of the IT people here can't speak English but they know English computer terminology and can use windows all in English. So, while this isn't an educated opinion, I think unless you were the IT director for a big company that 55k would be a bit high.

[Matty]

I can't tell you about money, but the only person I know who has done IT related work in China in a large IT firm ended up answering phones and making sure the product as described by the client matched what the Chinese were writing up.

His final words were "Next time I'll be a tourist agent"

[DrWatson]

Foreign banks may hire you, but they won't care about Chinese skills. They will be more interested in your domain knowledge, work experience, and background. They will hire a native Chinese worth English skills for positions that require use of Chinese .

[aspi]

When people talk about China as rising economic power you would think it means there is need for western knowledge in China but I doubt there is. As far as I have understood there is need for western leadership knowledge and skills in Chinese companies but your real possibilities are in Chinese business knowledge. Basically China does not need westerners that much but other western companies need people with knowledge about China. So if you were to obtain a degree in Chinese business studies or something else, then you would be able to jump into the China train and probably get your salary.

This is just something I have been thinking and what I am doing right now so I just wanted to share this view because this topic was slightly related to this matter