Laowai job market - overview needed

[Alex Whiteman]

Hello again,

Another question: are business cards widely used/required? I mean particularly those that have one side in English and one side in Chinese. I think I know where to get those here but no idea where to in China. To complicate this more, I still haven't chosen my Chinese name and I will have to make do with some mail address as contact info (obviously) - so, I'm undecided on the card idea itself too. . .

[icebear]

You should get some printed once you are here, this is a common and easy to find service, and very affordable. You can also wait a few weeks until you've settled on a Chinese name you'll stick with.

[cui ruide]

I would echo the sentiments that non-teaching job opportunities for foreigners on the ground in china are increasing (at least in Beijing and Shanghai); in my on-and-off 4 years in Beijing, I've seen many young foreigners in the community progress from unstable, traditional laowai starts (teaching, unpaid internships, english editing) to more stable employment at Chinese companies or large international firms (finance, consulting, "professional services," PR, marketing). I'm not sure what those jobs translate into when it comes to cash, but I'm also inclined to echo icebear that the range is 10-20k/mo (Chinese RMB), and perhaps increasing as inflation and experience goes up.

I would also recommend two more fields that seem to be taking more foreign hires: video game production (more translation/localization, so more for advanced Chinese learners) and advertising.

[amandagmu]

When you arrive in China get some reliable Chinese friends to help you with the business cards. Any place that does photocopying/print services (even the shack-looking place on some random corner) should be able to print them up for you in no time for very cheap. The quality can vary widely, however, so you might want to sit with them when they open the file on their computer (bring .TIFF or something like that on a USB to them) and discuss a bit with them. Again, if you can't speak Chinese, just bring a friend to help with it. It won't cost much money at all.

[Scoobyqueen]

I could not immediately see if anyone had commented on your Chinese name. I would recommend you choose a proper Chinese name, not a transcribed form of your English (home country) name.

This means choosing a proper surname that Chinese people use. It could be one that sounds like the first syllable of your own surname. For the name you could choose one or two characters. However have a Chinese person help you and stress it must be a proper name that Chinese would use. I am saying this, as it will be a talking point wherever you go. People will always remember it if is a pretty one (or for that sake a badly chosen one). People always ask me who chose it, how nice, it's proper Chinese, not foreign etc and it has paid off from a PR perspective. It will be worth investing the time in finding the right one.

[JustinJJ]

Hi everyone,

I wish to look for a finance job in China soon and have a couple of questions. (Since June I have been learning Chinese full time quite intensively in Beijing, almost all of my friends here are Chinese and I only speak to them in Chinese).

1) Could someone please recommend a good resume translation service - (I'd prefer it to be done professionally rather than do it myself so that it's error-free and follows a proper Chinese standard format)

2) Could someone familiar with the process please elaborate on the process in China for recruitment specifically into financial firms. e.g. if there are particular recruiters or recruitment companies known for recruitment into investment management firms (e.g. hedge funds, mutual funds, private equity companies)

To give you some background about myself, I'm 26 from Australia, have several years experience as a stock and bond analyst at a large Australian Fund Manager, and last worked as an Investment Banking Mergers & Acquisitions Analyst in Sydney. I previously spent a year on secondment in Hong Kong. Completed two degrees in Australia and finished the Chartered Financial Analyst exams, etc.

Thanks!

[Jamuna]

Hi,

Can i know the minimum qualification to take up teaching business studies in Chinese institutes?

I am a post graduate in HR with 5 yrs of experience into guest lectures, organizing conferences for students, training, module design, CRM, strategic promotions, people management and student infotainment production. Will I be able to find a teaching position without PHD in China?

Thanks!

[roddy]

Beyond the visa requirements, there aren't any minimum requirements for any job. Basically if you've got two years of experience, no problem.

[Jamuna]

@roddy: Thanks for the info.

Can I get any clue on how to apply for teaching business studies in China? Is there any job consultants, registered websites, kind of..

[alreadytaken]

I don't advice you to work in China, pay and work is drab. In China everything is about relationship, if you don't have a strong "guanxi" u will get into trouble, you may even take the blame. If you understand Asian values, China is not like the west, nothing here is fair, especially for a foreigner. Sinister things shall happen behind you.

[liuzhou]

I don't advice you to work in China, pay and work is drab. In China everything is about relationship, if you don't have a strong "guanxi" u will get into trouble, you may even take the blame. If you understand Asian values, China is not like the west, nothing here is fair, especially for a foreigner. Sinister things shall happen behind you.

I have been working in China for 17 years. It has been probably the most rewarding time of my life. The pay is adequate; the work is far from drab.

I have never been in trouble (must be all that guanxi I have gathered) or been blamed for anything. Nor have I heard of any other foreigner in such a position unless they clearly broke the same laws any country has.

"If you understand Asian values, China is not like the west" That doesn't even make sense. If I don't understand Asian values, China is like the west?

"Nothing here is fair, especially for a foreigner"

I would say the opposite. Foreigners tend to be treated better than the locals.

Sinister things will happen - pure paranoia.

[anonymoose]

"Nothing here is fair, especially for a foreigner"

I would say the opposite. Foreigners tend to be treated better than the locals.

That doesn't even make sense. So if locals are treated worse than foreigners, that is fair?

[liuzhou]

Quote

"Nothing here is fair, especially for a foreigner"

I would say the opposite. Foreigners tend to be treated better than the locals.

That doesn't even make sense. So if locals are treated worse than foreigners, that is fair?

Of course not.

I could have worded that better, but you know exactly what I meant.

[anonymoose]

I could have worded that better, but you know exactly what I meant.

Thank you for crediting me with that intelligence. Don't tell me you didn't know exactly what alreadytaken meant in his/her statement?

[Alex Whiteman]

I did hear and read quite a few horror stories of employers doing whatever they wanted with the job specifications of English teachers. I hope business in my field involves more reasonable people. I'll aim for foreign companies first anyway. . . and if it turns out to be something ridiculous I'll just pack and move on to my next destination; it's not like I came to stay here forever (unless I find something really good, which I doubt).

I think I'll be sending resumés to postions in nearby cities too (maybe even take a shot at something in Beijing). . . kind of a no-brainer, except for the travelling bit. . . Other than that, nothing to lose. . .

P.S. Scoobyqueen, I took your advice on the name thing just as you posted it. It took some months but I finally got myself a name that makes sense to everyone. . .

[Kanjiology]

Does anyone have experience doing their Master's or PhD in China and then finding work in their field inside of China?

[gougou]

There have been a few shocking stories about representatives in China being liable for mistakes they didn't even commit themselves (and possibly didn't know of), but those are a small minority. None of the points alreadytaken mentions were an issue for me or any of my colleagues at several international companies in China.

There are very interesting positions (one of my bosses would always tell me that I was never going to work in a market with such an impressive growth again), pay can actually be quite good at international companies (and taking into account the cost of living and the faster career progression, many people are able to save much more than they'd be able to do back home). Relationships can be a problem if you work in a Chinese company or are dependent on Chinese contacts, but if you are in an international company chances are you'll be better connected to the important people than any of your Chinese colleagues.

One thing I agree with is that China is not like the West. And that is a good thing.

[山东朱]

Yes, like Kanjiology I would love for people who did a Masters or PhD in China and are employed there to share their stories... there should be some at least.

[Lu]

Does anyone have experience doing their Master's or PhD in China and then finding work in their field inside of China?

A friend of mine did her MBA at a Beijing uni and then found a very good job at a company from her home country, still in Beijing. I'm not sure if she got an expat package, but it was close enough. A number of her old classmates were also still in Beijing so I assume they had found jobs too, although I don't know what kind.

[elranchero41]

Beyond the visa requirements, there aren't any minimum requirements for any job. Basically if you've got two years of experience, no problem.

Would they accept 2 yrs of experience you have earned while studying bachelor degree? It is a question that i will find the answer to in a few days.

P.s. Found out the experience you earned while studying also counts.