Looking for advice to start work in China (recent graduate)

[artp]

Hi,

I have to apologise beforehand - I know this topic must come up very often, but I'm just looking for some advice that's specific to me. I'm looking to head out to China probably around Febraury next year (Shanghai in particular as I have friends there), and I'll be spending my time looking for a job (Will stay 6 months for certain).

Here's my background - I've just finished my bachelors degree in Business, Finance and Economics. I've been running a small printing company by myself for 6 or so years. I started learning Chinese in SH and I'm around HSK level 3 now.

I have no set career path that I wish to take. For me, I know for the next few years I don't mind what I do, so long as I'm good at it and feel a bit challenged. So of course, I have considered teaching as route to take - and yes it is largely because it's a simple route - but I do believe I'll enjoy it for many reasons that I won't go into now.

I have read many guides on looking for a job in China, and I will continue to do so after this post. I know there's many things to consider before heading out there, so what I want to know from you guys is whether teaching is a good option for me to take? It's not unrealistic or a poor choice or anything given that many people are doing the same? Where do I begin my search? I know to be weary of what school I look at and what they're offering (but I'll worry about these kinds of details later). Should I be looking to obtain certification for teaching (TEFL?) in China? What other options could I consider with my background - i.e. is there something specific, business related, that I can try obtain skills and experience in for a couple of years here in the UK before I head to China? My printing business displays a number of skills and competencies, but I genuinely can't see how they could benefit me in China other than perhaps a small talking point in an interview. I know its all about guanxi - linkedin, networking out there etc - and I know I need something that makes me stand out from other foreigners, and I know the best possible thing I could do is to find a company in the UK that will be willing to transfer me to their office in SH etc etc. I believe I only have networking to really get myself noticed.

Considering I don't know what I want to do, I'm keen on moving around if I don't decide on teaching - starting with small internships/bits of work to get a feel of where I'm comfortable - whether its admin work - project management - online marketing or whatever is available - but will I be kidding myself if I hope to end up with a decent stable job within 4/5 years? Putting aside the difficulties of finding a company to hire me out there, the idea would simply be to gain experience and obviously stick with the same field and role, and slowly work my way up. I'd love to know anyone's personal experience with their career path in China if they started out from scratch, and perhaps could give me some guidance as to how I should focus my job hunting search. I do have friends in China - most working in consultancy - and I'm sure they'll be able to offer support when I arrive.

I'm British Indian btw - would this at all dampen any prospects of a good teaching job? Genuinely unsure of whether I'd be considered favourable or not haha.

Again, I'm sorry if I can find this information on this forum and very sorry for the long post. I have so many questions so I've tried to be as clear as possible. Hopefully I can be more specific later on. I will do my own research but thought it best to get a broad overview here first. I won't mind if you simply direct me to threads where my questions are answered. Thanks!

[roddy]

A TEFL certification would be worthwhile as it'll improve your teaching, which will make your job more rewarding, and it gives you a stronger position in salary negotiation. Ideally look for something like this

http://www.britishcouncil.org/teacherrecruitment-tefl-qualifications-certificates-2.htm

as that's what the better jobs will want, and if you ever want to teach outside of China it may well be a minimum requirement. It's a worthwhile investment.

Printing is a long shot, but you can probably position yourself as a teacher of business / financial English - business letters, report writing, that kind of thing. Bit more dull than the usual speaking and listening though. I wouldn't bother spending years gaining experience just to use it in an English teaching job in China though, that's overkill.

Jobs - start on TEFL.com.

[panda23]

I see you have no teaching experience. So, finding an ESL job will be very hard even with a TEFL certificate. Based on talking to a number of admin staff at various schools in China, the days of easy jobs for foreigners are over. The government requires you to have done the same or similar job somewhere else for two or more years, or they won't let you have a work visa. You'd have to find some training school in a small city that is desperate for foreigners and thus is willing to fake your background.

I think you should try looking for non-teaching jobs such as in marketing, or seeing if your printing business could compete in China, assuming you have the capital to do so.

[artp]

Thanks for your replies. I understand I'll need 2 years teaching experience if I hope to land a stable/reliable teaching job there. I guess from just having finished uni, I feel eager to get into something quickly, so I will have a read around this weekend on obtaining the certification and experience here. I probably couldn't bring the printing business to China or set up anything like it there.

Say if I do head out there with a business visa, and I'm looking for these small work placements/internships in marketing, report writing or whatever it is and I find a company who thinks I'm suitable... Is it down to this company as to whether I secure a work visk or is it up to the government to decide whether the company's request is valid? Or will it be dependent on what company it is - their reputation or something?

What sort of starting salary would I be looking at if I'm just looking for small bits of experience then. 3000-4000rmb/month? Or should I be aiming higher? Salary isn't a conern for me now, as it is the skills I'm focusing on, but of course I don't want to be taken for a ride.