Working in China

China is a huge country. Overall, its economy has reached a fairly mature high-tech stage. Now, the expanding private industry is offering the best opportunities for finding jobs. 

On top of that, many industries in China are currently experiencing a manpower shortage, including agriculture, construction and building, engineering, hotel and services, IT, shipbuilding, oil and mining, and textiles. There is a great demand for skilled applicants, and foreigners with marketable talents and a command of Mandarin are well suited for employment. 

Nowadays, there are hundreds of jobs for foreigners in China, and not just the traditional missionary or teaching jobs. Many times, people come to China on their own, find jobs teaching, then take jobs being offered by companies or embassies. Or, they do stellar performances in their companies at home, and then are transferred by their companies to a position abroad. If you get the opportunity to work abroad, you will find that you will have much to consider before even going abroad. Here are some things to think about before you even apply for that job opening.

Is China right for me? 

This is the first thing you should think about before going there. Ask yourself:

• Can you and your family handle being away from all that is familiar? Most assignments are six months to a year abroad, sometimes more.
• Are you prepared to leave for up to a year? If you are, it is a wonderful chance for you and certainly for your career. Talk to others who may have worked abroad, or do a search on the Internet and read about other people's experiences. Note the pros and cons about living in China from other expats. Most people enjoy it. However, it is not always easy.

Here are some of the issues you have to tackle:

• Foreigners (that is you) require special care; food, housing, language, emotional issues are all things that you will have to think about.

• Racism. When applying for a job, they'll ask for your picture to see what you look like. Others will ask outright, "Are you black?".  A few people who said "Yes" never heard from them again. The Chinese, like others, have misconceptions about blacks. This, unfortunately, makes it difficult to find a job if you are African-European, African-American or African.

• When you get a job in China, consider what you will be required to do such as how many hours you will work, if you will be required to learn Chinese, how far the commute is, etc. Factor in benefits, such as medical, vacation, housing, and extra perks. Most offer furnished housing with a washing machine, but no dryer. Some places offer weekend excursions, long vacations and free or discounted Chinese lessons. These factors will add to or detract from your experience abroad.

• You will be among thousands of foreigners living in China, but you will still be a novelty. People will stare at you, shamelessly. Some days you will feel like royalty. Other days you will feel like an exotic animal at a zoo. They will try and sell you things at higher prices. If you are shy, you will eventually get used to extra attention.
• Religion was banned by the Communist Party. And although most of China is Buddhist and some churches are allowed, religion is closely monitored.
• While China has beautiful, quiet places, you probably won't be working there. China is loud: the people speak loudly and construction is constantly going in virtually all Chinese cities and the traffic!

These are some of the things you must think about before going to China. It all depends on you, your circumstances, motivations and the economic climate. But if you do a lot of research, you will find that many people love living and working in China. Whether you decide to go or not, you can be satisfied because you have made a well-informed decision.

Getting a job 

You need marketable skills, personal contacts, a very strong command of a Chinese dialect (usually Mandarin), and luck. Networking is particularly important for foreigners, as employers rely very heavily on referrals for candidates from abroad. If you have a few personal contacts in the country, your best approach may be to apply directly to the companies in which you are interested. 

Recently, executive search firms and online job sites have surpassed traditional print media as the most prevalent forms of securing employment in China, and the Internet is now the most commonly used resource for foreign job-seekers. Another highly effective way of entering the Chinese workforce is by working in China for a year or two as an English teacher, then applying for employment in other capacities. Popular job sites in China offer services in both Chinese and English.

Applying for a job 

*Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume

In Asia, it is common to ask things like age, race, gender, marital status and salary. You can decide what you are comfortable answering. If they persist (which they rarely do), say it is part of your culture not to release this information. Many people ask you to send a CV instead of a resume. A resume is a brief account of your professional experience, education, skills and employment goals. A CV is more detailed account of your life, personal information and accomplishments.

They may also ask you to send your passport. Be reluctant to do this. Identity theft is a big problem, and passports, especially American passports, are big money on the black market. Usually, they simply want to a picture of you; offer to send this instead. If they insist on a scanned passport copy, block out all personal information, including your passport number and include text over your picture and over the rest of your passport that says, "Not for redistribution, Scanned copy, for authorized use only." Or simply don't deal with them.

Resume/CV's. 

Now in the midst of major economic growth and reform, China has attracted many foreign-owned companies, and there is a shortage of middle-management executives and those who are multilingual. Before applying for a position, research the company thoroughly and tailor your resume to the job requirements. Tightly construct your resume so that it is to the point, and use action verbs to make a positive impression. 

Under "Personal Information," list your name, address, all electronic contacts, date and place of birth, sex, marital status and children. Then briefly state your job objective. 

Describe your education or employment history, whichever is most relevant should be listed first. Under "Education," list schools attended with the most recent first. For each, include name, location, degree(s), and dates of attendance. Follow this with a section on Specialized Training, and list such relevant items as: extra courses, language competencies, hard and software computer training, and your strengths and achievements. 

In the "Work Experience" category, list the company, its location and focus, dates of employment, your job title(s). List your responsibilities, starting with the most important, and emphasize those related to the job you are seeking. All information should be listed in reverse-chronological order, so that your most recent experience is listed first.  

At the end, simply state: "References are available on request."

*The Interview
Dress conservatively for your interview (dark business suits for the men, and suits or formal dresses for the women), and arrive on time; to be late is a serious insult. In the larger Chinese cities, a light handshake is the customary greeting, but it also may be a nod, or a bow. Follow the lead of the interviewer on the proper greeting. Often those present exchange business cards at the beginning. Have your card printed on both sides, with English or your native language on one side, and Chinese "simplified" (not "classical") characters on the other. Offer and receive cards with both hands. 

During the interview, be modest and respectful, keep your eyes lowered, maintain good posture and a quiet voice, and respect the frequent long moments of silence. Also, avoid boasting or exaggerating--for your claims will be investigated. Find out if you will need an interpreter, for the interview will probably be in Chinese.

*Getting Employed

This may be the most difficult part: waiting for the call (or fax or email or any other way for the good news to reach you). Do NOT spend your time just waiting. Explore other opportunities or find something worthwhile that may either give you more savings or more knowledge and skills. You must always hope for the best but you must also prepare for the worst.