Jobs in China
Expatriates seeking employment in China at graduate and middle management level will face very tough competition from local applicants. There are many well qualified and experienced mid-level executives of Chinese origin. However, senior level positions are often left vacant as China is lacking in skilled, experienced senior staff and if you have the right credentials, you will be in demand. If you can add Mandarin to your list of skills, you will have no problem finding work on the Chinese Mainland.
Marketing, Electronic engineering, Architecture, Financial services, Information Technology are just some of the many sectors hiring aggressively, with big name blue chip companies anticipation big increases in staffing levels.
Employers will nearly always expect proficiency in Mandarin, both written and spoken, so that you can communicate effectively with your colleagues and in the local market. Big name companies will be looking for degrees from prestigious universities while smaller local concerns are more likely to look for proven experience and common sense rather than your qualifications.
If you're looking for a job lower down the ladder, you'll need to be much more patient and resourceful. If you decide to come to China to look for work, you should expect to sleep on the floor at a friend's house for a while, unless you're wealthy enough to sustain a long hotel stay. The bottom line is that you'll struggle to find work if you have little relevant experience. Smooth talking and a few lines of Mandarin WON'T get you by. You may well be wise to consider preparing for a year or two in your home country before blindly jumping on a flight to China. If you have friends here already that you can network with and share accommodation with, you'll have a good head start.
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If you're expecting to find work in a particular sector, experience or high end and relevant qualifications are a must. Be realistic... if a company had to choose between hiring you or a local candidate with equal skills but with local knowledge and experience and is willing to work for half the salary as you, who do you think they will hire? One thing's for sure, if you have no Mandarin and no work experience, you should do yourself a favour and stay at home, or just come here for a holiday instead.
See our teaching in China section for details on the English teaching market.
Need advice? Got a question? Go to our China Forum
