China Job Search Myths Exploded

China Job Search Myths Exploded 

1- If you can speak Mandarin, you'll have no problem finding a job. If not, take a year off to learn and your future in China will be secure!

This really depends on which type of position you are targeting. In China, fluent Mandarin skills may help you to land a HR or Finance position as a expat candidate (and reading will probably be required), but it may not help you with a commercial role, where much more emphasis is put on having established relationships, being able to build them, with critical end users customers, and other parties. These vary by industry but could include distributors, system integrators and design institutes for the industrial sector, for example.

The language requirements vary depending on the industry. Any knowledge of Mandarin is a plus in China, but it won't guarantee you a job. You need to factor in the reality that in China "fluent Mandarin" takes years of study and maintenance, one year's "total immersion" will not guarantee fluency. New arrivals in China often don't realise that local dialects are prevalent and makes maintaining their skills challenging.

The "fluent Mandarin" requirements is often a euphemism for "we won't consider a non native speaker", or "yours had better be good because we will interview you in Chinese and give you a reading and writing test". Try to get a firm understanding of the exact requirements first, study the job description and check with your recruiter, if appropriate.

A lay-man's grasp of Mandarin may be just enough, and a big plus, in some sectors including the hospitality, service and education industries where a working command, or conversational Mandarin, has given them an edge.

When considering whether or not to study Mandarin prior moving to China, do be realistic about how much time and effort you have to dedicate to the project, and also look at other avenues of study that may prove more effective in helping you land your ideal career.

2- In China particularly it's "who you know": that will get you hired - I have great "guanxi'!

In China "guanxi" is a much hyped concept that refers to having valuable connections that can open doors that would be otherwise closed to a "waiguoren" (foreigner). Again, it depends on the role and the company, but it's more likely that who knows about you, your credibility and ability to penetrate crucial organizations and build relationships with key stakeholders, and what you can actually contribute, that counts.

As a foreigner, even with a huge network including local Chinese, there may be no way for you to gain the credibility, trust and a crucial "in" to local or national government departments, or bureaus, for example, that you need to really penetrate to build your career or win the projects you are targeting. A strong network of contacts will certainly be an asset for helping to market your brand message, refer opportunities and possibly refer job leads or inside information, but it may not be enough to land you a job in China on its own.

3- It's easy to find a GM or senior executive level position as a foreigner - the local managers don't have my experience or leadership skills!

Whilst it's true that the "talent war" means there is a shortage of candidates with the necessary language, leadership and business growth track record as some Western candidates offer, there is a rapidly increasing influx of Chinese overseas returnees desperate to get back into the market. Many have top MBAs, which have already been put into practice overseas, and excellent English language skills, and, often more importantly, experience of managing Chinese teams and the in-depth cultural understanding required to land some of the increasingly localized Director, DGM or GM positions. Many of these candidates are extremely flexible on their salary expectations and usually have family back in China, so they do not require a full expat package with accommodation allowances etc. This makes them very in demand and a low-risk hire in the candidate market, and most usually, a top priority for succession planning in China.