Foreigners from all different backgrounds are trying to find jobs in China, which is no surprise given the country's booming job market. Many choose large cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai as their destination to embark on a potentially lucrative career, however it turns out that for many foreigners here, finding an “iron rice bowl” (stable and promising) job isn't as simple as they’d once thought. So, how to make working a success in China?
Mr Molnar—European Architecture Graduate
“I studied architecture,” explained the European expat who goes by the Chinese name Fei Xiang, “And I want to find a job in China related to my degree. However, a majority of the jobs on offer here are related to teaching English.” For someone who had come from so far away with high hopes on finding a steady job, this discovery was disappointing. Fei Xiang said that it wasn’t the fact that most job fairs were purely made up of English school recruiters. However, with a bit of searching, Mr Molner found a job in Guangzhou as an interior designer with Find Work Abroad. Although, not directly related to his degree, Mr Molnar had had a few years commercial experience in interior design and soon after interview he got the job.
Ali and his family – future dilemmas
During a recent expat job fair in Nanjing, an Iranian couple was looking for jobs while trying to keep an eye on their two children who were understandably restless. The husband, Ali, is currently studying for a PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology at Nanjing Forestry University, while his wife takes care of the kids at home. Ali stated that he arrived in Nanjing in March 2011, and his wife and children moved over the next year. Ali previously worked at a research institute in Iran for ten years, and plans to return home with his family once he has finished his studies. Recently however, Ali has considered staying in Nanjing, should he manage to find a job.
“Everything’s great here. The only major problem we have is our children’s education,” explained Ali. His eldest son, who is ten, has found it difficult to settle into schools here, and Ali and his wife are worried that their son won’t be able to adjust to a purely Chinese learning environment. They did look into sending him to an international school, though they found that the fees were too expensive.
So, how can you find a suitable job in China even if you don’t want to teach English?
1: If you’re not teaching, entering the Chinese employment market is competitive, as there are so many Chinese employees to compete with.
2: Ensure your experience is related to the job you apply for, you resume must show your related experience only or are good at languages this will really help. Although, if you can’t speak Chinese you must be understand and easy-going with things to succeed
3: Make sure the hiring company offer you a working visa, as many companies are looking to hire foreigner for the first time, usually they are unaware of the required procedures. To ensure there are no problems when you arrive, make sure they process a working visa for you.
4: Prepare your expenses Your initial month to china will cost in flights visa and insurance. We recommend a minimum of 1300EUR to get start before your first pay, check comes through note---usually this initial expenditure is returned to you in the form of a bonus at the end of your conrtact
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Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Shanghai,
