CHINA: The Overseas Job Search Process

1. China Week: October 10-17, 2011 Confucius Institute Dr. Kim Beyer, Ed D, Interim Director Anna Bahvala, M.A., Assistant Director Noelle Frantz, Graduate Assistant, EmployerRelations The Career Center CHINA:The Overseas Job Search Process

2. Overview • Labor Considerations • Job Strategies/Information • Resume Preparation • Preparation for Travel • Business Etiquette/Interviewing • Q & A OBJECTIVES

3. China Week: October 4- 8, 2010 Confucius Institute OVERVIEW

4. OVERVIEWGeography and Politics • South China • Southwest China • People’s Republic of China can be divided into five regions: • Western China • Northeast China • North China • Currently China is divided into 23 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities, and 2 special administrative regions. • by 2012, the provinces and municipalities re-division plan will be complete, resulting in a total of 50 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. • Capital city of Beijingis China’s political, economic, and cultural hub. • Shanghai is the largest city in China. • China has the world’s largest population. • Communist Party of China is key policy-making body.

5. OVERVIEWLanguage, Living, & Learning • National language consists of Putonghua • Mandarin variety spoken by 70% of the population • There is one written standard language. • Since the country has been inundated by multinational companies, the increase of the English languagehas become more important in the business world. • Living standards are highest on the coastal areas. • China’s educational system is a nine-year system for elementary and middle school children. • Almost all children in urban areas continue with 3 years of high school.

6. OVERVIEW Economy Eastern Coastal areas are more advanced, have a larger number of foreign involvements, and continue to grow in industrial development. Largest Wind energy provider in the world since 2010. China’s economy is mostly controlled by State-owned enterprises; cooperative and private-sector industries have been increasing. Only ~10% of the Chinese population live below the poverty line.

7. LABOR CONSIDERATIONS China Week: October 10-17, 2011 Confucius Institute

8. By the end of 2007 . . . • China had more than 5,000 enterprises established in over 172 countries and regions world wide. More recently . . . • From 2007-2011, China’s economic growth rate was equivalent to all of the G7 countries’ growth combined. • As of September of 2011, China has the world’s second largest nominal GDP, at 39.8 trillion yuan (~6.05 trillion US dollars) • Due to China’s low cost advantage more foreign companies are either establishing relationships with Chinese suppliers or adding foreign branches or divisions in China. LABOR CONSIDERATIONS

9. In 2011 China’s Labor force by occupation was . . . • Agriculture – 38.1% • Industry – 27.8% • Services – 34.1% China’s Main Industries . . . • Iron and steel, machine and electric equipment, textiles and apparel, cement, chemicals (fertilizers, petroleum, & pharmaceuticals), footwear, toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics, and telecommunications. LABOR CONSIDERATIONS

10. MAINLAND AREAS . . . • NORTHEAST CHINA • City of Dalian, highly incorporated by Japan (Sony, Panasonic, etc) • SOUTHWEST CHINA • City of Kunming, where a lot of suppliers of lead and zinc are located. • Natural resources: minerals, metals, etc. LABOR CONSIDERATIONS • EAST COAST CHINA • Most developed area (Bejing and Shanghai): Industrial development and foreign involvement. • WESTERN CHINA • Cities of Xi’An and Wu’Han are Industrial areas, Water-way system, utilities, etc. SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS. . . • HONG KONG • Very Western Style • MACAU • High on Tourism and Industry

11. JOB STRATEGIES and INFORMATION China Week: October 10-17, 2011 Confucius Institute

12. Starting your international job search is very similar to what you should already be accustom to: It involves planning and effort. • Top 8 Points to notice when seeking employment in China: • Know which enterprises need foreign talent more: • Talk to International recruitment or placement firms to learn of job possibilities and obstacles you may face during your search • Learn some Chinese • Make full use of the internet • Know which cities have more job opportunities • Know about Wage Payment • Know about Relevant Departments • Learn some of the regulations such as benefits and welfare, working hours, rest and vacations, labor safety, hygiene, and social security JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES

13. Internet Resources • Online Job Databases: • http://www.chinajob.com • http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=&l=China • Online Job Databases: will need translated • www.zhaopin.com • www.job88.com • www.51job.com • Short term jobs in Asia: • www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/shortterm/asia.shtml • Find Jobs in Asia and in the World: • www.asiajobs.org JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES

14. Top 3 most profitable careers in China 1. Salesman 2. Computer Software Developer – Computer Technology Industry 3. Building Contractor – Real Estate Industry • American Companies based in China • Ford, Heinz, Intel, Disney, Coca-Cola, and GM • American companies: www.cbw.com/business/usco-shanghai/a.html • China’s Top 100 Companies • www.businessweek.com/investor/content/jul2005/pi20050729_4338.htm • Top 100 Global Corporations • www.corporateinformation.com/Top-100.aspx?topcase=b JOB INFORMATION

15. RESUME PREPARATION China Week: October 10-17, 2011 Confucius Institute

16. Personal Information – Include birth date, sex, citizenship, phone number, email address and street address, city, state, zip, and country. Career Objectives – Briefly describe what you want to achieve and the type of position you are seeking. Education – Provide information about your secondary school/high school studies, with reference to specific courses and programs. Describe your college/university education. State dates of attendance major, and education title. Briefly describe any internship experience or thesis work: length of time, number credits, and references. Extracurricular Activities – Name your relevant extracurricular activities in which you participated; student activities, work as a SA or GA, and so on. Awards/Honors – List any awards or honors in the areas of scholastic or outstanding performances. Additional Education – List additional course studies, specialized training in areas such as languages, computers, sales, and etc. RESUME SPECIFICS

17. RESUME SPECIFICS Work Experience – Job title first, employer name, and dates of employment (indicate full time or part time job). List the details and responsibility of your work. Highlight the information that is relevant to the job you applying for. Describe how your skills have developed through your experiences. Jobs prior to your professional experience should be summarized. If there are gaps within your employment history make sure you explain briefly why. Achievements/Accomplishments – Concentrate on special awards recognition, promotions and etc that you received during your employment. For example, receiving an Outstanding Customer Service Award. The Chinese prefer modesty, so do not sound arrogant. Special Skills – Language (with level of proficiency) and Computer Skills (any special computer languages and programs) Professional Affiliations – List all professional affiliations/organizations that are relevant to the area you are interested in pursuing. List and explain specific activities within these groups such as holding an officer position, sub-committee’s etc. Personal Interests – List your personal interests such as reading, sports activities, listening to music, and etc. References

18. RESUME PRESENTATION Format and Layout – Start with your education background, and then move forward with your professional experiences. Your resume/CV should be written in a clear, concise, and clean manner. Length – The resume/CV should be 2 pages in length or no longer than three pages. Attachments – Although grades, certificates, and letters of references might not be required at the time of application you can submit them at the time of sending your resume. Make sure you add the most recent grades and a current letter of reference from your current employer. Or can present them at the time of your interview. Photo – It is common and often required to include a passport-sized professionally done photo with the application. Language – If possible, provide your resume in both English and Chinese E-mail Applications – when you are sending your resume/cv make sure you attach your resume to the letter/e-mail.

19. RESUME EXAMPLE ZIPPY ROO MASCOT October 8, 1979 FEMALE American Citizen (330) 972-7747 ccmjobs@uakron.edu One University Circle, Akron, Ohio 44325 OBJECTIVE: Seeking an opportunity in China that will allow me to advance into an International Upper Level Management position. EDUCATION:College of Business Administration, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 01/2005 – 05/2007 Master of Business Administration, concentration in Management 9/1997 – 5/1999 Bachelor of Science in International Business Firestone High School, Akron, Ohio 9/1994 – 6/1997 Concentration on International Studies ACHIEVEMENTS: Explored markets in China for new business segments (plastics and leather) and translation into investment commitments. Built a new business from scratch into being the market leader (largest foreign supplier) in China with full integrated local operations. CAREER OVERVIEW: 06/2000-present Dow Chemicals, US Dayton, Ohio 2006-present Manager – China Division Responsibilities: Develop and implement business plans and strategies for the division. Manage north and east China sales and marketing organizations. Manage Shanghai masterbatch factory. Established recruitment and training plans to fir the needs of business development. Achievements: Built an entirely independent team covering sales, marketing production, laboratory, and logistics areas. Led the team to achieving the market leader (largest foreign supplier) position for that segment of the business. Established production and laboratory facilities; expanded to full operation in Shanghai. 2003-2006 Assistant Manager Responsibilities: Assisted with creating a new business plan. LANGUAGE SKILLS: Fluent English and Mandarin INTERESTS: Fine Arts, museums, playing baseball and golf.

20. PREPARATION FOR TRAVEL China Week: October 10-17, 2011 Confucius Institute

21. VISAS AND WORK PERMITS Passport must be valid for at least six months for a single or double entry within three months of date of visa issue, at least nine months for multiple entries within six months. Valid Visa is required to enter and exit China; Must be obtained from China Embassies and Consulates in your home country before travel to China. Obtain in advance the correct visa that gives you the right to work in China as there are strict procedures for foreigners who wish to obtain visa to live and work in China. Most important visa classes for foreign workers are the Business/Official Visit Visa (F), the Employment/Work Visa (Z), Student Visa (X), and the Resident Visa (D). Business and Work Visas must be obtained prior to entry into China; numerous documents are required for visa application.

22. Health - • See a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect and to start taking medicine to prevent malaria • Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Check the links below to see which vaccinations adults and children should get. • Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life. Check for current Travel Notices in Effect before you travel HEALTH INFORMATION

23. Currency • One US $1.00 = 6.3 RMB (Renminbi Yuan) • Traveler’s Cheques: Avoid additional exchange rate charges by using traveler checks in US dollars. Credit Cards - usually used only in major cities • American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in major provincial cities in designated establishments • ATMs can generally be found in airports, hotels, shopping centers and banks. Financial Travel Products • Travelex— You can use Travelex for ordering and converting money online, worldwide. They also sell prepaid phone cards and travel insurance. • Visa TravelMoney Cards—pre-paid “credit” cards that you can use anywhere- Visa (or Amex) is accepted. CURRENCY/CREDIT CARDS

24. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE and INTERVIEWING China Week: October 10-17, 2011 Confucius Institute

25. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE Punctuality is extremely important, both for interviewing and in social situations. Being late for or canceling an appointment can be found offensive. Chinese colleagues may arrive early for appointments. Titles are important to Chinese, so you are introduced to someone by title, continue to use their title when talking to them. Common topics of conversation may include mutual friends, weather, food, hobbies, places of education and positive events. Your family is also a topic of conversation as well. Be familiar with business and social culture of China. Show interest in Shanghai as they are very proud of their city; show interest in city’s culture, food, and highlights. Avoid conversation about Chinese politics and politicians, spiritual matters, and the 3 T’s (Taiwan, Tiananmen, and Tibet)

26. It is a common practice to shake hands. Be brief and soft with men and women. • Business cards (mingpian) are very important—pass over and accept with both hands. Courteous to read the card and make positive comments about the company, position or person. • Have large supply of your own business cards, with all details in both Chinese and English. • For interviews, take only slim folder holding job application documents and resume. Do not carry water bottle or coffee mug. Do not chew anything. Good posture, a quiet voice and respect for silence are all desirable and will be respected by the interviewer. BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

27. LANGUAGE Before applying for any job in China, applicants should honestly assess their own language skills. Many jobs require no Chinese language, however, a few may require complete fluency and knowledge of obscure technical terms. If Chinese is used mainly to interact with colleagues and not clients, basic or conversational Chinese may be perfectly acceptable.

28. DRESS CODE Important to have good interview appearance and manners. How you dress is one of most important elements in being hired. Dress for job you want, not for the job you have. When in doubt, dress “professional business conservative”. Know something about company where you are interviewing. Find out what their employees wear and then dress as they are or nicer. Dress neatly and conservatively. Tropical/lightweight clothing acceptable in summer in northern China and for most of year in southern China. Formal dress, such as a dark, well-tailored suit for both men and women, is required at the interview. Women—conservative suits, dresses, or pantsuits in subdued, neutral colors (beige or brown). Avoid heavy makeup and excessive jewelry. Men—sport or tropical coats and ties in subdued colors. Slacks and open-necked shirts suitable in summer. No caps, athletic shoes, sweats or unkempt clothes. Jeans, open shoes and thongs are never acceptable.

29. INTERVIEWING Before Interview: Determine if you will need an interpreter. Turn off pager and cell phone before going in to interview Observing seniority and rank are highly respected. When introduced, expect a handshake and a bow. Do not touch, hug, lock arms, back slap or make any body contact. Address Chinese by appropriate professional title plus family name. Exchange business cards; do not sit until invited Be prepared to discuss in Chinese what you have written in your resume during interview. Demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and/or company Prepare questions about yourself, your qualifications, skills, experience and hobbies. Answer with full sentences; consider in advance how you might answer personal questions Prepare career success stories and mistakes you have made on jobs. Describe your learning experiences It is not uncommon for potential employers in China to ask for a specific gender, age, and even a 2x2 passport photo of you Demonstrate modesty, respect and politeness throughout the interview!

30. INTERVIEWING During Interview: Be modest and respectful Keep eyes lowered and maintain good posture Speak with calm voice, respect moments of silence, never speak in aggressive way, be concise with responses Avoid displays of affection Maintain distance when communicating Show interest and talk about Chinese culture with enthusiasm When listening to Chinese talking in English, it is very important to nod showing that you are listening and understand the speaker Ask questions about the job, lines of authority, and future responsibilities

31. INTERVIEWING During Interview (continued): Avoid raising issue of salary or benefits early in process It is ok to take notes during interview Be prepared to ask questions of the interviewer At close of interview, reiterate interest level and availability to start. Thank everyone and shake hands Ask “when can I expect to hear from you?” After Interview: Send thank you note and reiterate how your experience and qualifications are good match for company. Follow up with a letter, email, or phone call to interviewer Following up with employer is acceptable if the original feedback date promised has lapsed. Candidates are not usually informed if they have not been selected

32. Services available for current UA students and UA Alumni : Resume and Cover letter critique Interview preparation and Mock Interviews Job Search Strategies (www.Goinglobal.com) Career Advising (One-on-one appointments) The Career Center Simmons Hall, Rm 301 www.uakron.edu/career (330) 972-7747 THE UA CAREER CENTER

38. Questions? China Week: October 10-17, 2011 Confucius Institute