Falling in Love With China…And Your Career
I received an email this morning from a B-school student who, like me, has fallen in love with China. He expressed an interest in my professional background and wrote, “there is much to learn from you and your experience.” This type of correspondence is not unusual; I get about three emails a month from university students who are seeking to pick my brain. Flattering, nerve-racking, and incredibly ironic. You see, I have also been busy asking professionals in the fields of law and academia the very same questions these students are posing to me. The truth is, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life until I returned from Shandong Province in 2002 and I only found the courage to wholeheartedly move forward with an actual plan less than a year ago. To say that you’re going to forge a career out of your obsession with China is an incredibly scary prospect, but that’s what these students are telling me and I fully admire their spirit for reaching out to an “expert” for advice. However, I feel that I should correct them by pointing out that I am no “expert,” and like them, I am still trying to navigate my way between points A(merica) and C(hina) while hoping to make a little (B)read and butter out of my dual obsessions with a particular country and a specific type of economy. These young students and I are pretty much in the same boat- I’ve just had more time to backpedal, procrastinate, and throw down a few bad card hands.
As evident from my interviews on this blog, I am forever fascinated by the career paths and motivations of Chinaphiles. I have also come to learn that many Middle Kingdom expats fumble along for a while, living in big Chinese cities and dusty, lesser-known provinces while trying to perfect their Mandarin tones over shots of baijiu and games of Hong Kong poker. The majority seem to head back to their home countries after a year or two and some eventually return to China for a more prepared go at whatever it is that has inspired them to actually work more than 30 hours per week. I have been very encouraged by the bulk of Chinaphiles that I’ve met along the way, as a great number have- in fact- entered into occupations that they find meaningful while turning their affair with China into a long-term partnership. Make no mistake-laowai who gravitate to China are challenge-seekers. I think that’s why I like them so much. As I continue to grill the real experts for my Link Up, Learn More interviews while pulling the weeds from my own trail, I have stumbled upon a lot of options in this new China age, in large part because of other more qualified individuals who have taken the time to share their insights with me. Based on their knowledgeable suggestions, the following is a loose compilation of promising China-focused careers and a list of suggested steps to take as you make your way towards that big China dream:
Get Yourself a Few Shiny Brainstorming Options, With China In Mind:
Law
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Expert
International Criminal Attorney
Intellectual Property Lawyer (this could be a lot of fun in the coming decades)
China Investment Lawyer
WTO Lawyer (Forbes indicates that we need more of them for China)
China Insurance and Anti-Trust Lawyer
Lawyer to assist Chinese firms in your country’s legal systems
Private Practice Lawyer in China
Business
Independent China Business Consultant/Strategist
China Branding/Marketing Professional
Import/Export Professional
China-focused Entrepreneur
Foreign Trade Show Salesperson
Market Entry Advisor
China Communications/PR Specialist
Environmental Manager
Business Development Professional
Consultant- Firm (Check out IBM, KPMG and Boston Consulting Group)
Outsourcing Specialist
International/Corporate Banking
Food/Beverage Professional
Medical Tourism Professional
Client Relations Manager
Small Business Owner
Tourism and Hospitality Professional
Project Manager
Overseas Business Officer- Private Company
Technologist
Engineer
Consultant for Chinese Companies
Corporate Hire- China (Hello, Microsoft)
Academia/Journalism
Foreign Correspondent (A dying breed, unfortunately- but if you speak Mandarin…)
Sponsored Blogger (We’ll be seeing more of these)
Freelance Writer/Editor/Translator
Mandarin Professors and Teachers
China Professors-Specialized Focus
Academic Researcher
Research and Development Professional (Check out Rand)
ESL Teacher/ESL School Supervisor
Economist, Focus on Asia
Diplomacy Specialist, Academic
Military/Defense/Government
United Nations Consultant/Researcher
Interpreter/Linguist
Diplomat
Overseas Business Officer
International Trade Compliance Analyst
Import Policy Analyst
Research Economist
Humanitarian Relief Worker
International Development Professional
World Bank/IMF Employee
NGO Professional
Secret Service (CIA/FBI)
Avoid Running into the Great Wall by Taking These Steps:
1. Lasso patience. China wasn’t built in a day and neither were you.
2. Talk to as many China-focused professionals as you can and listen to what they have to say. Don’t be embarrassed to ask a lot of questions, but make sure your ears aren’t blocked to the answers.
3. Make friends and associates with goals complementary to your own. Go to professional events in your desired field on a regular basis. Get involved as a volunteer/intern at a business or organization that interests you. Blog. Tweet. Post on LinkedIn. Share. Prove that you’re interested in what you want to be “when you grow up.”
4. Make a list of people in your chosen profession who inspire you. Example: I’ve compiled a contact list of economists, writers, and professors who focus on China and the FCPA. I try to write to at least one person on that list per week.
5. Work on your Mandarin, but if your Mandarin isn’t workable yet, don’t let that discourage you. Just keep practicing. Some bona fide China experts never master Mandarin.
6. Live in China. Work in China. Study in China. Spend time in China. Visit as much of China as you can.
7. Bulk up your China reading list, but be sure to balance it with a diverse range of China-related topics. Who wants to read about China business dealings day in and day out? Take a break and dig into a good Chinese novel once in a while.
8. Get to know how your community and your daily life is influenced by China. Keep both eyes open. Who manufactured that computer monitor that you’re reading this post on, anyway?
9. If you need to go back to school to get a leg up, then go for it. “But I can’t afford to” is not a legitimate excuse. If you want it badly enough, you’ll figure out a way to pay for it.
10. Compile a list of companies/consulting firms that do a lot of work with/in China. A few hours on the internet should do the trick. Send emails their way to see what they’re up to. Some execs will actually write you back.
11. When you come across individuals who are particularly inspiring to you (LHM Ling, Elizabeth Pisani, Moises Naim, Nouriel Roubini, Greg Anderson, Nina Khrushchev, Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh and Dan Harris are a few on my very long list), get to know them, read what they publish, listen to what they have to say and be thankful for the time they give you. All it takes to get the ball rolling is a phone call or an email or a tweet.
12. Don’t race towards posting your resume on Monster.com just because you’re desperate for a gig. In my opinion, it’s better to be broke and take something part-time to sustain you while maintaining focus instead of settling for the first opportunity that comes along. This is your life, after all. How do you want to spend the next 30-40 years of it?
13. Make connections with local business professionals in China. Don’t be intimidated by language barriers or cultural differences. Most of them will be ecstatic to get to know you better (it’s a chance for them to practice their English, after all).
14. If you’re not an “expert” (to borrow Malcolm Gladwell’s definition, you don’t have at least 10,000 hours under your belt in a particular subject), please don’t pretend that you are.
15. I get a lot of emails from young pros that read along these lines: “send me your list of contacts in China and I’ll be forever thankful;” “why haven’t you responded to me yet?” (after sending an initial email less than 48 hours prior); “Can you employ me?” Don’t do this to anyone who you hope to learn something from.
16. Memorize China’s cultural and business customs. It really does matter.
17. Spend time in a work environment that you hope to be a part of someday. Ask an employee of a company that you are interested in if you can follow them around for a few hours during their work day. Believe it or not, some of them will let you.
18. Write to a government official or high-ranking employee in China regarding your career interests and ask them if they know of any leads. If you do this enough times, someone will kindly respond.
19. Establish yourself before you land your China-focused dream job. I sat around studying informal economies and China for 8 years in total without sharing much of what I’d learned outside of the classroom. Thank goodness I started this blog… (hint, hint)
20. It’s never too late.
Questions? Comments? Something to add? A China story that inspires you? A profession you’d like to learn more about? Share with the class!
Aimee,
I can’t agree with you enough: it’s like one of my directorial leading lights once told me, Nico Mastorakis (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0557789/) of indie filming fame — and if you haven’t seen ”
“Nightmare At Noon,” you’re in for a sweet treat milady with the late great Brion James portraying “The Albino” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100261/): Nico said, “Take the time to master your craft, and all the gifts can be yours.” (BTW, you have to watch the special features on these DVDs, the man and his outfit OMEGA FILMS, are downright kickass, right enough!).
Moving right along…
Spectacular list here, so I’m going to add a few of my own. I haven’t the foggiest where they slot in terms of your master, but here are a few which moved into the left side of my stringy mush as I plied the depths of your pixellated post. Oh, yeah, and I thought I’d mention that I’m drinking seltzer as I type…nothing better than a few gulps of good old seltzer water…dee-lish…
~~~~
21. City is important in creating work/life harmony. Do not be starstruck by the gazillions of ducats you’re going to earn from the Middle Kingdom’s multitudes and your world-crushing business plan. If you’re a neat freak, a cleanliness freak, a silence freak, or a closet introvert with major personal space issues, you might as well nip your Zhongguo idea in the bud and sate your inner China fetish by practicing your Putonghua at home in front of your Mac/PC.
22. Addendum to your 19. –> start punching up your “personal profile” PRONTO! What most Chinaphiles don’t realize is that the Chinese — and Asians more generally — place a heap of importance on reputation and professional bona fides, not just guanxi. They like to see going-concerns and long-term commitments and not fly-by-night jobs. Fast money — even if it’s big money — turns off a lot of the successful Chinese entrepreneurs. China has been around for millennia, and they are no Johnny-Come-Latelys ruling the Chinese roost. Comments, blog posts, and testimonials are massively important here, and the very reason why high-impact purchases (egs. Audis, Mercedes, expensive cellphones, firstclass airfare) are such brisk sellers in today’s PRC amongst the monied set. I suggest the following prescription (and I admit that I’m freely plucking from Christine Vachon’s A KILLER LIFE — http://www.amazon.com/Killer-Life-Independent-Disasters-Hollywood/dp/0743256301 — um, I used to be a filmmaker in another life) — “If you’ve never succeeded at being in a long-term relationship of several years, don’t even try to make an independent film.” Change the verbiage for China, and the advice is equally appropriate.
23. Approach China in phases. A personal example would suffice here. I reside in a post-Communist country, the Czech Republic. I’ve been living here fulltime for the past 3 years, visiting regularly since 2002. Securing visas and working with Czech bureaucrats isn’t exactly a cakewalk, I’ll have you know. While I wouldn’t suggest that everyone should spend a part of their precious careers in the former USSR or in a former Eastern Bloc nation for that matter, a sojourn *might* perhaps be called for. In the China example, perhaps trying out HK as your first base of operations before you sally forth on your bold foray into the PRC. Like Wendy Abraham of “CHINESE FOR DUMMIES” says, spend more time with Chinese communities closer to home first. If you’re really obsessed with China — and this is a modification of your #6 — Aimee, rent KungFu movies, listen to Mandarin in the background as a streaming videoclip or on http://www.6.cn or http://www.tudou.com, head on over to your city’s Chinatown to haggle in the market a bit as practice. Go to Chinese restaurants and order in Chinese, using key expressions like “na haojile” when you like the taste of something. If it’s your “otaku” as Seth Godin says in PURPLE COW, your obsession, then find ways to make it work. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
24. Be careful who you schmooze with. China is a “first to file” IP regime. While Americans and Westerners are more apt to “talk up” their business ideas at confabs and over coffee, the Chinese have perfected the art of subtlety, and can pilfer your idea. You’ll have no recourse and zero legal enforcement. You’ve been warned.
25. Read more about China’s history. If you’re Canadian, read about the wartime exploits of Norman Bethune and you’ll gain brownie points with Chinese students who are aware of the exploits of the “Red doctor” during China’s Civil War and the struggle against the Japanese. Read up about the Nanjing/Nanking Massacre. Read about the Boxer Rebellion and the Opium Wars. Read a good biography about Mao, like “MAO: THE UNKNOWN STORY”. Understand that China’s backstory and colonial/WWII past fuels much of the decisionmaking by today’s present Chinese authorities. It percolates down to the common people and is a strong motivator for people’s thinking, in particular in the business world.
26. Watch out for Western-educated Chinese. They are expert at two-faced behaviour. They know how to play the “Western Game” in addition to speaking the vernacular in China and playing off both sides against the middle. Don’t think that because your young Chinese colleague/JV partner/consultant is a Yale/Harvard/Stanford/Cambridge, etc. grad that they’re going to be more disposed to you, my dear Westerner. ::: A bit of a pessimistic caveat, but applicable nonetheless. :::
::: If I think of any more, I’ll add ‘em. I don’t want to steal the post’s thunder. :::
Tip of the tam o’ shanter your way,
ADM in Prague
Excellent suggestions! I think these can be amended to fit any country, culture or society someone wants to work with/in.
Great post with loads of useful information and one that I think me and others will be coming back to re-read.
Just to add another option under your academia/journalism heading.
There are a reasonable number of Chinese universities and colleges who have joint degree arrangements with universities in US/UK.
As a result they need academics and lecturers on various subjects, with a focus on business, to teach in English.
This isn’t ESL and as a result of being less well-known, the supply of suitably skilled, experienced lecturers is quite low.
Consequently the employment packages these places offer are quite generous and certainly enough to achieve a good standard of living, whilst leaving other time to learn Mandarin, pursue business opportunities, travel and generally enjoy living the life.
There is also a small, but growing social enterprise sector too.
My buddy came to Beijing to study for about a year and worked a few part time jobs in the Australian community. Now he’s moved to Changchun to work in the plant of a train manufacturing JV that’s building subway cars for Sydney.
There’s much in the way of opportunities for foreigners in China in second tier cities. One has to be willing to go and do the things that are valued, but no one is willing to do.
My buddy, he realized that there are tons of openings that required an Australian background at this plant in Changchun and they were more than happy to have him. Now he’ll be able to be in a place where:
1. He’s in a valued position.
2. Not many people are willing to relocate there.
3. It’s a project that NEEDs to be done.
4. His Chinese is going to be off the hook. Next to no foreigners to speak English with, and an accent pretty similar to Beijing Mandarin.
Not only that, it’s a winning proposition. Today, second tier cities in China like Changchun are not popular places for foreigners. Indeed, much of the infrastructure that we like (Starbucks, Jenny Lou’s, Peter’s Tex Mex) is not there, but it will be. And it’s a great notch on his belt as he explores the hinterland of China beyond the ports and centers of power.
I strongly encourage people to seek out opportunities, especially in the Yangtze River Delta away from Shanghai. There are org charts that are empty and waiting to be filled with someone with passion and problem solving skills.
But Kiel did study his butt off to master Mandarin before he went. You’d be pretty hosed if you went to a second-tier city and did not speak much Chinese. It’s not as forgiving as Beijing where you can stay in Lido and speak English, always.
Excellent post Aimee.
As an executive search consultant in China for almost 14 years now, I frequently run into the same scenario and unfortunately don’t always have the time to respond. I think I will just save this link and send it out to them.
On #7 above, and this may sound crazy, but I am currently re-reading Donald Munro’s “The Concept of Man in Early China” published in 1969, I would suggest familiarizing yourself with Chinese Philosophy as part of your reading.
Am also I am not so sure #18 will work.
Superb post, Aimee. Inspired me to do one of my own.
Very nice post and very sound advice, Aimee! I would have benefited from this about 15 years ago. I am also humbled to be listed above — especially given the company in the list (or perhaps I share a name with someone else?
I agree with you that it’s nice to occasionally hear from someone who is infatuated with China. Although part of me wants to tell them everything I’ve experienced, I also know the value of learning about China with minimal input from others. In other words: avoiding people who have become so cynical about China that they can find nothing good to say.
I think a healthy relationship with any place in the world is similar to that with a potential spouse in the beginning. You’re so excited about the newness that you tend to overlook shortcomings early on. As the relationship matures and the infatuation wears off, you progress from resenting to accepting, and maybe even loving, what you once thought were shortcomings.
An adjunct I would add to #14 above is to avoid the word “expert” at all costs. Run from it. Refuse to be tagged by it. I prefer to think of myself as a China “specialist”. Whereas the expert is someone who knows pretty much everything there is to know about a topic, a specialist is someone who WANTS to know pretty much everything there is to know. The specialist is constantly questioning his or her knowledge, and seeking to improve upon it. Unfortunately, the two words are both translated as “zhuan jia”, so it is hard to express this distinction in Chinese.
Thanks for a thought-provoking post. Your dedication to your craft is an inspiration to me.
Greg
My best advice would be to join a high potential, forward thinking Chinese company which is going global, rather than a western company entering China. This will be a new big phase and Chinese companies will need people who help them expand. This is the approach I chose and it worked out surprisingly well. But the key is to pick a good company with ethical mindset. Best to look in high tech sectors because there are more young people running those companies.
Nice post, and great encouragement to the people who like to go there or just engage more into the China world. I have been in China for 2,5 year now, and agree with Daniel that its worth starting out in the secondary place first. I started out in Tanggu part of Tianjin, and lately moved further into Beijing. It may not give you the big amount of money from the start, but the investment pay of shortly after. Just get out here, and for those who dont like the “big jump”, then consider international graduate programmes in large companies that takes you half year or more to China. Then you can evaluate if its really you or not. To Adam, for sure, dont be naive, especially in romance, in which I have adviced several here, who like to follow love, and get married here. China is easy to admire or “fall in love with”, and especially the people around here, and their fresh attitude to the world around them.
WOW! So many laowais are interested in working in China. It seems the competition for jobs here are getting intense.
Nice list of suggestions on building a bridge for oneself. I might add simply: learn to use Chop Sticks, read appropriate sections of the Economist weekly, and consider marrying a Chinese National
-Rich 贝瑞淇
I’m in the Human Resources field, focus is Domestic Salary Compensation. I’ve worked for various high technology companies in the Silicon Valley, but work there in my field has dryed up.
I was in Beijing last Oct/Nov, getting to know the city better. I rented a room, and walked around the city. I didn’t take any taxi’s, I know how to get around using the bus system, and the subways.
I also had my paperwork sent to a couple of head-hunters there. But nothing has popped up for me. The problem is that it doesn’t appear that Compensation is a specialized field there, but a composition part of their HR organization.
I’m Chinese-American and and speak, read and write, but no where as good as locals. But better than most American born Chinese. But no idea on know where I would be on HSK. I’ve also spent 16 months living in Taipei, after I graduated from undergrad degree, so I know I can live in Beijing or Shanghai.
I’m am older and not a part of Gen X or Y, and not close to China’s post 80 generation.
My best chance to work in China was 2 years ago, when I got 3 rounds of interviews to be a HR Manager for a San Jose high tech company look to fill a position for their Haidian office in Beijing.
My friends tell me, one way in, is to find a job teaching Business English, and to make contacts, much like Jenny Bia’s experience. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.
BTW, 20 years ago, I was in China on an economic business exchange trip. In Beijing at some economic counsel meeting, I was asked, where was China’s position in Asia? I said that within time, China would become the fifth economic Tiger/Dragon in Asia. It would’ve been hard to believe that back then, but I have been proven to be correct in my prediction.
I was in Beijing during the Tiananmen Demonstrations. I walked along Chang An Street, with the people, I went into Tiananmen Square, got pass 3 primeters of student blockages, and touch the Martyl’s Shrine.
I was there when Li Peng declared Martial Law on TV. I wrote a paper about my observations and experience which was printed in local C-town newspaper. Of course, I won’t allow any of my Chinese friends read it, not wanting them to get into any trouble.
Being of Chinese heritage, I know a lot of Chinese cultural customs, some of which I continue to observe, of ancient Chinese history, modern Chinese history and also Chinese-American history.
I am a student of Chinese soceity and culture. Your this partcular piece is fantastic, so much informative and understanding of China. I need not to visit China at all if i get your regular feedback on China.
Thanks & best wishes,
G.Chaudhuri
New Delhi, India.