Working in China - Joyce Anne
Agacer, May 30, 2005
Facts
Country Name
conventional long
form: People's Republic of China
conventional short
form: China
local long form:
Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
local short form:
Zhong Guo
abbreviation: PRC
Capital: Beijing
Government Type:
Communist state
Population:
1,306,313,812 (July 2005 estimate)
Religion
Daoist (Taoist),
Buddhist
Muslim 1%-2%
Christian 3%-4%
Note: officially
atheist (2002 est.)
Languages Spoken
Standard Chinese
or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect)
Yue (Cantonese)
Wu (Shanghaiese)
Minbei (Fuzhou)
Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese)
Xiang, Gan, Hakka
dialects
minority languages
(see Ethnic groups entry)
Currency: Chinese yuan or
Renminbi yuan in Chinese
GDP: purchasing power
parity - $7.262 trillion (2004 estimate)
China is
one of the world's great civilizations, with
a written history going back 3,500 years and a tradition of leading the
world in the arts and sciences since ancient times. Today, after a
tumultuous 20th century, China has the world's second largest GDP, and
economic power has been disseminated. Also, China is home to 20 percent of
the world's population.
China has experienced
more than 20 years of unprecedented economic growth, during which the
economy has grown faster than any other in history. China is among the
world's largest producers of many agricultural products, including rice,
potatoes, and sorghum. Other important industries in China include iron,
steel, coal, armaments, and textiles. In the coming decade, the automobile
and petrochemical industries are expected to grow rapidly.
History
For centuries China
stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the
arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country
was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign
occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong
established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's
sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives
of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and
other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000
output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have
improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet
political controls remain tight.
Going to China
Imagine coming to a
land where you are completely alien, the culture is 5,000 years in the
making. The great dynasties of the past have left their great relics all
over China for you to discover. The people, so proud of their country, and
wonderfully curious about you, want you to come so that they help you
experience the essence of their country. Aged faces populate local parks
to practice Tai Chi at 6 am. There is great and diverse food, much more
delicious and diverse than any Chinese food you can hope to have at home.
Additionally, there are great Western restaurants, expat bars and
nightlife for you to experience.
Preparations
*Passports
A passport is a document that verifies your citizenship and your identity
and permits you to travel abroad. Make copies of your passport and leave
them at home with relatives. Try to memorize or write down your passport
number in a separate place. Keep your passport with you at all times, you
may need it to enter an embassy or consulate or as identification if you
receive a wire from your home country. Don't lose it! It is a pain to get
another passport, especially if you are abroad. You can't enter or leave
any country without one.
*Visas
You will need a visa to enter the country. Contact a Chinese embassy or
consulate. Visas are not free; the fees vary depending on what country you
are from. You may have to drop it off and return for it later, but many
times you can have it expedited, for an extra fee. There are different
kinds of
visas,
depending on what you will be doing in China. Visas don't last forever.
You must use the visa within a certain amount of time.
*Work
Permits
There are strict procedures for foreigners who wish to obtain visas to
live and work in China. The most important visa classes for foreign
workers are:
Business/Official
Visit Visa
Employment/Work
Visa
Resident Visa
There are other
classes of visas for airline pilots, mariners, diplomats, tourists, family
visits, students, and
journalists.
Business and Work Visas must be obtained prior to entry into China, and
numerous documents are required for visa application. If a foreigner works
without the proper employment permit, public security officials are
authorized to terminate the employment and impose a fine on the worker. In
serious cases, the public security officials will force the expatriate to
leave the country.
Keep in mind, that the Chinese government does not recognize dual
nationality and that visa requirements for Hong Kong are different than
those for the People's Republic of China. Foreigners staying in China
longer than one year must submit a notarized health certificate.
After
preparations
After making
proper preparations, you are ready to choose you method of getting to
China. Most people go by air, but you can also go by sea or by land.
*On your trip to
China
You've taken that big
step, and you are going to China. Or you are still kicking the idea around
and need some more information. Either way, you are about to embark on a
substantial trip. What should you be aware of?
A little planning and knowledge will go a long way toward making your trip
to the PRC go smoothly. Learning more about China and obeying the laws and
respecting the customs will make your stay as pleasant and incident-free
as possible.
*Arrival
Arriving in
China may be a shock to you, especially if you have never been there
before. Many signs will be in Chinese characters, which, unless you have
studied Chinese before, will be completely alien to you. There will be
people around you who only speak Chinese. Don't worry too much about this.
Many people can speak English, and many important signs are labeled in
English and Chinese. Going through
immigration
and customs is relatively painless. Once you leave the airport, things can
really get stressful if there is no one to meet you. You need to find a
hotel and a map. You need to be able to get around on your own. Not a
problem. You simply need to be prepared.
Working in China
China is a huge
country. Overall, its economy has reached a fairly mature high-tech stage.
Now, the expanding private industry is offering the best opportunities for
finding jobs.
On top of that, many industries in China are currently experiencing a
manpower shortage, including agriculture, construction and building,
engineering, hotel and services, IT, shipbuilding, oil and
mining,
and textiles. There is a great demand for skilled applicants, and
foreigners with marketable talents and a command of Mandarin are well
suited for
employment.
Nowadays, there are hundreds of jobs for foreigners in China, and not just
the traditional missionary or teaching jobs. Many times, people come to
China on their own,
find
jobs
teaching, then take jobs being offered by companies or embassies. Or, they
do stellar performances in their companies at home, and then are
transferred by their companies to a position abroad. If you get the
opportunity to work abroad, you will find that you will have much to
consider before even going abroad. Here are some things to think about
before you even apply for that job opening.
Is China right for
me?
This is the first thing you should think about before going there. Ask
yourself:
Can you
and your family handle being away from all
that is familiar? Most assignments are six months to a year abroad,
sometimes more.
Are you prepared
to leave for up to a year? If you are, it is a wonderful chance for you
and certainly for your career. Talk to others who may have worked
abroad, or do a search on the Internet and read about other people's
experiences. Note the pros and cons about living in China from other
expats. Most people enjoy it. However, it is not always easy.
Here are some of the
issues you have to tackle:
Foreigners (that
is you) require special care; food, housing, language, emotional issues
are all things that you will have to think about.
Racism. When
applying for a job, they'll ask for your picture to see what you look
like. Others will ask outright, "Are you black?". A few people who said
"Yes" never heard from them again. The Chinese, like others, have
misconceptions about blacks. This, unfortunately, makes it difficult to
find a job if you are African-European, African-American or African.
When you get a job
in China, consider what you will be required to do such as how many
hours you will work, if you will be required to learn Chinese, how far
the commute is, etc. Factor in benefits, such as medical, vacation,
housing, and extra perks. Most offer furnished housing with a washing
machine, but no dryer. Some places offer weekend excursions, long
vacations and free or discounted Chinese lessons. These factors will add
to or detract from your experience abroad.
You will be among
thousands of foreigners living in China, but you will still be a
novelty. People will stare at you, shamelessly. Some days you will feel
like royalty. Other days you will feel like an exotic animal at a zoo.
They will try and sell you things at higher prices. If you are shy, you
will eventually get used to extra attention.
Religion was
banned by the Communist Party. And although most of China is Buddhist
and some churches are allowed, religion is closely monitored.
While China has
beautiful, quiet places, you probably won't be working there. China is
loud: the people speak loudly and construction is constantly going in
virtually all Chinese cities and the traffic!
These are some of the
things you must think about before going to China. It all depends on you,
your circumstances, motivations and the economic climate. But if you do a
lot of research, you will find that many people love living and working in
China. Whether you decide to go or not, you can be satisfied because you
have made a well-informed decision.
Getting a
job
You need
marketable
skills,
personal contacts, a very strong command of a Chinese dialect (usually
Mandarin), and luck. Networking is particularly important for foreigners,
as employers rely very heavily on referrals for candidates from abroad. If
you have a few personal contacts in the country, your best approach may be
to apply directly to the companies in which you are interested.
Recently,
executive
search
firms and
online job sites have surpassed traditional print media as the most
prevalent forms of securing employment in China, and the Internet is now
the most commonly used resource for foreign job-seekers. Another highly
effective way of entering the Chinese
workforce
is by working in China for a year or two as an English teacher, then
applying for employment in other capacities. Popular job sites in China
offer services in both Chinese and English.
Applying for
a job
*Your
Curriculum
Vitae (CV)
or Resume
In Asia, it is
common to ask things like age, race, gender, marital status and salary.
You can decide what you are comfortable answering. If they persist (which
they rarely do), say it is part of your culture not to release this
information. Many people ask you to send a CV instead of a
resume. A
resume is a brief account of your professional experience, education,
skills and employment goals. A CV is more detailed account of your life,
personal information and accomplishments.
They may also ask you
to send your passport. Be reluctant to do this. Identity theft is a big
problem, and passports, especially American passports, are big money on
the black market. Usually, they simply want to a picture of you; offer to
send this instead. If they insist on a scanned passport copy, block out
all personal information, including your passport number and include text
over your picture and over the rest of your passport that says, "Not for
redistribution, Scanned copy, for authorized use only." Or simply don't
deal with them.
Resume/CV's.
Now in the midst of major economic growth and reform, China has
attracted many foreign-owned companies, and there is a shortage of
middle-management executives and those who are multilingual. Before
applying for a position, research the company thoroughly and tailor your
resume to the job requirements. Tightly construct your resume so that it
is to the point, and use action verbs to make a positive impression.
Under "Personal Information," list your name, address, all electronic
contacts, date and place of birth, sex, marital status and children. Then
briefly state your job objective.
Describe your education or employment history, whichever is most relevant
should be listed first. Under "Education," list schools attended with the
most recent first. For each, include name, location, degree(s), and dates
of attendance. Follow this with a section on Specialized Training, and
list such relevant items as: extra courses, language competencies, hard
and software computer training, and your strengths and achievements.
In the "Work Experience" category, list the company, its location and
focus, dates of employment, your job title(s). List your responsibilities,
starting with the most important, and emphasize those related to the job
you are seeking. All information should be listed in reverse-chronological
order, so that your most recent experience is listed first.
At the end, simply state: "References are available on request."
*The Interview Dress conservatively for your interview (dark business suits for the
men, and suits or formal dresses for the women), and arrive on time; to be
late is a serious insult. In the larger Chinese cities, a light handshake
is the customary greeting, but it also may be a nod, or a bow. Follow the
lead of the interviewer on the proper greeting. Often those present
exchange business cards at the beginning. Have your card printed on both
sides, with English or your native language on one side, and Chinese
"simplified" (not "classical") characters on the other. Offer and receive
cards with both hands.
During the interview, be modest and respectful, keep your eyes lowered,
maintain good posture and a quiet voice, and respect the frequent long
moments of silence. Also, avoid boasting or exaggerating--for your claims
will be investigated. Find out if you will need an interpreter, for the
interview will probably be in Chinese.
*Getting Employed
This may be the most difficult part:
waiting for the call (or fax or email or any other
way for the good news to reach you). Do NOT spend your time just waiting.
Explore other opportunities or find something worthwhile that may either
give you more savings or more knowledge and skills. You must always hope
for the best but you must also prepare for the worst.
Currency
The currency in
circulation in China is the Chinese yuan, or Renminbi yuan in Chinese,
whose basic unit is yuan. One yuan consists of 10 jiao (dimes) or 100 fen
(cents). The denominations of the Chinese yuan in bank notes are 1, 2, 5,
10, 50 and 100 yuan. The bank notes of 1 jiao, 5 jiao and 1 yuan are being
substituted for with coins of corresponding denominations.
Local Time
Beijing Time has been
used as the national standard time across China although China is a large
country. Beijing Time is eight hours earlier than the Greenwich Time.
Office Hours
In China, office hours
in government departments run from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The time from12:00
am to 1:00 pm is lunch time. The five days from Monday till Friday are
working days.
The business hours for
banks generally go from: 9:00 am to 12:00 am, and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Some
banks closes Monday.
Department stores
generally opens at 8:30 am or 9:00 am and closes at 8:30 pm or 9:30 pm.
Business hours may last longer in summer.
Business centers and
bars at hotels open 24 hours.
At state-run hotels,
restaurants offer breakfast from 6:00 am to 9:00 am, lunch from 10:30 am
to 2:00 pm and dinner from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
A majority of the
restaurants open from 6:00 am till late at night.
Emergency Services
During their travel and
work in China, aliens may make emergency calls if they encounter robbery,
fire, or other urgent matters. These special telephones are free.
In hotels,
check-in counter and
hotel
managers
can help you with medical care or call an ambulance. If you suddenly fall
ill on way, you can ask the police or others for help. There are police
booths along the streets and patrol police in busy streets in some major
cities.
119
Fire
110
Robbery
120
First aid
122
Traffic Accident
114
Inquiring local phone number
117
Reporting time
121
Weather forecast
Electricity
China’s civil use
electrical power is 220V, 50 HZ. Two types of voltage: 110V and 220V are
provides for guests, particularly foreign guests in the washing rooms of
top quality hotels. So make sure to check the voltages before using
electrical appliances.
Drinking Water
In China, not all the
tap water is drinkable, but bottling mineral water can be bought
everywhere.
Official Holidays and
Traditional Festivals
Holidays in China are
occasions for family reunion and traveling, visiting. Some holidays are
intended to mark major national events, others are traditional festivals
of folk customs.
Since
October 1999, China's official holidays have been extended from seven to
ten days, including January 1, the first, second and third day of the
first lunar month of the year, May 1, 2, and 3, and October 1, 2, and 3.
The extension of the official holidays enables the Chinese people to have
a longer vacation during Spring and Autumn. During these periods, the
number of holiday makers suddenly grows and traffic is jam, so aliens
planning to come to China for a travel may adjust their time to avoid
inconvenience. What can I expect?
Sure, China has crowds and cars causing quite a cacophony. But what about
inside the office? If you have Chinese management above you, expect a lot
of last-minute changes, "creative" payment and sometimes empty promises.
Also expect a lot inefficiency and things not to get done. Some of this
thinking stems from the "iron rice bowl" era where everyone was guaranteed
a job, whether they worked or not. Many times, you will sign a contract
for a year, six months or three months. Read these carefully. It is
usually negotiable. Working for a Chinese boos is more formal, the boss
has more respect and power. Feedback is generally not encouraged from the
lower echelons, including foreigners. However, this does not mean that you
can't talk about problems that you are having and try to make them better.
If the problem is with your boss, try to be respectful and reasonable.
Otherwise, just leave. Foreign workers do not have much recourse to go
after their Chinese bosses.
If you work for an
embassy, thank your lucky stars that you do not have a Chinese boss,
however do not expect that you may not have problems. Chinese people
outnumber and sometimes unofficially run foreign embassies in China.
