FROM the very day you land in Beijing,either to become a fixed-term"Jinger"or to make Beijing or some other city your mediumto long-term home(as with many of us),all you need to become involved in the nonsto...FROM the very day you land in Beijing,either to become a fixed-term"Jinger"or to make Beijing or some other city your mediumto long-term home(as with many of us),all you need to become involved in the nonstop networking events put on for us in China is an email address.You will soon find that with a modicum of effort展开更多
NO matter what part of the world they come from,expats in sales and marketing jobs in China and those planning to set up new businesses here need to study how the Chinese behave in the business environment.Expats come...NO matter what part of the world they come from,expats in sales and marketing jobs in China and those planning to set up new businesses here need to study how the Chinese behave in the business environment.Expats come to China to be involved in the second biggest global economy.Figuring out the four rising and falling tones in spoken Mandarin–no easy task in a month–will not,however,help in delicate展开更多
HEARING the keyword"performance,"you might think about your favorite drama show,TV series,or key performance index.But our topic today is a different type of performance.Here,what I mean is how you perform i...HEARING the keyword"performance,"you might think about your favorite drama show,TV series,or key performance index.But our topic today is a different type of performance.Here,what I mean is how you perform in interviews with Chinese HR professionals.Having advised you how to prepare for the pre-interviews in the last article,this time I will go through the interview process to give you more practical tips.Hopefully,you will find them useful when you take to the interview"stage."展开更多
PEOPLE must always play to their advantage in job interviews.But a good performance can be a challenge because there is so much to present in a limited time.During job interviews,employers will make an all-round evalu...PEOPLE must always play to their advantage in job interviews.But a good performance can be a challenge because there is so much to present in a limited time.During job interviews,employers will make an all-round evaluation of candidates,including their educational background,expertise,experience,ability to cooperate with team members,foreign展开更多
IF you are a foreigner looking to find a job in China,you might be wondering where to start.Unsurprisingly,in a country where relationships are highly valued,specialist recruitment agencies(sometimes called"headh...IF you are a foreigner looking to find a job in China,you might be wondering where to start.Unsurprisingly,in a country where relationships are highly valued,specialist recruitment agencies(sometimes called"headhunters")are often the recruiting channel of choice over and above trawling through job advertisements.If you are not having any luck with the major Internet recruitment sites。展开更多
IF you think Chinese New Year is about visiting family to extend greetings and give"red envelopes",it’s time for you to connect with your friends!Ninety percent of New Year’s greetings I received this year...IF you think Chinese New Year is about visiting family to extend greetings and give"red envelopes",it’s time for you to connect with your friends!Ninety percent of New Year’s greetings I received this year were via We Chat,and guess what,there were"red envelopes"in them!Today,sending lucky money in red envelopes through social media has become a new展开更多
HAVING spent a decade running businesses worldwide,I thought the time had come.I made one of the most important decisions of my life–go entrepreneurial!If I were to tell you that I had cherished this"be-an-entre...HAVING spent a decade running businesses worldwide,I thought the time had come.I made one of the most important decisions of my life–go entrepreneurial!If I were to tell you that I had cherished this"be-an-entrepreneur"idea since childhood,you would probably try not to snigger.Isn’t that the sort of answer a child gives to the question,"What do you want to be when you grow up?"Many children grow up hop-展开更多
MAGINE being pro- moted to managing di- rector for your company in China. How would that make you feel？ Perplexed, pleased, excited, or perhaps a mix of all of these feel- ings？ This possibility might seem pretty re...MAGINE being pro- moted to managing di- rector for your company in China. How would that make you feel？ Perplexed, pleased, excited, or perhaps a mix of all of these feel- ings？ This possibility might seem pretty remote for most young expats. That is why I am sharing this story to help you prepare for that moment in the future.展开更多
STARING out the window on a rainy Sunday,I have to say that life is a bit boring here.By"here"I am referring not to Beijing,but my quiet hometown in the U.K.This is no longer surprising to me.Recently severa...STARING out the window on a rainy Sunday,I have to say that life is a bit boring here.By"here"I am referring not to Beijing,but my quiet hometown in the U.K.This is no longer surprising to me.Recently several journalists interviewed me,asking if the thick smog would cause a massive outf low of expats from China.After reading展开更多
THIS article is about the new expat-executive in China.I am writing to offer my perspective on what it’s like to be the new boy(or girl)in a country that some people regard as the embodiment of culture shock itself.F...THIS article is about the new expat-executive in China.I am writing to offer my perspective on what it’s like to be the new boy(or girl)in a country that some people regard as the embodiment of culture shock itself.First I’m going to talk about two typical situations that I’ve encountered over 10years in the country,then I’m going to offer some analysis.These are just my opinions,but I hope you find them helpful.All Change!The fi rst pattern of expatbehaviour which I’ve experi-展开更多
EXCITED about your first interview with a big Chinese manufacturer?Trying on outf its in the mirror?Are you imagining yourself suavely conversing with high-level managers,delighting them with your sharp wit?Time to wa...EXCITED about your first interview with a big Chinese manufacturer?Trying on outf its in the mirror?Are you imagining yourself suavely conversing with high-level managers,delighting them with your sharp wit?Time to wake up!The bad news is that overconfidence can torpedo your chances in an upcoming展开更多
WITH a GDP of over RMB 60 trillion,China’s economy has again achieved a more than seven percent growth,which can’t be equalled elsewhere in the world.Also,100of the world’s latest top 500companies are from China.Do...WITH a GDP of over RMB 60 trillion,China’s economy has again achieved a more than seven percent growth,which can’t be equalled elsewhere in the world.Also,100of the world’s latest top 500companies are from China.Do these facts leave you longing for a job in China?Or to be more specific,have you starting looking for a payrise by getting a job in China?If you believe that展开更多
HAVE you ever kept your eyes groundward while otherwise presenting yourself eloquently at a job interview?People who do often wonder why they fail to get the job despite having made exhaustive preparations and taken i...HAVE you ever kept your eyes groundward while otherwise presenting yourself eloquently at a job interview?People who do often wonder why they fail to get the job despite having made exhaustive preparations and taken into consideration every possible interview question.To a large extent,the problem is not about your verbal prepa-展开更多
ARE you encountering problems with Chinese employees?Maybe when you tell them how to complete their tasks,they ignore your instructions.Before you conclude that Chinese employees are hopelessly untrainable,I would lik...ARE you encountering problems with Chinese employees?Maybe when you tell them how to complete their tasks,they ignore your instructions.Before you conclude that Chinese employees are hopelessly untrainable,I would like you to consider the difference between coaching and training.For those of you who lack management experience,let me explain the major difference.Training is direct;the person who gives the training is 100 percent in charge.He or she controls each phase of the training process and the specific content.On the other hand,coaching involves a lot of interaction.The coach plays the role of host。展开更多
TGIF!Now that the workweek is over,you might be wondering which bar or club to spend a fantastic Friday evening with your Chinese colleagues.Sorry to pop your bubble,but you may be in for a disappointment when the&quo...TGIF!Now that the workweek is over,you might be wondering which bar or club to spend a fantastic Friday evening with your Chinese colleagues.Sorry to pop your bubble,but you may be in for a disappointment when the"nice Chinese guys"at work huffi ly decline your invitation.For a newcomer to China it is completely normal to be refused at fi rst.However,if you don’t sit down and ask yourself why Chinese colleagues are declining your invitation,you will probably remain an"outsider"who knows nothing about working with the Chinese.展开更多
THE week-long National Day holiday at the beginning of October is a firm favorite among Chinese employees.It is a prime time for them to ask for leave to go traveling or visit relatives in other cities.However,if you ...THE week-long National Day holiday at the beginning of October is a firm favorite among Chinese employees.It is a prime time for them to ask for leave to go traveling or visit relatives in other cities.However,if you are about to write an email to your Chinese boss to ask for 20 days of annual leave to travel somewhere in China,then I really have to stop you展开更多
SO,the big day has arrived,you had the interview,what’s next?Probably your first instinct is either Starbucks,Erdinger or back to the hotel for an inroom burger.But don’t slack off just yet–what you do next can hav...SO,the big day has arrived,you had the interview,what’s next?Probably your first instinct is either Starbucks,Erdinger or back to the hotel for an inroom burger.But don’t slack off just yet–what you do next can have a great infl uence on the outcome of the process,展开更多
Nine years ago, the Amsterdam branch of my previous company asked me to come to China and develop the business here. So I got the chance to experience working and living in Beijing.
文摘FROM the very day you land in Beijing,either to become a fixed-term"Jinger"or to make Beijing or some other city your mediumto long-term home(as with many of us),all you need to become involved in the nonstop networking events put on for us in China is an email address.You will soon find that with a modicum of effort
文摘NO matter what part of the world they come from,expats in sales and marketing jobs in China and those planning to set up new businesses here need to study how the Chinese behave in the business environment.Expats come to China to be involved in the second biggest global economy.Figuring out the four rising and falling tones in spoken Mandarin–no easy task in a month–will not,however,help in delicate
文摘HEARING the keyword"performance,"you might think about your favorite drama show,TV series,or key performance index.But our topic today is a different type of performance.Here,what I mean is how you perform in interviews with Chinese HR professionals.Having advised you how to prepare for the pre-interviews in the last article,this time I will go through the interview process to give you more practical tips.Hopefully,you will find them useful when you take to the interview"stage."
文摘PEOPLE must always play to their advantage in job interviews.But a good performance can be a challenge because there is so much to present in a limited time.During job interviews,employers will make an all-round evaluation of candidates,including their educational background,expertise,experience,ability to cooperate with team members,foreign
文摘IF you are a foreigner looking to find a job in China,you might be wondering where to start.Unsurprisingly,in a country where relationships are highly valued,specialist recruitment agencies(sometimes called"headhunters")are often the recruiting channel of choice over and above trawling through job advertisements.If you are not having any luck with the major Internet recruitment sites。
文摘IF you think Chinese New Year is about visiting family to extend greetings and give"red envelopes",it’s time for you to connect with your friends!Ninety percent of New Year’s greetings I received this year were via We Chat,and guess what,there were"red envelopes"in them!Today,sending lucky money in red envelopes through social media has become a new
文摘HAVING spent a decade running businesses worldwide,I thought the time had come.I made one of the most important decisions of my life–go entrepreneurial!If I were to tell you that I had cherished this"be-an-entrepreneur"idea since childhood,you would probably try not to snigger.Isn’t that the sort of answer a child gives to the question,"What do you want to be when you grow up?"Many children grow up hop-
文摘MAGINE being pro- moted to managing di- rector for your company in China. How would that make you feel？ Perplexed, pleased, excited, or perhaps a mix of all of these feel- ings？ This possibility might seem pretty remote for most young expats. That is why I am sharing this story to help you prepare for that moment in the future.
文摘STARING out the window on a rainy Sunday,I have to say that life is a bit boring here.By"here"I am referring not to Beijing,but my quiet hometown in the U.K.This is no longer surprising to me.Recently several journalists interviewed me,asking if the thick smog would cause a massive outf low of expats from China.After reading
文摘THIS article is about the new expat-executive in China.I am writing to offer my perspective on what it’s like to be the new boy(or girl)in a country that some people regard as the embodiment of culture shock itself.First I’m going to talk about two typical situations that I’ve encountered over 10years in the country,then I’m going to offer some analysis.These are just my opinions,but I hope you find them helpful.All Change!The fi rst pattern of expatbehaviour which I’ve experi-
文摘EXCITED about your first interview with a big Chinese manufacturer?Trying on outf its in the mirror?Are you imagining yourself suavely conversing with high-level managers,delighting them with your sharp wit?Time to wake up!The bad news is that overconfidence can torpedo your chances in an upcoming
文摘WITH a GDP of over RMB 60 trillion,China’s economy has again achieved a more than seven percent growth,which can’t be equalled elsewhere in the world.Also,100of the world’s latest top 500companies are from China.Do these facts leave you longing for a job in China?Or to be more specific,have you starting looking for a payrise by getting a job in China?If you believe that
文摘HAVE you ever kept your eyes groundward while otherwise presenting yourself eloquently at a job interview?People who do often wonder why they fail to get the job despite having made exhaustive preparations and taken into consideration every possible interview question.To a large extent,the problem is not about your verbal prepa-
文摘ARE you encountering problems with Chinese employees?Maybe when you tell them how to complete their tasks,they ignore your instructions.Before you conclude that Chinese employees are hopelessly untrainable,I would like you to consider the difference between coaching and training.For those of you who lack management experience,let me explain the major difference.Training is direct;the person who gives the training is 100 percent in charge.He or she controls each phase of the training process and the specific content.On the other hand,coaching involves a lot of interaction.The coach plays the role of host。
文摘TGIF!Now that the workweek is over,you might be wondering which bar or club to spend a fantastic Friday evening with your Chinese colleagues.Sorry to pop your bubble,but you may be in for a disappointment when the"nice Chinese guys"at work huffi ly decline your invitation.For a newcomer to China it is completely normal to be refused at fi rst.However,if you don’t sit down and ask yourself why Chinese colleagues are declining your invitation,you will probably remain an"outsider"who knows nothing about working with the Chinese.
文摘THE week-long National Day holiday at the beginning of October is a firm favorite among Chinese employees.It is a prime time for them to ask for leave to go traveling or visit relatives in other cities.However,if you are about to write an email to your Chinese boss to ask for 20 days of annual leave to travel somewhere in China,then I really have to stop you
文摘SO,the big day has arrived,you had the interview,what’s next?Probably your first instinct is either Starbucks,Erdinger or back to the hotel for an inroom burger.But don’t slack off just yet–what you do next can have a great infl uence on the outcome of the process,
文摘Nine years ago, the Amsterdam branch of my previous company asked me to come to China and develop the business here. So I got the chance to experience working and living in Beijing.
