Work chances for foreigners on mainland

Editor's note: In today's China, more and more people from overseas are wondering how can they get a job in the world's second-largest economy. Here are some tips for those laowai (overseas people) who want to work in the country.

Generally speaking, finding a job in China should not be too hard. With the fast development of the Chinese economy, new businesses are opening constantly and established businesses are expanding and recruiting.

However it is important to be aware that with the influx of foreign job seekers into the country in the past few years, the competition is becoming intense. There are some who graduated from a Chinese university, some who arrive after graduating in their home country and some who arrive with no degree at all.

There are plenty of English teaching jobs available all over the country, most of them being comparatively well paid.

The question one has to ask is: why go to China? If the answer is "I want to have an experience abroad" or "I want to discover a new culture" then yes, finding a job to allow you to live in China should not be a hard thing. Besides teaching English or your native language to Chinese students or children, there is also quite a lot of software-testing and other similar jobs for speakers of English, European or less widely-spoken languages.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a first career job in China, then it can be tougher unless your career is in education. Chinese and foreign recruiters in China attach quite a lot of importance to degrees and often consider it as a proven record of ability to be combined with work experience.

Having no degree is acceptable with some employers if you speak Chinese or have strong language skills, have work experience or if you are an extremely motivated goal-oriented person. However without any specific skills to counterbalance the lack of academic record, China recruiters will not even look twice at your application for a serious position.

Language

Chinese is not the working language in the vast majority of foreign companies. However, depending on the position you are seeking, it may be an important element.

For example, if you are working in sales or marketing, speaking to Chinese customers and understanding the Chinese consumer market will be the center of your work and will require you to speak and understand a bit of Chinese.

When it comes to looking for a job, having Chinese language skills on a CV is an important asset that most employers regard as a proof of commitment to China and a motivation to live in the country.

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The entire job market is booming. Antal Global Snapshot, a regular survey of hiring and firing trends in the world's key markets, revealed that China's luxury goods industry is the strongest sector in terms of recruitment, with 91 percent of local companies hiring at professional and managerial level.

Other active industries include business services, accounting, consulting, e-commerce and social media.

(Contact gaoyuan@chinadaily.com.cn for questions and career advice.)

Advice given by Antal International China.