As a foreigner, how to find a job in China
Before applying for your first job, please remember that China restricts which foreigners can legally work there, who is eligible for a work visa. Generally, job seekers from overseas will need a bachelor's degree and be certified in your country. Without these, you will find it quite difficult to legally work in China.
In addition, a certified non-criminal record check is required. In most cases, a recommendation letter from the former employer and a whole set of other documents are needed. The process of applying for a work visa can be complex, and the rules often change. But the most important thing is that you should always check whether your potential employer is willing to go through all the necessary procedures to ensure that you have the correct visa to work in China.
Getting started: finding your first job.
Teaching
For many job seekers, teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) is a way to gain a foothold in the Chinese job market and start a career in China. Teaching experience will definitely put you in an advantageous position when applying. ESL qualifications will be the same.
The next question is where to find an ESL job. The Internet provides a large number of recruitment websites for English teachers. University and public school positions tend to have shorter working hours (the former are sometimes only 2 days a week). Still, the pay is lower, and there are few opportunities for promotion and career development. If you consider taking one of these positions, you should probably consider how to make the most of your free time. If you want to develop other career-related skills, such as learning Chinese or working freelance, this may be a good choice.
Other positions include positions in training centers, namely after-school and weekend English classes. Big companies such as Education First (EF) and Meten International offer jobs across China. The work schedule can be pretty tight, as you will need to teach on weeknights and all day Saturday and Sunday. During summer and winter vacations, you will be required to conduct additional courses. But on the bright side, there are opportunities to be promoted to build your career. For example, EF allows teachers to hold management positions in the school and then engage in recruitment, curriculum design, or a series of other jobs at the Shanghai headquarters.
Non-teaching work
In addition to ESL, job seekers may find other options for their first job in China, albeit with a smaller number. Many employers, especially in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen need native English speakers to proofread and edit English content. This can range from product listings on shopping sites to blogs and magazines.
Like ESL, employers are usually willing to hire beginners. However, like ESL, you should consider gaining some experience before applying. For this type of position, it is generally wise to provide some evidence in written English, such as a blog or freelance writing. Of course, proofread and double-check your resume for spelling and grammatical errors.
Advanced: suitable for experienced people
Building a network on LinkedIn is especially worth considering for those who already have a good resume. The more comprehensive your network, the better your chances of finding a job. In China, you can also link your LinkedIn profile to your WeChat account. However, one limitation of this feature is that if you want another WeChat user to see that you have attached a LinkedIn account, that user must also have a LinkedIn account linked to WeChat.
Another option is HiredChina, the most professional recruitment website for foreigners in China. Companies can register for free through the platform and publish job information for recruiting foreign employees; foreign job seekers can apply for various positions online for free.
In addition, hot posts will also be posted daily on international social platforms such as Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter. At present, we have served nearly 14,000 companies and 400,000 foreign talents, 30,000 valid job information, and average monthly active users of more than 60,000. At the same time, HiredChina's headhunting team, with ten years of experience, provides companies with accurate headhunting services for foreign talents.
On the other hand, we also organize various offline training seminars related to hiring foreigners, and actively cultivate more companies' awareness of hiring international talents, so that more Chinese companies can succeed in global competition.
Tags: Foreign companies in China