Shanghai Tech WriterTechnical Writing, Technology, Web2.0, Google, Shanghai, China

I get a lot of emails from people reading this blog asking various questions from technical writing to salary expectations to working in Shanghai/China. I thought I’d follow the example of Wangjianshuo (an excellent blogger in Shanghai) and start posting these questions and my responses so other people can read (and comment) too. 

Here’s a question from a reader (who’s also a technical writer) in the U.S.:

With the increase in sending US jobs to other countries, I’ve begun considering relocating to India, China, or Romania. Do you know the best way for someone like me to find work in Shanghai?

With the recent economic crisis and financial meltdown, the impact is worldwide, not just in the U.S. From what I’ve been hearing all around, many companies in China are laying off workers, cutting back on salaries, not giving out bonuses this year, and/or not hiring. People who are out of work are having a difficult time finding a job. Many fear losing their job. Thousands of recent college graduates compete for a very limited number of jobs. Even graduate students are fighting for jobs like selling pork. 

On the other hand, Wangjianshuo observes that what you hear is different from what you see. I also agree with him. When you go out, there are people everywhere. Restaurants are always packed and often times, you have to wait a long time to get a table. Shopping malls are also busy with many shoppers carrying bags of goods they just purchased. It’s still hard to find an empty taxi in downtown Shanghai.

I don’t really understand what is really happening either because news and media keep saying how bad the economic situation is in China and that we haven’t seen the worst yet. I can’t really tell judging from the way people are still spending. Unlike in the U.S. where people are cutting back, I see that people in Shanghai continue to spend like before. 

So to answer the question of what is the best way to find work in Shanghai, now is a really bad time to find work in China. If companies are cutting back on hiring locals, it will be even harder for foreigners to find work since foreigners often demand a higher salary.

However, I do think that teaching English is and will always be the easiest job to find for foreigners in China. Teaching English also pays pretty well, usually at least 10,000 RMB/month. Everyone from adults to children want to learn English. There are language schools everywhere. Bilingual kindergartens have popped up everywhere in China. Parents are willing to pay a lot of money for their only child to learn English. Even Chinese middle and high schools are hiring foreigners to teach English. The only requirement for teaching English is that you are a native English speaker and have a college degree. The best paying teaching jobs are at international schools, ranging from $30-60K USD. However, most international schools require teaching credentials and/or teaching experience.

I’ve posted a few online resources for finding a job in China. Good luck!