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

Recently, New York Times featured an article about American college graduates coming out to China for work because jobs are hard to come by in the U.S. due to the economic recession. These graduates find that China is a great place to launch a career and/or start a business. As a response, Forbes came out with an article countering the claim that it’s that simple to just “come out to China and find work.” It’s not all that easy, especially if you don’t speak the language or understand the culture, not to mention, know of any prospects. The article pretty much gives a realistic outlook for Americans thinking that the “grass is greener” on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. It also gives some pretty good and practical suggestions for those who are seriously considering coming to China to find work. From Shaun Rein, the founder and managing director of the China Market Research Group,

China is a wonderful place to launch a career. The opportunities are limitless. Jobs aren’t easy to find, but once you’ve got one you’ll be rewarded by being part of a special time in China’s social and business evolution.

10 key points from the article:

1. Work in China is challenging and fast-paced, and young executives get far more responsibility than back home.
2. Executives with China experience will be in high demand in the U.S. in coming years.
3. Expect a significantly lower salary in China because competition is stiff. Americans will be competing with top Chinese university graduates as well as returnees who speak both languages well and understand the culture. Having good English skills is no longer enough.
4. It is much more difficult to obtain a work visa in China than before.
5. Many companies no longer fly you out for an interview. If you’re serious about coming to China, buy your own plane ticket.
6. Start looking for that China job in the U.S.. Find people that know people in China and network, network, network!
7. Training is scarce in Chinese companies. Find something that allows you try to a little bit of everything.
8. Better to start a career in the U.S., get training, gain experience, then move to China.
9. It is very important to learn the language and understand the culture.
10. One of the best ways to start a career in China is to start a language program or teach English at a school. Then network, network, network!

My Thoughts and Two Cents

I came out to Shanghai, China in 2001, back when there weren’t that many foreigners. Since then, the number of foreigners in Shanghai has multiplied by at least ten folds. Teaching at a international school was what I started out with, which became a springboard to doing IT/technology-related work at school, which eventually led to my current job as a technical writer at National Instruments. I guess finding a job wasn’t too hard for me because I’ve been in China for a while, but also because I understand the language and culture. Companies rather hire somebody (with equivalent experience/background) who’s already in China, but I agree with Shaun Rein that understanding the language and culture is critical to your success in China. While many foreigners and teachers are able to get by without learning the language, understanding the language/culture gives you a far greater advantage. It also makes your life easier when you can communicate to people in the native language, whether at work or outside of work.

I find it pathetic when people consider moving to China without trying to learn the language once there. If you don’t learn the language, there is absolutely no way you can truly understand the Chinese people.

When I was interviewing for the technical writer position here at NI China, Chinese fluency wasn’t part of the job requirement. However, now that I have been a technical writer for two years and working mostly with Chinese engineers in a predominantly Chinese-speaking environment, I find it important and necessary to be bilingual. Yes, all the engineers speak English (and very well!), but in most context, whether at meetings, in the lunch room, or casual conversations, Chinese is still the spoken language.

Regarding salaries and expectations, the quote $800-$2000/month seems to be on the low end, considering that most English teachers in China earn at least 10,000RMB (or $1500) a month. Perhaps with the recent economic recession as well as the “China fever,” people are willing to work for much less as long as they can get a job in China.

Shaun also mentioned the ratio of purchasing power for salaries in China and the U.S. is 3.5-to-1. That means, if you make $60,000 in the U.S., then $21,000 a year in Shanghai can get you about the same quality of life. I’d say that’s half true. While certain living expenses are cheaper here in China than in the U.S., there are some things that cost more. Take for example, an iPhone. I was shopping for an iPhone the other day. In the U.S., I could get the newest iPhone 3G S 32GB for roughly $550 without the contract (including early termination fee). On Taobao (China’s own version of Amazon and Ebay), the same model sells for almost $1000 USD!! Then last week, I went shopping for a car. Would you believe that a Honda Civic costs $25K-$30K USD in Shanghai? That’s double what Civics cost in the U.S.! On the other hand, a bowl or Lanzhou ramen costs $0.50 and most bus fares are about $0.30. Well, that’s China for you. Some things are cheap and some things are super expensive. If you live like the locals, as in take the bus to work everyday and no daily cup of Starbucks coffee, then, yes, the 3.5-to-1 ratio is true. You can read more about salary and expectations in another article I wrote last year. You can also read about the different kinds of foreigners and expatriates in China.