JOB MARKET FOR FOREIGNERS

A fast growing number of foreigners

Today, Shanghai is the fastest-growing place in China. It attracts mores and more foreigners who want to come live and work in Shanghai. Shanghai is home to more than 300,000 expats from 119 countries and regions. This population is expected to reach 800,000 over the next ten years. "As an increasing number of multinational companies set up branches in Shanghai, housing demand from expats will grow significantly,"Many feel the city has many opportunities for them to develop their careers. Indeed, as the country's economic centre, Shanghai offers more vacancies requiring a high professional level.

Currently, there are more than 36,000 foreigners are now officially working (registered with a working visa) in the booming city.

Shanghai offers many work opportunities. However, the competition amongst foreigners and locals is fierce. Recently, the job market has been flooded with educated and experienced overseas and mainland Chinese - being attracted to the same thing other expats are attracted by China's rapid economic growth.

Do I need to speak Chinese to get a job?

Even until just a few years ago, there used to be some fundamental truths that you could rely on when it came to developing your career and attaining professional success in China. For foreigners, the ability to speak Chinese was almost a sure ticket for attracting opportunities with companies that were increasingly seeking international-trained, bi-lingual professionals. Many people start their introduction of them- selves in covering letter by saying, "I'm bilingual and have a deep understanding of both western and Chinese cultures and thinking. I can be an excellent bridge for an international company doing business in China." But in China's current talent market,
such statements are no longer viewed as offering a distinct competitive advantage. These days, there are so many who can make such a claim. Rather than a differentiator, it's a mere prerequisite for an attractive opportunity with a leading company.

To get a job in China, it will also largely depend on your marketable skills, education, personal contacts, language ability (specifically Chinese language ability), luck and most importantly - expectations.
Most of the people who are getting expat salaries now are in senior management (like directors, project managers, technical specialties etc…). Many, if not most, if the managers hired into these positions get hired in their home country and relocated here. If you don’t have technical skills or senior experience, another highly effective way of entering the Chinese workforce is by working in China for a year or two as an English teacher, then applying for employment in other capacities.

What kind of job can I get?

In China, general mass market jobs (administrative, technician, retail, food service, hospitality etc…) are for locals who speak the language and who are willing to work for RMB 700 - 3000 per month - full time... six days a week.
If you can act, sing, perform, or model, there may be a place for you... particularly if you have some credits. So... you either decide to work for local salary… perhaps a little above local salary. Or you create your own work or company somehow with the skills / ideas you have.

A growing number of work opportunities exist in China, although some require language skills. These include English teaching, marketing, travel agents, creative English writers, editors, proofreaders, translators, bar staff and secretarial positions. Many industries in China are currently experiencing a skilled manpower shortage and middle-management executives and those who are multilingual, including construction and building, engineering, hotel and services, IT, shipbuilding and textiles.

Salary expectation

There is a great demand for skilled applicants, and foreigners with marketable talents and
a command of Mandarin are well suited for employment. However salaries are very low
compared to rich countries, even for graduates with an MBA.
In 2006, the salary of a Chinese student with a master's degree or MBA from a top university
but with no significant international management experience is somewhere between $ 600
and $1500 per month. So unless you are bringing rare and valuable expertise to the job
market, you are not going to make as much money as at home.

On the other hand, living in China is inexpensive and you can often have a better quality of life for a lot less money.
In any case, you better come with some cash saved up. You can live quite comfortably on 8000 RMB a month. Most of all, you should probably lower your expectations in terms of salary, if you really want to live and work in China.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when you gain experience and take on responsibility, your salary can go up quickly.

Economically speaking, China should be looked at as an investment opportunity - investment in yourself to gain valuable work experience, especially if you learn Chinese. And since there is so much investment in China's growing market, it's a place where many young people decide that they'd rather start a company instead of working for a salary.

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