For all those who are interested in working in China and learning about how to find a job there and what to expect from it, I have put together this article with some useful information.

Nowadays more than half a million foreigners work in China.

Back in 2010 and being an expat myself, I had the chance to meet countless foreigners who worked in China under different circumstances, in various roles and with different motivations: Some of them were sent to China by their companies and had a really good expat package. Some others landed there for vacation, for studies or other reasons and stayed there because they liked the country. Those have a local contract. Others started their own business, mostly in international trading. And others just got there for a project assignment or for an internship.

Working in China: A competitive edge for the perfect job

Quickly I realized that as a foreigner working in China, you would have to have a competitive edge over local talents in order to find a good job. Why? First, because local job seekers have all the knowledge of the local culture. This kind of knowledge is really crucial for many jobs in China. Take sales, for example: How can someone unfamiliar with the Chinese way of initiating and keeping business contacts be a good sales manager?
Second, locals know the local language(s), and for most jobs it is absolutely indispensible to speak and write Mandarin fluently. How can a media relations manager communicate with local journalists without knowing Mandarin? How shall a facility manager lead their team of workers without being able to speak their native language?

It becomes clear, that if one’s motivation to work in China is merely about getting a great salary package or climbing up the career ladder quicker than in other countries, it may not work out. What is important to bring along for the job hunt in China is a keen interest in and a respect for the local culture and people, a good knowledge of the Chinese language (this also helps tremendously handling every day life!) and a special expertise that makes one stand out of the crowd of other young people hunting a job there.

Working in China – Jobs for ABCs and other Chinese born outside of China

International firms – multinational companies (MNCs) or small to medium enterprises – who do business with China, continuously hire international staff. But one should be aware that there are also a lot of Chinese people who were born outside of China and want to work in China after their graduation. These so-called ABCs (American Born Chinese) or CBCs (Canadian Born Chinese) or wherever they may come from, are a very interesting talent pool for international companies in China because most of them speak both Mandarin and English and they provide an understanding of both cultures – the Western one and the Chinese one. These talents are also wanted by Chinese companies and the Chinese government has even started programs to attract Chinese born outside of China to “return” to China and contribute to the country with their skills and international education.

Working in China: Salary expectations and job fields for expats

So what can someone willing to work in Asia, being equipped with intercultural skills and with the ability to speak Mandarin, expect from the job market in China? Recent surveys point out that the following industries are among those in need for expats and highly qualified “Westerners”: accounting and finance, research (e.g. chemicals, pharmaceuticals), engineering, manufacturing, and last but not least anything related to IT and web programming.

Regarding salaries, one should be aware that they vary enormously. A mid-management marketing manager job can pay from 1,000 to 5,000 Euros per month, depending on the size of the company and the requirements of the position. But in a city like Shanghai, with rental costs comparable to those in some European capital cities, it is almost impossible to take on a 1,000 Euro job and still live a considerably comfortable life. Therefore one shall prepare for an intense job hunt including negotiations about housing and transportation allowances, paid Mandarin courses and other possible benefits. These benefits are a regular in work agreements in China, so go for it.

Further information on current salaries in China are provided by international headhunters and consulting companies such as Gemini, Hays and Michael Page. Do google their latest salary reports online to get an idea about wages paid in your desired job or sector.