Recruiting in China

By Kevin Voigt

From The Wall Street Journal Online

Finding a job in a distant market can be tough, as employers are less likely to give a break to someone who has no experience in the market, or who must be flown in for an interview. To make matters even trickier, what holds true in one country often doesn't apply in another, says job recruiter Lawrence Wang, author of the job-hunt book "Know the Game, Play the Game" and managing director of Beijing-based Wang & Li Asia Resources.

For starters, he says, remember that while the Internet is good, legwork is better. With the proliferation of specialized online job sites, it is easy to get your resume to the market you are interested in. "But there's really no substitute for being there," says Mr. Wang.

He suggests planning a trip to the area and letting the companies you are interested in know you are coming to town and would like to stop by. "If you fly there, it shows your commitment and gives a much higher indication of your interest in relocating."

Contacting local chambers of commerce and career centers, or stopping by bars and clubs frequented by professionals in the area, can give a job searcher more ideas and contacts, Mr. Wang says. If you don't know anyone in the city you are targeting, check your university alumni directory to see if any classmates live in the area.

Often, this process can help people decide whether they really want to relocate. "For example, Beijing is a real exciting place, but it's not for everyone," he says. "People sometimes come here a few times and decide it's not for them -- which is good. Now they won't spend the next five years wondering what could have been."

Spread your net of contacts. Dumb luck is often a key ingredient in a successful job search, and it often is resting in the hands of someone you haven't even met. By broadening your list of personal contacts, your break can come from the unlikeliest places.

Mr. Wang, a California native, began his first job search in Taipei when he was a 28-year-old graduate business student at the University of California, Los Angeles. Seeking a marketing position, he cold-called 50 foreign-owned companies. He got only three interviews. They were all unsuccessful. His break came not by slogging through company directories and mass-mailing resumes, but by calling an acquaintance -- a former classmate -- who had family in Taipei. In the end, his "classmate's sister's husband" was the one who made the connection that netted his first job with a Taipei marketing firm.

"The kindness of strangers can really come through for you," Mr. Wang says. "People in the international community have been through this before, so they can identify with you. And the average person knows a lot. They can know the people to talk to, have their names and numbers, and they're flattered that you're asking their advice. Use them."

Patience is a virtue in this kind of search. Don't be disheartened if the first trip doesn't yield a job. One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is born out of impatience, Mr. Wang says. Overeager applicants often don't take the time to gain an understanding of the market, and they let their naivete show. "A common mistake we see is people coming into the market and completely outpricing themselves," he says.

Salary requests have to be within the market range, and wildly overshooting the curve undercuts your credibility.

Mr. Wang suggests talking to anyone who knows something about the job market you are looking at: "What are the trends, what is the current market mindset? What kind of skills are employers really looking at right now?" he says.

Job seekers must also be realistic about their chances in a market where they have no language skills, Mr. Wang adds.

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