Recruiting in China

For those with a financial background who are looking for an opportunity to work overseas, China may be the place to go.

Reuters cites a Chinese government official saying that China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) began its first global recruitment search for money managers to aid in the investment of the country’s $2.3 trillion of foreign exchange reserves.

A SAFE official told Reuters that the government would like to increase its return on the reserves and wants to tap into the global resources of bankers who may be looking for a job.

The official, who could not be named because he was not authorized to talk to the media, told the news source, "It is time for us to hunt talent from overseas financial markets, as the post-crisis economic outlook becomes clear to financial professionals and their institutions."

According to the SAFE website, there are a range of positions open such as, portfolio managers, operations and legal consultants and research staff. Applicants should have a working knowledge of both Chinese and English as well as at least two years of work experience at a well known financial institution.

The government official interviewed by the Reuters declined to say how many foreign workers SAFE was looking to hire.

According to oDesk research, China is a popular country for providers on its site. There are currently 947 providers from China who charge an average hourly rate of $18.27 for their services.