Job Search in East Asia

Elaine Lin
Founder & Director
Horizon Consulting, LLC
www.horizonconsultinginc.com
March 28, 2007
 Overview
™ General Information about Job Search Process in East Asia
™ Do I need a working visa?
™ Networking & Informational Interviews
™ The Power of Business Card
™ Resume and Cover Letter
™ Business & Cultural Etiquette

™ In-depth look at the market opportunities in Japan

™ In-depth look at the market opportunities in China

 Do I need a working visa?

„ Issues of Visa:
„ Types of Visas: student, travel,
temporary, & work permits
„ Getting work: restrictions on companies
hiring non-nationals
„ American Chamber of Commerce
„ Consulates & Embassies
Networking & Informational Interviews
„ Network, Network, Network!

„ Whom to talk to?

„ Informational Interviews in East Asia:

„ Appropriate to do so
„ Never ask for jobs during informational
interviews
The Power of Business Card in East Asia
„ Business Card: a much more handy & useful tool
than resume, CV, and cover letter

„ Front of Business Card:

„ Name and Contact Information in English
„ E-mail address, Phone numbers, and etc.
„ Back of Business Card:
„ Name and Contact Information in Japanese or
Chinese
„ List Opportunities of Interest
 Resume and Cover Letter
„ Resume and cover letter styles vary in countries. Make
sure to find out the style required in your country of
interest
„ In East Asia, a good number of firms require that resume
and cover letters include information such as age, marital
status, children, and photos of the applicants
„ Going Global: the book and its website includes resume
and cover letters tailored to different countries
„ Monster.com: the international job search section offers
good examples as well
 Business & Cultural Etiquette

„ It is essential to have an understanding of business and

cultural etiquette in creating a good impression on
potential partners overseas
„ Monster.com: Work Abroad provides etiquette advice on
different countries
„ Examples of Business Etiquette in East Asia:
1. Business card: How would you hand over your
business card?
2. Gift-giving: Not only acceptable but also encouraged
in certain situations
 Market Opportunities in Japan

ƒ Boston Career Forum by DISCO International, Inc:

Jobs in Japan, www.careerforum.net
in Boston every November
ƒ Financial Services Firms: Merrill Lynch, Goldman
Sachs, Citi Bank, and Lehman Brothers
ƒ American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ):
http://www.accj.or.jp/accj.or.jp/content/01_home
ƒ Fairfax County Economic Development Authority's
list of international businesses, by country:
http://fairfaxcountyeda.org/publications/international_firms.pdf
 Market Opportunities in China
~ General Information ~
„ Why would China want foreign workers?
Language ability, international exchange, and
global knowledge
„ Do not need to know Chinese in order to work in
China, but any bit of Chinese helps!
„ Emerging cities: If students are willing to go
beyond the big cities such as Shanghai and
Beijing…
„ Part-time and Volunteer opportunities for
Olympics in Beijing in 2008 and World Expo in
Shanghai in 2010
Shanghai, China: Pudong district
Beijing 2008 Olympics: Counting Down…
 Market Opportunities in China
~ Hot Opportunities ~
„ Hot opportunities for foreigners in China:
„ Hotel Industry
„ Top Management positions in different industries
„ Logistics: i.e. flow of resources and materials
„ Public Relations
„ Sales and Marketing
„ Relocation
„ Teaching jobs in international schools and local
schools, both English-teaching & Other academic
subjects
„ Professorship in certain academic disciplines
 Market Opportunities in China
~ Resources ~
„ Expat Magazines:
„ http://www.enjoyclassifieds.com/
„ http://www.adweekly.cn/
„ http://8days.sh/classifieds/
„ Expat Community in China: http://www.expatsinchina.com/
„ Largest Local Job Search Engine in China:
http://english.zhaopin.com/
„ China American Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.amcham-china.org.cn/amcham/home/index.php
„ Shanghai American Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.amcham-shanghai.org/AmchamPortal/
 Questions? & GOOD LUCK!
„ Questions?

„ GOOD LUCK!

„ Contact Elaine Lin at eylin@gwu.edu

Web: www.horizonconsultinginc.com
 References

„ Falkoff, R. (2006). International Business Etiquette.

Monster.com: http://workabroad.monster.com/

„ Schult, A.G. (2006). Globetrotters, Backpackers, and

Jetsetters: Aiding Students in International Job
Searching. University of Rochester Presentation at the
ACPA National Convention: Indianapolis, IN.

„ Thompson, M.A. (2003). Going Global Country Career

Guide: Volumes I and II. Washington, DC: Going Global
Inc.