13 Mar 2015
China Daily European Weekly
MUCH HAS BEEN MADE OF THE NEED FOR PROFESSIONALS WITH GLOBAL CAREER ASPIRATIONS TO GET CHINA ON THEIR CV, BUT DOES IT REALLY TRANSLATE TO CAREER GAINS BACK HOME?
I had quite a few interviews and most expressedinterest in what I had achieved in China.

WILL GRAY,
GRAPHIC DESIGNER China (experience) is definitely valuable for companies thatare looking to tap into the domestic market here or that already haveoperations in China.

SIMON LANCE,
MANAGING DIRECTOR CHINA OF GLOBAL RECRUITMENT FIRM HAYS
Late last year, after seven years living and working in China, Will Gray decided it was time to return to Europe. Professionally, the 33-yearold Englishman and graphic designer had made the most of his stint in China at a time when Europewas in the economic doldrums. He became fluent in Mandarin, taught design at a university and worked as a designer for a magazine and a clothing company before setting up his own design business in Beijing in early 2012. But as Gray packed up his things in China and prepared for the move, he says one frighteningly big question mark loomed over the next stage of his professional life: Would his experience in China translate into a career gain when he returned to Europe?
In the past 10 years, much has been madeof the value of experience in China on a CV, particularly for foreign professionals in a wide range of sectors keen to break into senior and uppermanagement roles elsewhere in the world.
But the unknown quantity for those expatriates already working in the world’s second-largest economy, and professionals now considering taking the plunge and doing a stint in China, is whether or not the experience really does produce tangible career gains, news kills and a competitive edge in Europe and elsewhere.
The answer is a resounding yes, according to professionals in a range of sectors who talk of the career benefits they have enjoyed after working in China.
But while top head hunters and management consultants and academics agree that China experience has never been more valuable to global career advancement than it is now, the consensus is thatadding China to one’s resume is harder than it used to be.
The window of opportunity for foreigners looking to do their time in China, they say, is closing fast. And for those whodo make it in the country and hope to make the most out of the experience, there are challenges to be tackled before the rewards are in reach.
When Gray began interviewing for rolesin Germany, Denmark, the UK and the Netherlands, one thing quickly became apparent.
“They (potential employers) made itclear my China experience was very interesting to them,” he says. “I had quitea few interviews and most expressed interest in what I had achieved in China.”
Gray consciously made his China experience a central selling point in his CV, and he says the strategy worked to differentiate him in Europe’s tough employment market. He ended up accepting a senior design role with a marketing and communications company in Sweden and believes his experience in China was the deciding factor.
Simon Lance, managing director China of global recruitment firm Hays, says generally China experience is becoming increasingly important to employers in places like Europe, the US and Australia.
“It’s definitely on the rise, and you do hear it talked about in senior circles now,” Lance says. “China (experience) isdefinitely valuable for companies that are looking to tap into the domestic market here or that already have operations in China.”
Edward Tse is the founder and CEO of Gao Feng Advisory Co, a global strategy and management consulting firm rooted in China. Formerly head of China business for Boston Consulting Group and Booz & Co, Tse says that in general China experience on a CV is important andrelevant in more cases than not. “International experience, by definition, isalways a plus,” he says. “And within international markets, China is one of themost important, if not the most important. So having a rotation through Chinais often critical for career development, (particularly) in largecorporations.”
But what constitutes China experience is changing, Lance and Tse say.
Lance says that traditionally experiencein China was arguably seen as just “a box to tick” on the resume. Now potential employers and multinational companies rotating their staff through expect candidates coming out of China to possess real skills and resources.
Cross-cultural management, different ways of strategic thinking and good contacts and established networks are someof the obvious skills and assets employers now expect to see evidence of aftera stint in China, Lance says.
In interview rooms across Europe, Grayfound this to be the case.
“My company works with Ikea … and theyalso did a project before I arrived with Ikea China,” he says. “In theinterview they talked about the difficulties with communication, and culturaldifferences, (they had) when working with Ikea China and how might I be able toaid that process in the future. Business here is very competitive, projects andclients are fought for very hard, and I think they saw me as an opportunity toreach a bit further than rural Sweden.”
Adam Fairbrother, managing partner Chinafor global executive search firm Odgers Berndtson, says an understanding of theChinese consumer and an awareness of what employees experience on the groundare highly sought after qualities for senior appointments in Europe across arange of sectors.
“In some cases it’s a very useful attribute to have on the CV,” Fairbrother says. “It depends on the sector, butit demonstrates that you understand what is happening in the fastest growing market, in a market that is maturing across many sectors. Taking the kind oflessons learned from here would be fairly valuable. It’s not necessarily thatyou can apply them in the UK. It’s more that you can then appreciate what yourteams are doing in Asia, and the kind of challenges they face on the ground.”
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