As a student mid-way through a degree, watching friends
struggling to take flight in the real word is depressing. While I still am in
the cushioned safety of university life, I rack my brains to think of ways to
get ahead. Masters degree? Possibly. Internship? I wish. Job in my dream
industry? Don't toy with my emotions.
Opportunities in London are sparse, and whatever is going
should really be handed over to those already graduated. Neither Britain nor
the Eurozone offer much hope presently with gloomy forecasts stretching long
past doomsday, sorry, graduation day. What do you do, where do you look?
Cue China.
China has an abundance of opportunities, as international
companies endeavour to gain a foothold on its successful ascent. At the same
time, Chinese corporations are looking to breach the international market, and
are seeking out those with a keen understanding of how things are done in the
west. Sites like The Beijinger and ChinaJOB.com are constantly posting
positions, and the growing number of internship companies working with
reputable businesses in China prove the opportunities are there to be taken.
My life in China sparked after stumbling upon an email
detailing a government-funded programme with "the aim of getting young
people over to China, gaining hands-on experience in one of the global market's
front-runners". I had never really considered international work
experience before, but realised that, in terms of getting ahead of my
post-graduation competition, this was an opportunity not to be missed. So, I
hopped on a plane to Beijing.
The main reason for people to embark on such a voyage is to
develop a better understanding of contrasting cultures, both business and
social. The key to getting ahead in China is connections. Though obviously
extremely important in the UK, making connections in China is paramount. It is
how business is done, how life is led, how you are not only going to get by,
but also how you will succeed. The term in mandarin is 'guanxi' and there is no
one word that can better describe how this concept is at the epicentre of
Chinese business etiquette. Guanxi, especially in business terms, is used to
describe relationships within a network of contacts. Individuals can consult
this network when seeking a service or advice, needing to achieve a goal or to
exert influence on behalf of another.
Guanxi is much more than networking. Western networking can
end after the business dinner or the hospitality at an event. Guanxi ascends
this; it is professional and personal; private and open; it is beyond social
classes and societal statuses. I have guanxi with my boss, with my neighbour,
and with a Chinese friend whom I met on a night out.
The opportunities that have risen from diving head first
into this delicate yet durable web have kept me here in China. In the UK, going
to a networking event would have been lower on my list of things to do than
watching a Hollyoaks Omnibus. It's not because I didn't want to, it's just that
I didn't know how.
Here in China, I was thrusting business cards into the palms
of everyone I met, and received a boxful in the process. I met partners of
firms, chief executives of companies, and entrepreneurs busily making a name
for themselves. I was invited to lunches, karaoke, and even a children's
birthday party. What little services I had to offer were called upon, and I
have a few favours of my own that will be asked in the near future. One key
piece of advice – get some business cards printed, leave your nerves on the
plane and hand those bad boys out to every single person you meet.
Coming to China to work is, of course, not just about the
job. To truly understand life here cultural immersion is key and through this,
without even noticing, everything you learn from just getting by day-to-day
begins to show on the job. Although we may believe that we are internationally
aware from living in multi-cultural cities and communities, for those who want
to get ahead in today's global village, there is still no substitute for
international experience and direct exposure to different cultures – both
professionally and socially.
Having international work experience is an invaluable
addition to your CV, something that could help give yours the edge over the
stack of other applications on the desk of the person who is between you and
your dream job. Being able to say that you have survived and learnt from an
internship in China is something that will raise even the most cynical eyebrow.
I must say this; living in China is no stroll along the
Great Wall. Each day will present you with a new challenge that you must
overcome. Be it the language barrier, the incredible crush on public transport,
or the questionable something-on-a-stick you probably should not have eaten,
'bad China days' will befall you. But those are wholly vanquished with days
when your cab driver finally understands where you need to go without you
resorting to acting out your destination.
Days when you discover the most
delectable dishes that cost a fraction of a Happy Meal. Days when the people
you'll know forever or just for two weeks imprint significantly on your life.
Could you create a life here? Could China be the place where
your career was meant to always unfold? Perhaps. Some say China is a place
where you arrive, experience, and then leave. Six months here and you are
considered a veteran. A year, you may as well be Chinese. But I have also met
people that have been here longer than they were in the UK, and despite missing
a good home-cooked roast dinner, would not look back.
When living and working in China, so far removed from home,
comfort and ease, you would be surprised how often you will find yourself
looking around and saying, "Gosh, I'm actually living in China. That's
cool."
It happens to me at least three times a week. Four if I
decide to skip the something-on-a-stick.
Source: 13 November 2012, The Guardian, by Natalie Clark (Natalie
went to China through CRCC Asia's China Internship Programme).
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