Western Graduates Head to China for Internships(online.wsj.com)
online.wsj.com
Western Graduates Head to China for Internships
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303745304576354963157118104.html
13 comments
I do think its admirable to push your boundaries. The article and some comments here recognize that greater interest is more valuable to employers than specific experience, less of a China thing, more that you've done it. But, if you're interested in China:
I've lived and worked in China for 5 years and wanted to make a few more points:
* It is hard to get in touch with the key company person for intern opportunities;
* Even if you do, it might be the first such approach they've ever had;
* Outside the largest companies with formal intern programs there may be intern programs (and may not), but in partnership with local schools or other feeder companies;
* Global companies tend to have global intern programs with limited local admission.
That is by no means not a reason not to have a go applying. If anything, if you can break through those barriers you're already a long way there.
Bear in mind the following:
* Companies are going to ask themselves "What's in it for me?"
* They might panic about visas, especially the headache of applying for a short term working visa;
* They'll need some very strong persuasion you're committed, will avoid significant culture shock, will not simply run away, and as sponsor of your visa will not damage their reputation;
* Cowboy language schools mascaraed as intern opportunities, beware.
An additional: The article doesn't state explicitly, but the consultant company, CRCC Asia, mentioned as internship intermediator, organizes internships for a fee. That does mitigate much of the above - both effort and reward in my view. Link to their fee page: http://www.crccasia.com/internships/prices-dates
Edit: Lines initially did not break
I've lived and worked in China for 5 years and wanted to make a few more points:
* It is hard to get in touch with the key company person for intern opportunities;
* Even if you do, it might be the first such approach they've ever had;
* Outside the largest companies with formal intern programs there may be intern programs (and may not), but in partnership with local schools or other feeder companies;
* Global companies tend to have global intern programs with limited local admission.
That is by no means not a reason not to have a go applying. If anything, if you can break through those barriers you're already a long way there.
Bear in mind the following:
* Companies are going to ask themselves "What's in it for me?"
* They might panic about visas, especially the headache of applying for a short term working visa;
* They'll need some very strong persuasion you're committed, will avoid significant culture shock, will not simply run away, and as sponsor of your visa will not damage their reputation;
* Cowboy language schools mascaraed as intern opportunities, beware.
An additional: The article doesn't state explicitly, but the consultant company, CRCC Asia, mentioned as internship intermediator, organizes internships for a fee. That does mitigate much of the above - both effort and reward in my view. Link to their fee page: http://www.crccasia.com/internships/prices-dates
Edit: Lines initially did not break
"who had a two-week placement with Baoshang Bank in Beijing late last year"
How much can you possibly learn in two weeks?
How much can you possibly learn in two weeks?
As the article says it is mostly about being able to "demonstrate a willingness to move out of their comfort zone".
I can understand why new graduates will do pretty much anything to differentiate themselves from their peers - for a company with operations in China having something like this may well be enough to catch the eye of someone flicking through a stack of applicant CVs.
I can understand why new graduates will do pretty much anything to differentiate themselves from their peers - for a company with operations in China having something like this may well be enough to catch the eye of someone flicking through a stack of applicant CVs.
> As the article says it is mostly about being able to "demonstrate a willingness to move out of their comfort zone".
OFC, the flip side of that is that working in a Westernized city like Beijing or Shanghai isn't particularly far from your comfort zone. Other than for the language barrier and the pollution, it's not really that different.
OFC, the flip side of that is that working in a Westernized city like Beijing or Shanghai isn't particularly far from your comfort zone. Other than for the language barrier and the pollution, it's not really that different.
If any students reading this is interested by an internship in Shanghai, we are looking for interns :-)
It would be doing ruby on rails and node.js development, 3 month minimum, paid a small stipend (enough to cover cost of living in Shanghai)
Contact at [email protected]
It would be doing ruby on rails and node.js development, 3 month minimum, paid a small stipend (enough to cover cost of living in Shanghai)
Contact at [email protected]
How difficult is it to get a visa to work in China?
You need a Z visa, which needs (from memory):
- Living certificate, stamped by the local PSB (cops). - A foreign expert's card (which generally requires a degree). - A health check (on arrival). - An employer that's able to employ foreign experts. (High tech should be easy enough, as long as they employ locals too). - A company that will "look after" you (flights in and out, accommodation, medical insurance, maybe food allowance).
It's not too hard. There's a lot of running around that the company needs to do for you, which could take about a month (more if they haven't done it before).
Note, you can work on an L or F visa, but risk fines and deportation. Companies will say they have "connections", so the visa doesn't matter. If they have "connections", they can get a visa.
- Living certificate, stamped by the local PSB (cops). - A foreign expert's card (which generally requires a degree). - A health check (on arrival). - An employer that's able to employ foreign experts. (High tech should be easy enough, as long as they employ locals too). - A company that will "look after" you (flights in and out, accommodation, medical insurance, maybe food allowance).
It's not too hard. There's a lot of running around that the company needs to do for you, which could take about a month (more if they haven't done it before).
Note, you can work on an L or F visa, but risk fines and deportation. Companies will say they have "connections", so the visa doesn't matter. If they have "connections", they can get a visa.
In the case of internship, you only need a F visa (a business visa) which is rather easy to get. Just need an invitation letter from the company and a letter from your university stating that you're a student (the latter is not necessary but helps)...
To actually work, then you need the Z visa which is a bit more of a hassle as wisty said...
To actually work, then you need the Z visa which is a bit more of a hassle as wisty said...
should not be difficult (nowhere near like applying to US working visa at least).
And I think gommm will help you with the visa and other stuff if you decide to apply and get accepted :)
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Funny how history repeats itself, with different parameters.
Cool, they get to learn to rule with an iron fist in a few weeks. Now that is progress.
TL;DR: If you want to be part of the future brain drain to China, merely knowing Chinese culture/language isn't sufficient. Be an expert in something that's needed world-wide and you will be needed in China.
I worked at Microsoft Research in Beijing as an intern and I think one of the biggest lessons I walked away with was that in order to work in China and actually have an impact prior experience in China is necessary but _not_ sufficient. Like anywhere else - you will always need to be an expert in your field to have impact, regardless of the cultural context in which you work - being a token part of an organization affords no influence.
I think a lot of people get involved with China thinking - "I'll learn Chinese and I'm sure companies in China would love to have an American on board connecting them with Western society!" The reality is, however, that most people in the knowledge industry's English is probably a lot better than your Chinese. I worry that some people fear China's impending growth and task their kids on becoming an expert in Chinese instead of an expert in a field China greatly demands (say photovoltaics).
Being a white guy who can speak Chinese is a neat party trick in a domestic Chinese setting but is very much second to if you can warrant the insane pay rate you might demand relative to a typical domestic employee. Think about H1Bs and how they're designed to weed out anyone who's job couldn't be done by an American worker. In China, I don't think the legal rules are quite as strict, but there is plenty of swelling nationalism to more than make up for it.