How to Find a Job in China as a “Non-native” Expat?

If you follow job ads in China closely, you will soon find there is no lack of work in sight for “native teachers/writers/consultants”, provided, of course, they come from the US, Canada, Australia or another “English-speaking” country. As one of my friends jokes when asked about his job in China: “I work as an American. It pays quite well.” And as funny as it may sound, it is not far from reality. Being the “right” kind of foreigner is a meal ticket by itself in most Chinese cities. But what about the “non-native” expats in China? How do people coming from places like Russia, India or… you name it, make it here? Having been a “pretend American” and a “closeted Russian” for about three years here, I have come across several solutions that may come in handy for someone just starting out. Solution 1: Play the Part Pretend to be a native speaker. Granted, this will only work for somebody with a very high level of English and no distinctive accent. And yes, you may be required to say that you come from one of the “highly-rated” English speaking countries and may even need to come up with a story to back it up… But if you have the necessary language skills, playing the part can open up a lot of opportunities in the education industry (from kindergartens to corporate training) and can be, if not a career, at least a foot in the door of the Chinese employment market. (Note: whether you decide to try this route is entirely up to you, but you should be aware that it is by no means legal, and as such there will be no protections for you, should your relationship with your employer head south.) Solution 2: To sell or not to sell Occasionally, you’ll come across a job offer asking for a person of a specific nationality. These are mainly ads for sales representatives, who will be tasked with finding customers in their home countries. If you know what you are doing or are willing to educate yourself, these jobs can be interesting, challenging and enriching. As a rule, Mainland Chinese companies will not be able to help you or guide you when it comes to looking for clients abroad. And in certain cases, they may also be unaware of the requirements posed by these clients, effectively putting you in the middle of a demanding and economical Chinese boss and specific Western standards. Unfortunately, the positions in the sales industry are commission-based, with the standard salary often being quite low. But if your goal is to make a career in the import/export business or learn the ropes for starting your own company, this may be the way in. Solution 3: Do you have a skill? As strange as it sounds, you may be ignoring a long-forgotten skill that can turn out to be very helpful. Think of the hobbies or interests you once had that might have left you with a strong background. It could be a sport, something you learned in art class, above-average IT abilities or design, to give you a few examples. For instance, I know a woman who used to be a fitness fanatic in the U.S. (but had no formal training), who has now made a career as a personal trainer in Shanghai. I’ve also known a normal Russian university student with a passion for video games who went on to create an in-house gaming center in China, teaching other enthusiasts the tricks of the trade. There’s no knowing, really, which particular skill may help you out. Explore your city and think outside the box. This may be the perfect place to turn your beloved hobby into a money-making enterprise. And being a foreigner, native English speaking or not, will always add that mysterious flair of “Western expertise”. Solution 4: Look for job offers at home …and bring them to China. Scan the job ads back home for companies looking to expand into Chinese markets or already working here. They may well be in need of professionals already based in China, who could save them the cost of bringing people over. And if you have lived in China for a while, your experience and/or language skills could also be considered as a valuable asset. Solution 5: Taobao Most foreigners are well acquainted with Taobao as customers, but an increasing number are beginning to use it as a business platform as well. The only and really important question is, surely, what to sell. It can be a product of your own creativity: hand-made jewelry, paintings or other one-of-a-kind items. Or maybe something you are knowledgeable about and can provide a good selection of: books, learning materials, supplies for art/design projects etc. Or, perhaps something that your country has in abundance: olive oil, chocolate or coffee. While it’s fairly easy to set up a Taobao shop, it’s important to keep in mind that you will likely need local help to deal with the import regulations as well as a trusted assistant to help with customer service and other minor issues. Solution 6: Start a consulting business Similar to Solution 4, you are not the only person from your country who is interested in exploring China. And there is a high probability that the newcomers, whether individuals or companies, will be asking themselves the same questions that you were. So, using your first-hand experience, you can help those in need by providing consultation or other services that you think will be of value. This is in no way a conclusive list of the opportunities that China has to offer. But it’s a good start to exploring the idea that you can still be successful in China even if you’re not a native English speaker. You just need to think outside the box.