Jobs Shanghai

When foreigners look for jobs in China, they always think that Shanghai is the best working city in China. Think Shanghai is very attractive? So your consideration is correct. The business environment in Shanghai is very favorable for foreigners!

The economic situation of Shanghai

As early as the beginning of the 20th century, thousands of foreigners worked in many concessions in Shanghai, which were controlled by colonial countries. Today, Shanghai is the fastest growing city in China. Since 2012, China's economy has grown by only 7.7%, the lowest growth rate in 13 years. In 2013, Shanghai launched a free trade zone. The pharmaceutical, automotive, and petrochemical industries achieved significant growth. On the other hand, the steel products, electronics, and large machinery industries declined. This is due to the reduction of international demand and the adjustment of industrial structure. Shanghai is trying to phase out some labor-intensive industries. Founders, investors, executives, and employees are increasingly focusing on future growth areas such as financial services and high technology.

One aspect of Shanghai's economy has remained unchanged for centuries: the port. At the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai became one of the most important ports in China. Shanghai is not only the largest comprehensive port in China but also the largest container port in the world. The rapid flow of goods and the resulting large amount of commercial activities are another important reason for working in Shanghai.

Finding Jobs in Shanghai

In general, many foreigners in Shanghai are asked by their employers to emigrate overseas. However, it is difficult to find a job in Shanghai alone. Now, only speaking English is not enough. You must also have certain Chinese skills and cultural knowledge. In general, you have to be an expert in your field. There is a lot of local recruitment information on the local human resources network in China. They often ask candidates for business experience in their home country, an interest in the Chinese market, a certain knowledge of Putonghua, and specific skills required to work in Shanghai.

What skills do foreigners who want to work in Shanghai need?

Skill requirement

It's better to have expertise in technology or business administration and then polish it up with Chinese language skills and cultural competency than the other way around. "Hard skills" in marketing, sales, finance, consulting, IT, engineering, new technologies, etc., and good to excellent career Literacy, possibly better than the more academic Sinology or Intercultural Communication majors.

Language requirements

Many FIEs and MNCs use English as the common language in the workplace. Therefore, proficiency in Chinese can be limited to a specific job description, but it is best to have at least a basic knowledge of the language.

Language skills may give you a huge advantage over your competitors, even if they are not mentioned in the job ad itself. While you may not need them to handle your day-to-day business, they will make your contacts with Chinese colleagues and business contacts much smoother. Plus, the better you speak Chinese, the more job options you'll have.

Learn Chinese

For business purposes, you should have some knowledge of standard Mandarin Chinese. While Mandarin lacks complex intonation and complex grammar, it does require certain other skills. The nature of intonation makes good listening comprehension and the nuances of pronunciation invaluable. In addition, the multitude of Chinese characters makes reading, especially writing, more difficult than the alphabetic system of the language.

Unless your job requires actual fluency in Mandarin, you shouldn't worry too much about the potential difficulties of learning the language. An honest attempt alone shows an open mind, good intentions, respect and interest in another culture. Thus, even if you don't speak Mandarin well, you may win the affection of your hosts, colleagues or contacts, as they will notice that you are clearly Make an effort to speak their language.