Most Popular Jobs For Foreigners In China

Not putting your hard-earned degree to good use? What if you've learned enough Mandarin, but you only have one liberal arts major and little work experience? Give up your dream of becoming a big shot diplomat for a while, there are plenty of job opportunities for Westerners in China these days, once you learn to think outside the box.

English editor/Writer/Journalist

This is a natural transition for an English teacher, as you will hopefully have achieved at least a strong grasp of the English language and grammar during the teaching process. In Beijing alone, more than half of the English-language newspapers, state-run English-language television channels, radio stations, newspapers, and news portals spread their message to the world. Increasingly, people with media experience are of great help, but as foreign drifters jump from one media outlet to another, or complete their gap in China, there will always be openings. The benefit of working for these organizations is that you can quickly expand your network of contacts and lay the foundation for future opportunities.

Project Manager

In China's corporate world, where managers rule their fields like feudal lords and employees have a vague understanding of teamwork, there is an absolute lack of quality project managers. In addition to laying out the scope and cost of a project, executing it well and keeping it on time, you also need to be a QQ master at communicating with your minions. Strong organizational skills, proficiency in Gantt chart, and fluency in Mandarin are the keys to success.

Voice Talent

Countless dubbing studios are scattered in high-rise buildings due to the Chinese's thirst for the latest and greatest English learning materials. Work includes, but is not limited to, textbook dialogue, television documentaries, commercials, audio tour guides, film voiceovers, etc. To get a higher paying job, you'll need to improve yourself by properly training your voice, making a voice presentation reel, and learning live audio-visual and editing.

Actor or Model

In China, having a foreign face is an undeniable advantage, and that is that you can get showtime on TV and in commercials faster and more easily. Even if you don't think of yourself as a handsome hunk or a voluptuous beauty, don't worry, Chinese beauty standards for Westerners are very different from your home country. Get yourself a decent headshot, reply to a few ads in the Diaspora newspaper, and who knows, you might find yourself on the set of a kung fu movie.

Of course, acting and modeling are two completely different disciplines, at a higher level. In China, full-time Western actors pride themselves on their years of professionalism. When most expats brag about getting into movies or TV shows, they're probably just a low-paid background actor. It takes skill and luck to land a bigger, higher paying role, as well as a good relationship with the right agent.

If you want to be a model, you need to be photogenic, tall (by Chinese standards), and in your 20s. You don't have to be Adonis or Aphrodite, but you do need to pack it in for the cameras. You also need to train your facial expressions and posture in front of a mirror.

Advertising Account Manager

Do people describe you as a "go-getter", "proactive", "passionate" person? Do you like a fast-paced, highly competitive environment? So, the advertising industry is the one for you! The great thing about finding a job in the advertising industry is that they are always looking for new faces with fresh prospects. Experience is less than creative instinct and a high degree of energy and drive.

Trading Company Sales Manager

Once you've learned the Chinese jargon associated with trade, it's a day-to-day job to change emails and other correspondence from Chinglish to something like English. Depending on the company and the number of clients, a highly motivated salesperson may be necessary to survive and earn a higher salary by tapping into new clients.