Land of opportunity? Not for those who leave

By Bai Ping (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-23 08:40

I recently met the dean from a leading local university who was unable to conceal his contempt for Chinese scholars returning to China after working and studying abroad.

"We have received many applications for teaching positions. There is no fit with the applicants and the realities of China," the political scientist said. "We just don't need these haigui, they're stuck."

Haigui is the Chinese term used to describe those who have returned to China after years of studying and working abroad.

While the dean did not elaborate on the Chinese realities to which he referred, it is true that living abroad has hindered the attempts of haigui from relaunching careers back in their native country.

Part of the problem stems from a lack of guanxi, or connections. Yet issues also arise from what some say is discriminatory recruitment criteria from Chinese employers.

My friend Steve is one example of a Chinese who has come home but cannot find work. Before returning to China several years ago, he had a successful career at an American bank.

Steve also had teaching experience in China before he left to study at a top American business school decades ago. He returned to Beijing hoping he could find a job at one of the many private colleges in the city that have been aggressively recruiting new staff.

Six months into his job search, Steve has had no luck. He is still answering job listings on career websites and has been invited to a few interviews, but no one seems to want to hire him.

The last time I spoke with Steve, he told me that he seriously doubts he has a chance of landing a senior position at any private institution in Beijing.

He attributes his lack of luck to the many years he spent outside of China. He simply does not have the connections with high-level university management that are crucial to finding work, he said.

While employers like advanced degrees and illustrious work experience, they are more keen to find an applicant who is practical and street-smart - someone who can increase student enrollment and maintain good government relations amidst cut-throat market competition.

Steve said, for example, that during one interview for a position as vice-president of an international education program for a local education company, the management asked him to outline his strategy for enhancing the competitiveness of the company's education portfolio, which included a college as well as several bilingual kindergartens and schools.

Age is also working against Steve who now is in his forties. American management guru Peter Drucker says by age 45 most executives will have reached the peak of their careers. After that, the rest of their working lives may consist of only keeping up a routine while counting the days until retirement.

Chinese bosses are aware of this, too. Often employment discrimination in China is blatant. Job ads frequently specify certain age requirements. The cut-off for managerial positions is usually around 30 or 45.

Yet discrimination can also be subtle, leaving applicants unaware that a decision was made on the basis of personal characteristics unrelated to the job.

"Some interviewers look at me suspiciously," Steve said. "They ask me about my life goals and why I quit previous jobs. It is obvious they don't believe I will work hard for them and stay long."

Steve's last interview went well. He even thought he was going to get the job. But then human resources called to say the management had decided to interview more candidates. Maybe they would contact him again.

By now, Steve said he has realized he should have been more active with social networking and informing people of where he hopes to work. He said he also needs to refresh his knowledge about China.

He said it is humiliating and hard to cope with what are, at times, taunting interrogations by people from his country who he apparently no longer knows.

Readers are welcome to contribute their thoughts to METRO. Articles about your life and work in Beijing should be less than 700 words. Send to metrobeijing@chinadaily.com.cn