Avoiding disengagement before you’ve engaged

For the first six weeks of her employment, Li Yue began each day filled with doubt.

The company, a large multinational architectural firm based in Shanghai, had made extraordinary efforts in the hiring process. However, from day one Li was practically ignored. She now sat, on somebody else’s desk, sticking out into the walkway. Two weeks in, and she still hadn’t met her line manager. Six weeks in, and she still hadn’t signed a contract!

“Every morning, as I looked at myself in the mirror I would ask myself whether I should turn up for work,” says Li, “A colleague of mine from Taiwan, who started around the same time as me, only lasted six weeks before she resigned.”

A Mutual Beneficial Experience

Max arrived in China in May. While he's never been to China before, and speaks very little Mandarin, he is currently participating in a Shanghai based summer internship. But what Max lacks in experience he makes up for in energy and a hunger to learn.
"I'm excited to work in such a fast growing economy," says Max. "My co-workers are very helpful and there is always work for me to do." Max adds, "I'm very pleased with my decision to come to China."

Which jobs pay the most in China?

Who wants to be a millionaire? Apparently, Chinese more than most! The Boston Consulting Gruop (BCG) reported in the 2010 BCG Global Wealth Survey that there are now over one million millionaires in China, ranking China behind the United States and Japan as the country with the most millionaires. And Chris Watkins, Country Manager of MRI Recruitment, even believes the figure given by BCG is low.
"There is a lot of gray income that would raise the number," said Watkins. Watkins describes gray income as often difficult to quantify into a single monetary value but if considered might raise the value of some individuals.

-Choosing quality Executive Search in a Wild, Wild East

Li Yue’s first week on the job had been testing. Her new employer, a well known international interior design firm, had failed to implement any form of orientation program, preferring to allow Li and another ‘newbie’ to simply “self learn”. A few days into the job, and already overwhelmed with her new responsibilities, Li’s motivation took a further hit when she was invited into the office of the finance manager.

“We can’t provide you with the conditions stipulated on the offer letter,” said the manager. “The head hunter told us you were American, and since now we know you are Chinese you don’t qualify for the family expatriate insurance. I’m sorry, but that’s our policy.”