I’m not sure if this is the right topic but just some advice for you fellows about to get married.
If you are ever going home, be sure to prepare your wife (or husband) for employment. That is, be sure to get the proper paperwork so they can work but also find out the English equivalent for their job in Taiwan.
My wife had the standard “trading company” job that 4 out of 5 Chinese girls have, had or will have in the future. I was helping her find work but using all the wrong nomenclature to describe her last job. Once I started looking under the correct category the job offers starting rolling in. She is now making more than me and has better benefits. If you find a company in dire need of Chinese speakers with sales or trading experience you can make a bundle.
We just returned home the America a few months ago. I started work immediately. It was a pretty good job and the pay was enough to get by. My wife stayed at home. I figured he would just get a job at Wal-Mart or something until her English improved. I ended up falling off a horse and dislocating my knee. I lost my job so I had lots of time to help my wife with her resume and to help her plan a good job hunting strategy.
Long story short, she had her pick of jobs after about a week of waiting, freaking out and biting my nails.
When you get married and plan to return home just don’t underestimate the earning potential of your spouse(like I did).
[quote=“dix2111”]Once I started looking under the correct category the job offers starting rolling in.[/quote]I’m curious, what was that correct category?
I’m glad it’s worked out for you. I’m interested in this topic, cos my wife claims she couldn’t do her job (executive recruitment) in the UK, andI’m sure she’s wrong. But unfortunately I haven’t quite figured out your breakthrough. Can you explain a little more?
Of course your wife could do executive recruitment in the UK. I am sure there are consulting companies that are specialized in the recruitment of staff in China for UK companies. That would be a good start and is paid well. I assume your wife speaks English, though
Well, I guess you probably mean recruitment of UK staff to work for Chinese companies in the UK, right? Recruitment of Taiwanese people to work for foreign companies in Taiwan, China and overseas is what she does now, here.
Her English is fine for most purposes, but she does see it as a language / culture issue. In her job here she uses all sorts of little tricks and ruses to win the candidates over to having their names put forward. You have to know the banter, put them at their ease, tell a few white lies, and I think really flirt a bit. A foreigner couldn’t do her job (it’s a foreign owned consultancy, but the boss himself doesn’t do this canvassing). Conversely, she claims, she couldn’t do the same thing in English and in a different cultural context.
Hmm, not so sure about that. I think that stuff works in all cultures. Recruitment of what ever national for what ever kind of company, it’s not that different!
The girls that work in the business here where I live spend most of the day chatting, looking through beauty catalogs and surfing the web…! Lucky bints…
I’m glad it’s worked out for you. I’m interested in this topic, cos my wife claims she couldn’t do her job (executive recruitment) in the UK, andI’m sure she’s wrong. But unfortunately I haven’t quite figured out your breakthrough. Can you explain a little more?[/quote]
There used to be an annual job fair in London for Chinese-speakers: London Chinese Career Forum I think. Lots of companies target Chinese speaking grad students studying in the UK for jobs in Asia. Basically it is a comfort and convenience factor - recruiting UK educated students who have lived/worked/studied in a western environment. Hire them and get them started with the company in the west and then transfer them to Asia a year or so down the road. There is also a growing need for Chinese-speaking employees in the UK - perhaps your wife could start her own business and target this market?
If anyone else has any more info on this, would you be so kind as to share it? My husband is Taiwanese and works in the fitness industry here. I assumed that he would be have to start out working at a fast food joint or something simularily depressing if we made the move to Canada. It does seem like that happens to a lot of immigrants. Do you really think that he could a job in Canada that is comparable to his in Taiwan? Any info would be appreciated- ie: can he find a job before we leave and, if so, how?
There are jobs in Canada at the moment. Alberta is rolling in money. Everyone seems to be moving there so there are shortages in other places.
What are your husband’s prospects? Well . . . where do you want to live in Canada? What does he do in the fitness industry? What is his education and background? Level of English? Is he committed/limited to working in the fitness industry?
A number of immigrants end up in low-wage jobs because their education/professional qualifications/work experience are not recognized in Canada - either legally or in practice.
Most provincial/federal government websites list employment opportunities in the public sector and link to employment opportunities in the private sector. There are any number of online job sites listing thousands of jobs and allowing people to post resumes.
In Taiwan, his prospects are great. He works for a fitness equipment company and maintains and sells equipment, sometimes designs gyms, does sales. There aren’t a lot of people here who can do his job. They import a lot of equipment and he has to spend a lot of time talking to people overseas. He did a job offer from an Italian company, but they wanted him to work here most of the time. He is also a life guard (here) and can be a trainer. So, he kind of does everything. He got a BA in Phys Ed. His English is great, of course. He says he is ok with switching to another field, but I don’t think that is a good idea.
I am from BC, but I don’t care too much about moving somewhere else in Canada. Vancouver is too, too expensive and annoying to live in now. Do you think another country might be better? You said you moved to the States.
That is true. We have all met some 7-11 people with PHds. And that is the big thing that I am afraid of. He did get most of his equipment training from overseas, but not his degree. I emailed a guy from a Canadian fitness company to see if Mr Prince might be eligable to work there/ in Canada but haven’t heard back yet. I think his certifications will be ok, but his degree might not. And I am especially worried that he will need Canadian work experience.
He might want to think about opening up a small fitness equipment and sporting goods store. Lots of immigrants end up starting businesses when they can’t land a regular job.
That is an interesting idea. It may even be possible to start something from here, so much (bad but cheap) equipment is coming from China lately. It is still pretty intimidating though. Thanks for the suggestion.
I assume your wife speaks English, though