On the Importance of Information from Foreign Headhunters
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It’s been over 10 years since I started my journey here. As an expat who has been here for a long time, I have many reflections on all the experiences I’ve had； I don’t know if others share the same feeling as me; when I used to work for a contractor (such as the 11th Construction Unit), I often interacted with the management staff from the client side. I always thought their positions were prestigious, and their salaries were much higher than ours ； And then there are those clients from foreign companies (such as Bayer, Air Liquide, BP, PTT, BASF, Lurgi, Toyo, etc.); it always seems to me that they are on a higher level than us ； I’m always looking forward to the chance to work with them, as it would allow me to learn English while earning a high salary ； So I studied English hard, and I studied professional knowledge hard, hoping that one day I would be able to join their circle. (Yes, I want to say here that the circle we’re in is extremely important; the type of people we are around and the topics we discuss determine a lot about our lives.) ； The colleagues from Party B tend to talk about trivial matters of daily life or gossip related to work, while the people from Party A discuss things such as which international projects have been launched in China recently, how long their timelines are, and who their headhunting contacts are ； Which friend has gone to an overseas project again? Through what channel did they go? ； Wait, wait ； It can be seen that in different circles, the valuable information discussed varies greatly; such information is extremely precious, just like the business trends discussed by merchants ； When used properly, all of these can be transformed into economy and wealth ； When we were working for Party B, did anyone notice that when we asked the managers at Party A, \"Sir, how can one get a job at a company like yours?\" ； The common reply is that it requires several years of work experience, and all jobs are referred by friends or foreigners ； English skills have to be extremely good, and usually there are several rounds of interviews before one can get in, along with other such evasive tactics (it’s not true that everyone responds this way, but a considerable number do) ； Is that really the case? From my experience as someone who is currently working as a client-side construction manager at a foreign-owned company, it’s not quite like that. In reality, you need to be the first to know about the available channels, to find out which headhunters are looking for candidates ； What I want to say here is that there are quite a few headhunters who have very strong relationships with their clients (like in my case); when projects are busy, there’s no need to rush through the interview process. Often, a phone interview is sufficient. And because of the strong connections that headhunters have, some of the people they recommend can start working right away. The first time I joined a client company, I was lucky enough to come across information about job openings provided by a headhunter; I submitted my resume (and crafting a resume requires skill), had a brief phone conversation (no in-depth discussion of technical details was needed), and then I started working immediately. From then on, I became part of that client company’s circle, made friends there, and no longer felt as lost regarding my work ； In fact, for many people who work for Party B, the transition from Party B to Party A is, to a certain extent, a matter of fate. I don’t know if everyone agrees with this ； Because the differences in treatment are too huge ； I know that the most extreme cases are the Chevron project in northeastern Sichuan and the SBM project in Guangdong ； The employer here probably earns in one month what a contractor engineer earns in a year; in some cases, it might even be more ； So in short, the main reason for wanting to switch from being Party A to Party B is to be able to gain access to project requirements information ； Even by joining a client’s project, it’s possible to gain access to that client’s network, which can serve as a springboard to create a different future ； In fact, what many of us lack is not competence, nor connections at the same level; what we lack are effective headhunting information and useful job recruitment information. Good information channels can give you an advantage, allowing you to get ahead and enter the circles of clients and professionals – and those networks are completely different ； Today is the first time I’ve registered on Haichuan Forum (I’m very grateful to this platform for allowing me to share my thoughts); I wrote these words out of inspiration ； I wish those working on the front line could find more effective ways to gain access to the clients’ circles and work alongside them, rather than being oppressed by the clients every day ； Those who wish to discuss further can contact me via WeChat at ai475577428 or QQ at 454471306; I can set aside some time to talk with you about the various rules and tips involved in entering certain industries within foreign-funded companies ；
Great, I’ve learned something new; thumbs up, 32 likes
I completely agree. Headhunting recommendations are absolutely crucial for the client.
The guy wrote quite honestly; I’m not very familiar with Guangdong SBM, but I know a bit about CDB
This post was last edited by expromess on 2016-7-4 09:39. I also worked for a foreign company as a client-side employee for three years. A team leader I worked with before, due to the similar nature of our work and his familiarity with the department head, had his resume submitted, and he was recommended as an engineer. Those who have no one around just haha. Both the HR interview and the department manager interview consisted of simple questions. There were four or five professional engineers related to the position being filled who conducted the interviews, asking very specific and detailed questions; even those with advanced degrees were unable to answer them, leaving the position vacant for a whole year. In fact, what’s more important are the skills for seeking jobs. Those vocational and technical professionals start looking for their next job online as soon as they join the company. Generally speaking, they won’t change jobs to earn a higher salary unless it’s an increase of over 50%. They prefer to stay in their current jobs and keep receiving the high salary. I have the skills and experience; we can talk about it gradually while working. One or two years is considered a short time for a job, while three or four years isn’t long; naturally, one’s position will rise as time goes by.
This post was last edited by od110 on 2016-7-4 at 10:26. It’s also necessary to consider the integrity of the headhunters; some of them are extremely unscrupulous. For the same position, different headhunters can result in huge differences in offers, with prices kept lower and lower, to an absurd level, so that the lowest bidder wins the contract. In the current difficult economic environment, clients will surely choose the option with the lowest price, unless other legitimate headhunters have strong relationships with the client! This kind of headhunter is a troublemaker in the industry
I’ve never worked as a client-side employee; I only envy those who work on the client side and earn good salaries. Hiring, to a large extent, depends on whether the candidate is wanted and who recommended them.
In fact, what many of us lack is not ability, nor are it connections at the same level – it’s just too realistic! ! !