本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛People talking about 35-year-old issue. If you're more than 35, unless you've reached very senior level, it will be very difficult to find a job in china.

About networking, my personal feeling is: the people helped you most are often the guys you are not very close to each other. All my major leaps are conducted by some "new helpers". The people you play together everyday cannot help that much.

To argue the stability is very hard. Canada has very small job market. And I've left canada myself. But as a person earning 60K, it's very easy to find another tech job with 60K. When I was earning 60K, I never worry about my job security.

But 200K in china is different. Without strong and match experence, it's hard to relocate to another manager position.

In one word, if you're looking for a career of employee, you'd better stay in NA. If you want to run your own business, it's china.

I think these Haigui has not lived in china long enough. The first a few years are usually exciting. They don't need to worry about many long-term challenges.

If looking at these Haigui, many of them are running back and forth between china and NA. I don't think they have succeeded in their career.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net

在加拿大工作时间长了通常回忘记这个，我刚来不久，还深有感受，现在还不适应加拿大每天8小时的工作。

本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛海龟回国都是为了三个字：事业心

However,

再说说你是谁的问题。不是人家移民你就要移民，人家海龟你就合适海龟。这坛子里，如果年龄超过35岁，回国没有一份稳定而且有前途的事业，只有那么一份简历，我认为就不要做海龟梦。什么“是金子哪里都发光”，我从来认为这是句鼓励人的话，但同时也是句最大的谎言：因为金子绝对不会发光-----如果没有光照到他的话。以中国人目前的思维方式，以及就业现状，这个年龄的人都是面试别人的人，老大岁数还拿份简历，到处“求”职，这件事本身不被国内的思维接受，别跟我提什么“年龄歧视”，现实一点。没有那么一束光照到你，你这块金子就是发不出光来。

He pointed out an important thing. What are your advantages as being a Haigui?

Age? Experience? Skills? Degree? Energt? Networking? English?

Then tell yourself how can you get and survive an outstanding job offer in china.

Don't say "all my friends are doing good" and imply that you will do good too. The friends you met in china are the ones who are doing good. If they're not, you will not find them. And you cannot copy another person's story any more at current age.

Comparatively, to live in NA is much easier. You can actually make your living at any cities empty handed only with a resume. The only requirement is to make yourself an valuable employee, which is much much easier than doing the same thing in china. And you can copy another person's experience. For example, I left canada to US and find a better career. I can say that most of the complainers in this forum can find a good job in US and live a life similar as mine in no time.

The reason is simple, because you're looking for a normal mid-class job in NA, while you're hunting for a 人上人 job in china.

If you only aimed to get 100KRMB technical job in china, it will also be easy for you too. (Unless many companies will not hire a 35-year-old engineer even he only asked for 100K) Because most of people are doing pure technical jobs in NA during these years even they were managers in china. They have NO experience of manager at all in canada or US. Then just because they've got a foreign passport, they suddenly become qualified as a manager in china? If I were the boss, I will not hire these Haigui.

Very few chinese people are doing managers in NA. However, a technical manager of NA is completely different with a technical manager in china.

The mamagers who survived successfully in china fall into following categories:
1) The employees transfered back from NA to china as a manager. These are mainly for outsourcing service. Because they are from the same company and know well about the culture and requirements. On the other hand, they know products much better.

There're still a lot of opportunities like these. Companies will usually give them 2 options: option1 is to keep their salary in NA but preset the duration for 2 years. One of their responsibilities is to train a local person to replace themselves in china. Option2 is to pay 300KRMB, which is 5 times higher than an average engineer. It's still a risk to be replaced.

Their workloads are usually very high. They have to work day and night (for communication with NA). BTW, these oursourcing managers are usually located at Chengdu, Xi'an and other inner cities. Office in SH, BJ, GZ are more and more becoming service centers or sales oriented.

2) Hired a manager from another company with proven experience. This manager maybe a Haigui or not. But since he has proven experience, Haigui will be preferred.

3) Someone who can sell themselve great.
I have to admit that some people are great in hunting for jobs. They will give you a good and senior feeling even they know nothing. This is a useful skill though.

4) Someone promoted from leader or engineers.
Without proven experience, some companies will still give a try to people with potential. Some wil get a manager position, some will get leader or engineer for a few months. If they can prove their value within 6 months, they will get promoted. Of course, many of them failed due to all kinds of reasons.

I did meet quite a lot of Haigui in china. Each time (usually on a dinner table after 2 bottles of beers or wines) they will tell you how prosperoius his current career is. Then one year later, you will find him with a new title in a new company. He again will tell you how good his new job is.

This is habitat of Haigui nowadays.

I know many people feel uncomfortable in canada. They want to do something to improve their career.

Personally, I feel going to US is a much better and easier choice. Being a contractor is another choice.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net