mandarin consultant: job opportunities for chinese-speaking students

© Copyright Mandarin Consultant

MANDARIN CONSULTANT

David Peckham

University of Sussex 6 February 2013

Engineer – 7 years Management Consultant - PwC 13 years,

- PA Consulting Group 6 years

Now - Director of Mandarin Consultant


PRESENTATION IN TWO PARTS

Part 1: Getting a Job in an International Company

Part 2: The Recruitment Process and Steps Chinese Candidates Find Difficult


PART 1 Getting a Job in an International Company


Why are you here? . . .

•  Determined to work for an International company?

•  Considering all options including International companies?

•  Confused about career options and choices?

•  Just here to get out of the cold!


Graduate Schemes in International Companies What are they? . . . .

•  A job! – usually paying between £20,000 and £35,000 per year

•  A unique opportunity to be trained while working – probably the most important training in your life

•  Usually results in a professional qualification often recognised internationally

. . . . . but competitive


Internships in International Companies What are they? . . . .

•  Working in a company usually for 2 to 8 weeks in the summer vacation (but other variations exist!)

•  Sometimes paid, sometimes only expenses

•  Opportunity to try out a sector/company •  Opportunity to develop “competencies” and

strengthen CV

•  Often results in a graduate scheme job!

. . . . . but also competitive


The Current Economic Situation Plenty of bad news . . . .

UK Double Dip Recession!

Goldman

Sachs to fire

200

RBS fires 5,000 people

100,000 less jobs in City of London

Maybe I should go back to China??? . . . .


Interesting Statistics . . .

Plenty to go for if you want to go for Graduate Schemes. . . .

2010 – 2011 Graduate

recruitment up 5.8%

2011 – 2012 Graduate

recruitment up about 6.0%

Estimated 2010 – 2011 Chinese UK

Graduate recruitment up

about 12.0%

Estimated 2011 – 2012 Chinese UK

Graduate recruitment up at least 12.0%


Why is this . . .

Approximate 5 year Economic Cycle

Economic Performance

5 Years Later - Gap in Management Staff Promotion Stop Graduate

Recruitment


Why Go for International Companies Graduate Schemes? . . .

•  It’s a job!

•  A unique opportunity to be trained

•  Exposure to global ideas and methods

•  Working alongside international experts


What do You Need to Get onto a Graduate Scheme?. . .

More qualifications and certificates?

A Masters Degree?

Work experience?

ü A Good Bachelors Degree

ü Well developed “competencies”

ü Motivation

ü Internships (these help!)

ü Competency developing work experience


Successful Role Models/成功榜样： Silas S. S. Yang Senior Partner, PWC, China Stephen Yiu Chairman, KPMG China Chris LuChief Executive Officer, Deloitte China Albert Ng Sub-Area Managing Partner, Ernst & Young’s China ** All started and have had excellent professional careers in international accountancy firms.


Part 1 THE END


PART 2 The Recruitment Process

Steps Chinese Candidates Find Difficult


Typical Job Application Process

Online tests

Application JOB!! CV

Covering Letter

Interview Assessment Centre

This is a SELLING process


What do we mean by “Selling”?

You need to understand both these parts

Matching:

The Requirements Of The Job

Your Skills And Attributes

to


“This car is the safest in Europe” Automobile Association

Benefit

Specification

This car has 0.5mm steel box sections front and rear with shear stiffeners at 150mm centres allowing high energy crumple zone absorption together with side bars . . .

Sell on Benefits not Specification


What attributes are companies looking for. . . ?


•  Hard working

•  Loyal

•  Take orders

•  Know their place

•  Obedient

•  Contacts (Guanxi)

. . . . . And others

Chinese International

•  Motivated

•  Team worker

•  Leader

•  Good communicator

•  Questioning

•  Having fun at work!

. . . . . And others

There are clear differences in requirements. . .

Attributes Companies Look For


The Competency Based Application Process


For the Type of Jobs You Will Be Applying For . . Organisations are looking for key competencies including:

•  Motivation and drive •  Leadership and teamwork •  Communication and persuasion skills •  Innovation •  Problem solving abilities •  Awareness of the business world and implications •  Genuine motivation behind the application •  The “Ah HA!!” factor

How do Organisations Test for Competencies? . . .

– original thinking


By Asking “Competency” Questions . . . . Typical competency-based questions start . . .

Describe a time when you . . .

Give an example of . . . .

Describe how you . .

Tell me about a situation . .

These questions aim to probe your abilities and skills in a practical setting


Examples of Competency Questions . . . .

•  Give me an example of a problem you have faced in the past. How did you solve the problem?

•  Tell me about a time when you taught someone else something

•  Describe a situation where you inspired others to meet a common goal

•  Tell me about a time when you worked successfully as part of a team


Answering a Competency Question

•  Think of the purpose of the question •  Formulate your answer to address this purpose •  Use the STAR method to structure your answer

Tell me about a time when you were unsuccessful

•  Enjoys trying different things •  Adventurous •  Innovative •  Overcomes difficulties

Purpose might include . . .


Another Inevitable Question:

Why do you want to join our

organisation? The Matching Is Between Your Requirements

And What The Organisation Offers

You need to be clear what your requirements are . . .

(This is a motivational type question)


Some Examples of Requirements

•  High value, intensive training

•  Working with world recognised experts

•  Rapid assignment of responsibility

. . . . . And there are others

This is a better way of answering this question!


Non-Competency Questions . . . .

•  Tell me about yourself

•  What is your main weakness (area for improvement)?

•  Why did you choose the university you went to?

•  Why did you choose the course you took?

•  What do you see yourself doing in five years time?

These need to be thought through


Other, Non-Competency Questions . . . .

•  How many cows are there in the UK?

•  How many people are on the London Underground at any moment?

•  How many pingpong balls can be fitted into a 747 aircraft?

These have been asked in interviews recently

These test your thinking process


The Assessment Centre


Purpose of the Assessment Centre To Test Your Ability to Work Effectively in a

Simulated Working Environment Typically . . . .

•  Working in teams

•  Processing/analysing information

•  Decision making

•  Presenting ideas and cogent arguments

. . . . all under pressure


Typical Structure of the Assessment Centre

•  e-tray exercise

•  Online tests

•  Group discussion/analysis

•  Presentation

•  Partner/director interview

Lasting about five hours


Issues for Chinese Candidates in the Assessment Centre

Reading business English under pressure

•  Daily reading exercise

•  Practice with English friends/classmates

Positive contribution to Group Discussion

•  Cultural issues – deference and politeness

•  Look at requirements on PwC video of group discussion(now on YouTube)

Partner/candidate interface

•  Cultural issues – deference and politeness

•  Choice is a two way street!

Doubt!

. . and the real issue


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Mandarin Consulting helps Graduates and Students get jobs in International Companies . . .

Through a structured programme designed specifically for you that helps you through each part of the application process . . .

. . . . Supported by our international coaches who have great experience of major companies and a track record

of successfully helping candidates get these jobs


•  Help you understand your strengths and weaknesses

•  Help you to choose the right sector, right companies and right positions

•  Prepare you and teach you job application skills

until you get an OFFER!

How can Mandarin Consultant Help You?

YOU provide your strong drive, determination and willingness to learn and improve.


A Three Stage, Structured Programme . . .

STAGE 1 PREPARATION

STAGE 2 APPLICATION

STAGE 3 INTERVIEW AND

ASSESSMENT CENTRE


Stage 1 - Preparation. . .

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5

Career advice

and plan

Initial documents/ Career plan

CV revision

Covering letter

revision

Research sectors and companies

Ongoing Attend One

Day Workshop

Intensive workshop coaching*

CV and Covering Letter preparation

Research advice

*Not one on one

What We Do

What You Do


Stage 2 Application. . .

Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 onwards

1st application

revision

1st application preparation

1st application submission

2nd Application preparation

2nd application

revision

3rd application

revision

4th application

revision

2nd application submission

3rd Application preparation

3rd application submission

4th Application preparation

4th application submission

3/week Application preparation

Total 30 Applications Submitted

What You Do

What We Do

Group Practice Sessions


Stage 3 - Interview and Assesment Centre. . .

Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12

1st Interview Coaching

1st Interview

preparation

1st Interview

2nd Interview

preparation

2nd Interview

2nd Interview Coaching

3rd Interview Coaching

1st AC Coaching

3rd Int Prep

3rd Interview

1st Ass Centre

Ongoing to job offer

Ongoing to job offer

What We Do

What You Do

Group Practice Sessions


Questions?

北京海淀区中关村善缘街1号立方庭2-609室电话：+86 10 8244 7189

邮件: [email protected] 网站：www.mcilcn.com

223a High Street Kensington, London W8 6SG Tel: +44 20 73761037 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mandarinconsultant.com

mandarin consultant: job opportunities for chinese-speaking students

Career

graduate scheme job

attributes companies

graduate graduaterecruitment

unique opportunity

year economic cycle5

application interviewjob

motivation internships

sectorcompany opportunity