Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[YetAnotherCanadian]

I would imagine with a little searching you could find people open to the idea of having a nanny, but why only charge 4000 RMB?

[x0vash0x]

I think you all misunderstood me. I never said it was impossible, what I said was: you have to make a very strong and compelling case as to why you are better (i.e. bring in more customers and money) than a Chinese at the same job. Unless you can do this, you aren't going to get a job.

And, think about it this way Bonnie: you found one case of a foreigner working within the Chinese bureaucracy. The trouble is, do you honestly think they got their jobs because they were qualified? It's a publicity stunt more than anything else:

"Foshan is touting the foreign bureaucrats as a demonstration of the city government’s ability to innovate. Zhou Zhitong, director general of the Foshan Bureau of Commerce, said he got the idea after speaking with international specialists and executives from foreign companies, of which Foshan has more than 7,000."

Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/06/05/in-one-chinese-city-these-foreigners-are-working-as-government-bureaucrats/

I'm not saying it isn't possible, what I'm saying is simple: getting these jobs are few and far between, you're fighting a very uphill battle to get one, and even if you get one you'll probably be treated as an outside and a novelty rather than given any responsibility or respect.

For those reasons, it'll be MUCH easier and better to be a nanny. That was my point: being a nanny is much easier than getting a job at a Mall or a other 'typical' Chinese job.

[luiz_iniciante]

**Mounts Soapbox. Clears throat**

I actually thought x0vash0x had some good points. When Ellie said:

sorry, that's the stupidest thought I've ever heard that you need fluent Chinese to sell a pair of shoes.... I know basic Chinese and I would certainly learn everything I  would need for my job. You're not gonna talk about literature or history with a customer buying shoes so you really don't need to sound as a native speaker.

In my country there is a Chinese restaurant on every corner and countless Vietnamese guys selling clothes and shoes and I can assure you that most of them can say no more than several words and a couple of phrases and all that with a very bad accent.They just know what they need to be able to their job.

I think she neglects the fact there is a still a market for unskilled immigrant labor in many western countries. And that, in those countries, when employers do a cost/benefit analysis of poor language skills (cost) vs low wages (benefit), the latter wins out. But not so in China, which already has a large pool of unskilled/semi-skilled labor from the countryside. In other words, employers here can get a win/win situation of good/decent languange skills (benifit) and low wages (benefit).

Ellie suggests that for certain jobs, such as that of salesgirl, having a white face could trump the above considerations. I appreciate that she probably spoke toungue-in-cheek, but this is an unpleasant fact of life in China that is in decline and deserves to die an ignominious death. It almost makes you want to say to locals who are so impressed by white faces as to drop all other considerations, 'How about showing a little self-respect?!' I think we can all agree that the job should go to the best qualified candidate, white or colored, foreigner or chinese. Within reasonable parameters, someone in China with basic chinese is unlikely to be the most qualified person to be a salesgirl.

As for the benefits of hiring a forgeign nanny or baby-sitter, obviously the parents should decide that one for themselves.

**Dismounts soapbox** 

[Ellie]

Seeing you guys being cynical ........then why don't I just stay home...make another baby of my own to babysit ... or open a store of my own [or with a copartner ] so I won't need anyone to hire me ....   

Now you can guys keep coming more pessimistic stuff...

[x0vash0x]

Actually, opening your own store isn't a bad idea. I know quite a few foreigners who've done this very successfully in Hefei. Only thing you need is a Chinese partner.

I'm not trying to be pessimistic. I'm trying to be a realist.

[Aussie Mike]

You can start your own business "on your own".
No requirement of Chinese partners for SOWOFE.
Solely Owned, Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprise.
You need to employ Chinese though.

[x0vash0x]

Well, you could also go into the 'Grey Market'....

Open a Daycare in your apartment. Tell those local in your community that you'll watch their preschool age children during the day. If anyone asks just say its 'private tutoring'.... Have these kids interact with your kids. Saves you the trouble of finding a family.

[YetAnotherCanadian]

Or what about being a western spokesperson for those sketchy Chinese baby formula companies? You know, the ones that include ground bicycle seats as part of the recipe.

[x0vash0x]

I'm curious whatever happened to Ellie. Did she manage to find her dream job? Did she flew the country because she couldn't find anything better?