外企求职宝典: KNOW THE GAME, PLAY THE GAME

wlar

Konw The Game,Play The Game

Developing A Career In A Multinational Firm ... And How To Get There In The First Place.

By Larry Wang
            

 

Contents:

Author's Notes... Some Important Clarifications
Acknowledgments
Introduction

Part I:             Multinational Firms 
Chapter 1       Where East Meets West
Chapter 2       Outstanding Career Development Opportunities

Part II:             The Employment Situation 
Chapter 3        The Situation: China's Rapidly Evoloving Business Environment
Chapter 4        The Problem: Shortage Of Bilingual, Western-trained Professional Talent

Chapter 5        A Current Solution: Mainland-born Returnee, Third Country National, and Overseas Chinese Professionals

Chapter 6       The Ideal Solution: Mainland Professionals With "The Right Stuff"
Chapter 7       The Gap: Ready and Willing, But Lacking The "Polish"

Part III:           Getting Into A Multinational Firm
Chapter 8       What Are International Managers Look For?
Chapter 9       Making Good Career Decisions
Chapter 10     Interviewing Well

Part IV:          Once You're There 
Chapter 11     Your Professional Development: Insight And Guidance
 

Part V:          What Else You Should Know 
Chapter 12    Most Often Asked Questions
Chapter 13    Common Mistakes ... Or, Why Some Don't Make It
Chapter 14    Glass Ceiling?

Part VI:          The Wrap-up 
Chapter 15     Future Prospects In China: New Companies And New Opportunities
 

Part III:           Getting Into A Multinational Firm
Chapter 8       What Are International Managers Look For?
Chapter 9       Making Good Career Decisions
Chapter 10     Interviewing Well

Part IV:          Once You're There 
Chapter 11     Your Professional Development: Insight And Guidance
 

Part V:          What Else You Should Know 
Chapter 12    Most Often Asked Questions
Chapter 13    Common Mistakes ... Or, Why Some Don't Make It
Chapter 14    Glass Ceiling?

Part VI:          The Wrap-up 
Chapter 15     Future Prospects In China: New Companies And New Opportunities
 

[此贴子已经被作者于2008-4-18 10:49:38编辑过]

wlar

PART III:  Getting Into A Multinational Firm

CHAPTER 8:  What Are Multinational Managers Looking For? 

What Are Multinational Managers Looking For?
The young man who approached me after my presentation in Beijing on Developing A Career In A Multinational Firm was perplexed.  He had listened to me talk about mainland professionals who were attaining exceptional opportunities and doing extremely well in multinational companies.  His English was good, and he had several years of work experience with a reputable Chinese company.  He kept himself up-to-date with international events and business developments.  Yet, he was puzzled over why others with backgrounds seemingly no more qualified than his were able to get into such promising jobs, while he couldn’t.
                

There wasn't a single answer I could give him.  However, among those candidates that we work with who have successfully entered and developed a career in a multinational company, some things are common among them.  Skills such as English language ability, industry expertise, or management experience are, of course, attractive to any company.  But perhaps more importantly, there are key intangible qualities that multinational managers place even greater value on when evaluating prospective employees.  Although the order of importance varies, the following are repeatedly mentioned by executives and human resources personnel whom I have posed the question to:  what are the most important characteristics that you look for when hiring new staff and promoting key people?

Highly Sought Employee Characteristics:

•       Professionalism

•       Transparency and Credibility

•       Accountability/Taking Responsibility

•       Effective Communications skills

•       Understanding The Big Picture

•       International-Oriented Thinking

•       Team player

•       Leadership

•       Initiative

•       Open-minded

•       Finding solutions

•       Values

•       Right Attitude

•       One Foot In Asia, One Foot In The West

[此贴子已经被作者于2008-4-8 14:29:20编辑过]

wlar

Anyone interested in this topic? If yes, i will keep posting the rest.

[此贴子已经被作者于2008-4-2 11:17:19编辑过]

sabrina56

Thanks, it is quite nice article! Please post more.

wlar

Professionalism

If there is one word that summarizes the overall qualities that multinationals seek in the staff and managers they employ and promote, it would be professionalism.  The definition of that word, although easy to recognize, is hard to specify.  It varies with each executive you ask.  Several multinational managers whom I’ve spoken with relate professionalism to the quality of the endgame.  Meaning, is the result you achieve something that your boss is happy with?  Or that the customer is happy with?  Frank Chen is the director of marketing in Shanghai for one of the world’s largest international fast-moving consumer goods companies.  He associates professionalism with performing in a manner where you are “doing more and better than just what the manual says.”  It’s being true to your own internal standard and commitment of how well you know you should perform a task.  That is rooted in how much you care, and not just going through the motions of the job you are doing.  “You can see it most clearly in the service industry,” says Frank.  “In whether the person you are dealing with is doing their best to please you.  It’s seen in a genuine smile and attitude that shows that they care about being helpful to you.  That’s something that reaches beyond what you are required to do.  It comes from the heart.”<For full article>

wlar

Loyalty and Transparency

One concern that multinational companies have about their mainland staff has to do with their sense of loyalty to the company.  They need to assess the priorities of key staff, particularly of those in management roles.  For well-run international firms, employees are looked upon as a long-term investment, who will benefit from the company’s training, mentoring, and development resources. 

With many mainland professionals heavily focused on salary and anxious to advance their career track, however, it is difficult to measure the weight they place on factors such as corporate culture, job satisfaction, and future promotional opportunities.  After decades of austere living and scarcity of resources, many older mainlanders do not take a long-term view of their career prospects.  Instead, their outlook is oriented around what they can obtain now.  Situations such as China’s current economic prosperity may not last long.  So if an opportunity presents itself, better to seize it now.  "It's difficult entrusting your China marketing strategy for a key product or business to someone who may readily jump to your competitor for an additional RM$1000 a month," points out one multinational executive.<For full article> 

wlar

Accountability

Admitting Mistakes

The mentality of many mainlanders is that you can only report good news.  When it comes to bad news, Chinese culture shows a tendency to shoot the messenger.  Therefore, when many Chinese professionals run up against a problem they can’t solve, or are not achieving the results that they are expected to, they suffer by themselves.  Their unwillingness to share bad news stops them from asking for help.  As a result, management is often the last to know when something is wrong.  By that time, the problem has often gotten out of hand. 

In the U.S., reporting problems is not necessarily bad.  Help is sought out more readily.  There is a much better understanding among professionals that the ultimate goal is to do whatever is necessary to get the result.  Oftentimes, all that is needed to accomplish that is to seek the assistance and support from those who can help you identify a solution or set you in the right direction.<For full article> 

rayvic

support

有一个小小的疑问:为什么只从CHAPTER 8开始post呢?而且个人感觉有点乱啊

wlar

以下是引用rayvic在2008-4-8 17:46:00的发言：

support

有一个小小的疑问:为什么只从CHAPTER 8开始post呢?而且个人感觉有点乱啊

因为网站上的电子版本只有第8章以后的部分，顺序是没问题的。

wlar

Effective Communications skills

As important as any skill, the ability to communicate effectively can affect your ability to manage, get results, and ultimately, succeed in a multinational organization. Respect Your Boss’ Time When mainland professionals do have something to say, they often lack the effectiveness in getting their point across to senior management.  Ideas are given, but never heard from again.  Often, it has to do with how the ideas are presented.  Many are unfocussed in their presentation of information and ideas.  As a result, they end up being too long-winded with what they have to say.  Or they have a tendency to go too deep into details, beyond what is appropriate during the initial presentation of an idea.  Ultimately, they fail to capture the attention or interest of their senior management.                             <For full article>