Crouching Tigers and

Hidden Dragons

The impact of Chinese cultural values on job seeking

and career planning Ronald Ma MSW RSW

SUCCESS Training Institute

Canada

ronald@success.bc.ca

Dr. Norman Amundson PhD

University of British Columbia

Canada

amundson@interchange.ubc.ca

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Background and rationale

• The need for Immigrant workers in Canadian labour Market

• Difficulties Encountered by Immigrant workers and employment counselors

• The need for cultural understanding, techniques and tools for counseling Chinese Immigrant job seeker

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Methodology• Standardized questionnaire• Survey – 36 returned questionnaires,

some followed up for in-depth individual interview

• 2 Focus groups, 12 participants each

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Target group

Chinese or non-Chinese Career counsellors with at least 3 years experience working with Chinese immigrant job seekers

Date of date collection: September 2006 – March 2007

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Selected Chinese cultural Values for investigation*

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Questionnaire (1)

* based on Kluckhohn and Strodbeck’s classification and framework of Chinese values

Question 1: Does this value still exist among your clients?Question 2: How does it affect their job searching behaviour/ strategy and career planning?

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Questionnaire (2)

Abasement, modesty and self-effacement

are prevailing 謙 Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons

Results____________________________________

Situation-orientation, depends on situation,

easy to give in and settle with less緣

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Respect for authority, prone to obey or trust authority, more reliance and less initiative敬

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Expect continuity of employer-employee relationship,

treasure loyalty and long term relationship忠

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Follow the doctrine of the mean,

do not want to go to extremes 中

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Looking for Harmony with others, not to

criticize, less complains和

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Recommendation• Assertive training• Presentation skills • Independent and self-reliance • Knowledge about the changing

world of work• Knowledge about workplace

culture

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Next Steps

• Study on Chinese in difference Chinese sub-communities:

– Mainland China– Taiwan– Hong Kong– Canadian Chinese (local born or long time

immigrants)

• developing curriculum for Chinese Users: contents; delivery methods, instruction for counsellors

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Tools recommended

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The Wheel

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Strategies for Cultural Bridging

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* The beginning relationship* The involvement of family and friends* Transferable Skills and

Attitudes* Behavioral Rehearsal

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The beginning relationship

* One eye on the person and the other on the cultural context* Mattering* Personal artifacts* Drawings* Questioning

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• Skills• Interests• Personal Characteristics• Positive Changes• Ways to Continue Improving• Unrecognized Pos. Skills and

Attitudes• Career Suggestions

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Significant Others Questionnaire

Working in reverse with the Wheel

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Transferable Skills and Attitudes

• Assuming the role of “Cultural Guide”

• Demonstration and Practice

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Behavioral Rehearsal

Chinese version

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The possibility of adding materials – “side trips

The flexibility of using this guidebook:

Self helpIndividual guidance Counseling GroupsCombination of individual

and group counseling

How to assist Chinese job seekers using this book- a counselors’ guide

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• curriculum design • contents and time schedule• client recruitment and

selection• involvement of friends and

family members• groups activities

• relationship building• discussion• exercise / work sheets• action• review• follow through

How to assist job seekers using this book-To employment counselors

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How to assist job seekers using this book-To employment counselors

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extended activities and further readings– required skills:

• basic individual employment counseling skills and process

• basic group employment counseling skills and process

– optional skills:• local employment environment

and system• employment services• job searching strategies• workplace strategies• fundamentals of career

development theories• balance of life/work

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Career SUCCESS in Canada

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Summing up

Q & A

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Thank You

Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons

Ronald Ma MSW RSW

SUCCESS Training Institute

Canada

ronald@success.bc.ca

Dr. Norman Amundson PhD

University of British Columbia

Canada

amundson@interchange.ubc.ca

Contact: