Post on 13-May-2015
description
© 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
© Copyright 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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
PART 1 Getting a Job in an International Company
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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!
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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??? . . . .
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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%
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
Why is this . . .
Approximate 5 year Economic Cycle
Economic Performance
5 Years Later - Gap in Management Staff Promotion Stop Graduate
Recruitment
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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.
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
Part 1 THE END
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
PART 2 The Recruitment Process
Steps Chinese Candidates Find Difficult
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
Typical Job Application Process
Online tests
Application JOB!! CV
Covering Letter
Interview Assessment Centre
This is a SELLING process
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
What do we mean by “Selling”?
You need to understand both these parts
Matching:
The Requirements Of The Job
Your Skills And Attributes
to
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
“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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
What attributes are companies looking for. . . ?
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
• 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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
The Competency Based Application Process
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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 . . .
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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)
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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!
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
The Assessment Centre
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
Typical Structure of the Assessment Centre
• e-tray exercise
• Online tests
• Group discussion/analysis
• Presentation
• Partner/director interview
Lasting about five hours
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
The Job Seeking Skills Equation . . . A
CA
DE
MIC
L
EV
EL
JOB
SE
EK
ING
SK
ILL
S
JOB
L
EV
EL
AC
AD
EM
IC
LE
VE
L
JOB
SE
EK
ING
SK
ILL
S
JOB
L
EV
EL
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
• 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.
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
A Three Stage, Structured Programme . . .
STAGE 1 PREPARATION
STAGE 2 APPLICATION
STAGE 3 INTERVIEW AND
ASSESSMENT CENTRE
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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
© Copyright Mandarin Consultant
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: mandarinconsultant@yeah.net 网站:www.mcilcn.com
223a High Street Kensington, London W8 6SG Tel: +44 20 73761037 Email: info@mandarinconsultant.com Website: www.mandarinconsultant.com