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Career development using Mandarin Language skills


Milkybar_Kid

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Firstly, I'm a Chinese, so may what I post here may confuse you because of my awful English :P

However, I hope to join this discussion and express what I'm thinking for this concern in a Chinese young man view. Basically, I totally agree with Silent's comment, Language is always be a tool in our living era, it can enhance your career stability and increase promotion chance in your skill area if you have some specific skill, even more influence on person. If we abstract language usage, we can conclude its basic function is help people to communicate with more people in earth, and if possible, associate you to easily understand first-hand local knowledge or culture what you want for that country. That is why I study English, for my real experience, I crazy about software programming what I was a student, I know I have to learn about English if I want to improve myself in this area, because US(English speaking country)keep far more advanced technologies in IT, this is my basic idea to decide learning English even it also is compulsory lesson in China. Fortunately I enjoy my choice, not only I can read newest and professional tech-books in IT, I also find I get interest for western culture at some degree, I enjoy their music(pop,classic, blue, etc.)and TV dramas(I'm indeed a US drama fans-美剧控:)), I learned how to think independently(specially for the way to review politics), how to be sociable. All things I got through English give me a better foundation for my career development in future. That's why I can easily adjust myself in foreign company(外企-美国企业) culture now, and find a professional occupation in software development area. That's not an ending, when you master one foreign language, somehow it means you get widen road or totally another new road in your life, I'm thinking of working or settle to other countries.

Anyway, in another aspect, mastering in one specific skill may not be what all people have or expect, so personally, in this case, I also think it can work by learning Chinese for 楼主, just like Xianhua's experience shared to us, you can use of your language as one of your most strong power in your job hunting, keep thinking with realistic economical situation in the world, I believe China will keep on fast financial development in coming years, that means your language study is right choice, it potentially can give you opportunities for your career, because more business companies are going to invest in China. And they want to enter this big market, but with my real experience, I think western people are still know little about China nowadays, even they are earning to know about it, specially fast developing China. So you get huge chances to bridge here. moreover,you can expend your advantages in this, use of your sword to explorer, make it more sharpen(enhance language ability), use it to find other equipment- armor, shield (I mean you can come to China, investigate market needs, find real Chinese consumer hobbies, and financial situation in macro-scope...).

Some guy suggest to do translator, I doubt with that, because that will need you have more advantage and professional language skill, if you don't really enjoy your Chinese language per se,may it is painful experience for you. maybe use it as tool to expand your way is more feasible?

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I think translation might look like a natural option for someone with Chinese skills, but to actually get to the point of regular, well-paid and interesting work you're probably going to have to do so much study and dull badly-paid work that you might as well consider entering other careers. If translation is what you actually want to do, great, but in many ways it's the new English teaching.

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Nothing says you have to go down the route of just one job. You could have a 'portfolio' of jobs depending on your skills set that lets you find a mix you enjoy e.g. some translation, some proof reading, some tour guiding, some teaching- what about writing about life in Taiwan? Becoming a business counsultant? An anglo/chinese bed and breakfast? Doing one day briefings for of tourists on the culture of the UK before they come over?

Its an interesting topic of discussion- I'm just about to start tefling with the aim of getting a solid grounding in Chinese but see the lack of advertisements too. Totally agree with Xinhua's post above urging you to make your own opportunities. Would love their educational marketing job! :)

You do have one advantage over a native Chinese speaker, and that's your native English skills. Lots of nuances, jokes etc can be misinterpreted or just not understood by someone who speaks English to a very good standard... and you'd bring a comforting factor to English speakers visiting where ever you live. Flow with your skill set- don't fight it!

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  • 3 months later...

I'm just going to study Chinese and Japanese (which means learning many different subject areas, skills, and knowledge of the world around me) as long as possible while working toward my two-year degree here in the US, and take the HSK and JLPT highest levels, get into university in Taiwan, China, or Japan, learning more about the world around me, meeting new people, eating new food, learning new things, working odd-jobs, and helping people learn English, Japanese, and Chinese, until I find a comfortable career in interpreting and translating, probably finding a lot of freelance projects for further development of my language and interest, and work toward a government job, possibly the United Nations, as an interpreter.

Learn the language, it's the hardest part. Everything else is just details, timing, personal interest, and some good old fashioned hard work.

EDIT::

All I know is that people all over the homeless shelter I'm at seem to think I'm heading down a successful path, and I think deep down I know I am. It's just, sometimes it feels like I'm just wasting time with all this studying. I know there are many benefits, I know there's more employment opportunities, I know all of this, but it feels like I'm just wasting my time...

People always find out I know decent Japanese and am studying Chinese, and they automatically think I'm intelligent, when I feel very stupid. I feel like I'm not learning anything, and the only reason I continue to study is because I know it'll just click one day...

I'm just not sure when it will...

EDIT:

My whole life just seems like an entire mess right now. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that if I continue working hard with Japanese and Chinese, SOMETHING good will come out of it. I think I just need the Chinese to keep as a goal to work toward.

EDIT::

Really, it's all about finding what you want to do in life. This requires a lot of testing the waters. I would like to improve my relationships with other people, and help people do things that they have trouble doing. I'm very comfortable with computers, and have found, especially in the homeless shelters, that many men and women over forty have problems understanding how to simply navigate around a website.

I also have a lot of social anxiety, and am sometimes afraid of people. I tend to shy away and shut myself in, reading books or studying instead of going to parties or events. I would like to pursue a career where I am actively interacting with other people, forcing myself to overcome my weak points. I may end up working with the homeless.

I hardly think I can get very rich, although it would be nice. Really, I have modest goals. I just want to be able to live comfortably, keep healthy because of my diabetes, and save money away for my personal goals. I am transgender, and will need a good deal of money in order to go through with the surgeries in order to become a woman.

Diabetes is a huge obstacle to many things in my life, including Japanese and Chinese learning. I need to keep healthy or I won't be able to do anything.

Also, take into account your native English level. I would like to be able to write fiction for young-adults. There are a lot of young readers out there, and I would be honored to play a part in the inspiration of an entire generation.

If at all possible, I would like to write in Japanese and Chinese. This is the level of fluency I am aiming for. I know it's a difficult road, but life is difficult. If you don't settle for a road of your choice, the choice will be made for you.

Make your choice.

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  • 1 month later...

I know this thread is a little old now, but this topic might still be relevent to some people. Western economies have gone through a period of deindustrialization. Globalization and technological advances have lead to higher structural levels of unemployment. The job market is extremely competitive, and many young people who are not wealthy or particularly well-connected are finding it difficult to find employment that ultimately results in a reasonable standard of living ( especially given house price inflation ).

The biggest benefit of learning Mandarin, I would suggest is in the long-term opportunites that it might provide you with. I don't think that learning the language per se however will necessarily provide people with the opportunities that they are looking for, unless they see a career in translation or interpreting. You really need to combine Mandarin with other skills, abilities or work experience.

When I lived in Japan, one of the most successful people I met was an Australian guy who spoke native level Japanese. He did not go to University, and was not particularly academically gifted, but he clearly had a gift for languages. He combined this talent with a great personality, and was extremely successful in sales for an American company in Japan. In my own case I spent 10 years in finance and software development, and saved up enough money to support myself in Japan whilst I learned Japanese. Being able to speak Japanese and having this work experience allowed me to find interesting work.

The Chinese economy is still growing rapidly, and even if it does not grow at the same rate in the future, it will go through significant change. This will present many opportunities in China. If you can learn Mandarin, and develop a valuable skill-set that compliments this, then opportunities will be available. I recommended this to my nephew and he is currently studying Mandarin at University, after having spent a year working in China as an English teacher. Once his language skills are sufficient he needs to find a job in China that will allow him to develop work related skills, in a non-teaching position (even if it is less well paid).

My feeling is that, the benefit of learning Mandarin is unlikely to be immediate, but the opportunities that it will open up in the future are still considerable, particularly if you are comfortable living long-term in China. The best opportunities are likely to be with foreign firms, that have figured out they need non-native as well as native Chinese staff in China, if they are to run a global business efficiently.

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  • 5 years later...
On 18/08/2011 at 10:31 AM, AdamD said:

I can see how the ability to read, write and speak Chinese will increase my worth and employability in the short term, and keep me viable in an increasingly Chinese-speaking Australia in the long term

 

This turned out to be wrong.

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17 minutes ago, AdamD said:

instead of falling flat as it seems to be.

The global economy slowing and slower demand for commodities might have had something to do with that. 

 

Seriously, though, Australia has many many bilingual English Chinese speakers. I went to the bank about ten years ago in Sydney and the clerk is talking in English,  Cantonese and Mandarin. There are loads of Malaysians and a significant number have had Chinese education all the way through primary school. Plenty of second generation Chinese with better speaking and listening skills. Tough market conditions.

 

In fact, with so many China Chinese coming out from China with decent English skills and going to grad school outside of China,  these guys get most of the job opportunities. 

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What I mean is we're well positioned to work more closely with China but we're dropping the ball. When I wrote the above post, we had a government that recognised the opportunity and wanted to grow the relationship. That government has since been replaced by a clutch of Trump-lite ideologues who are obsessed with beating their chests over trivial crap while we're teetering on the edge of recession.

 

Here's a recent article that goes into detail about the unacceptable dropout rates of non-华人 secondary and tertiary students in Australia, and the apparent lack of interest in turning it around.

 

10 minutes ago, Flickserve said:

In fact, with so many China Chinese coming out from China with decent English skills and going to grad school outside of China,  these guys get most of the job opportunities.

 

To clarify, I never saw myself getting a Chinese-speaking job. That wouldn't make sense when fluent speakers are available. What I thought is that the market's appetite for bilingualism would grow to the point that more and more Australians would be expected to have Chinese language skills. That's where I was wrong.

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11 hours ago, AdamD said:

What I thought is that the market's appetite for bilingualism would grow to the point that more and more Australians would be expected to have Chinese language skills. That's where I was wrong.

 

It may do. Cycles do occur. However, is there an even bigger market for you within China itself?

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On 05/04/2017 at 7:44 PM, AdamD said:

Chinese has done nothing whatsoever for my employability,

Yep.

 

When I returned to Australia after several years in China there were jobs where my Chinese could have been used and where my knowledge of Chinese would have improved my employability but they paid a third of what I can make in software development, and for software development my Chinese skills were not a consideration in employment.

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Imron did you ever think to work as  a programmer in China? Or is that what you were doing there? I have a friend now in BJ at a start up, and he's saying the scene is quite exciting out there for tech now. He says a full stack dev gets about 30-40k RMB per month. That seems pretty decent to me based on living costs, and you could easily save a lot yearly.

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