I believe international students have a lot of confusion about future: Where should we go after graduation? What should we do in order to find a job? And what are our advantages?

To address these concerns, on 11/24, ISU Employment and Entrepreneurship Department invited ECNU Vietnamese alumni Ms. LE THI HAI YEN and her colleague, Deputy General Manager Zhao Xiaowei from the Human Resources and Administration department.

They shared their experiences and knowledge to help students in school with their concerns regarding employment~!

Below are the valuable insights from the event. Let's have a look together!

During School

Alumni, Ms. Le

• Q: Tell us about your school experiences at ECNU.

• A: I graduated with a Master's degree in International Relations in 2018. During my time in school, I have participated in various activities such as the cultural festival, dragon dancing, singing the Peking opera, and joining field trip.

  All these unique experiences have allowed me to gain a wealth of knowledge and I had the opportunity to immerse myself in a diverse cultural environment, which is a rare experience after graduation. Therefore I encourage everyone to participate in such activities whenever you have the time, explore different cultures around you. All of these will be beneficial for your future endeavors.

• Q: How has your study abroad experience in China helped you?

• A: The greatest benefit is cultivating my ability to think independently and to solve problems logically.

  Coming to an unfamiliar environment, the only one to rely on is oneself. Although support is available from the school and friends, ultimately, one needs to independently address their own issues. Therefore, the study abroad experience has provided me with an opportunity to develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.

HR Manager, Mr Zhao

• Q: As an HR professional, what abilities, skills, and certifications would you hope students to develop beyond their major during their time in school?

• A: For international students, whether in China or upon returning to their home country, the ability that impresses others the most when communicating is the proficiency to speak standard and fluent Chinese. Therefore, for international students, being able to speak fluent Chinese is more valuable than any certificate, in my opinion.

Job Searching

Alumni, Ms Le

• Q: How did you feel during the graduation season? Did you experience a period of being lost? How did you resolve it?

• A: I was also faced with the anxiety of returning to my country or staying here, but I think we first need to judge the trade or development industry between our home country and China. This requires collecting information. Secondly, clarify your own abilities and what you can do, and compare your personal development opportunities and the cultural attributes of the region to make a thorough decision. The last step is to choose channels. Make good use of domestic and foreign job recruitment websites and apps, such as Facebook, Linkedin etc.

• Q: Have you encountered any difficulties during job search, and how did you overcome them?

• A: What I faced at the time was the problem of mismatched employment with my major. For example, I studied journalism, but now I am engaged in lostics-related work. Even the branch where I was working at did not have anyone engaged in logistics work. Of course, it’s best if you get the most suitable job for your major, but if you don’t, don’t be discouraged. You can make a decision after trying it. If it doesn’t work, just start over. As long as you have the correct attitude,   maintain a good mindset, think about the nature of the problem and how to solve it, you can manage it.

HR Manager, Mr Zhao

• Q: What are some recruitment channels for foreign students?

• A: 51job should be the channel that everyone is more familiar with. In addition, there are channels such as: BOSS, Lie Pin, and Zhi Lian.

• Q: As an HR professional, what is your main focus when recruiting candidates?

• A: Our points of focus include whether the person is sincere and has the ability to think about problems systematically. You may not have done this job before, but systematic problem thinking skills can help you make decisions and judgments. Of course, there's another thing that I personally value more, which is initiative and dedication. Our company has developed rapidly, and has experienced transformation and regional changes. Therefore, we need to take the initiative to learn, proactively arrange follow-up plans, and the courage to do things that we are not good at.

• Q: How do international students write a resume that stands out, and what preparations should they make before the interview?

• A: First of all, you should write key words or pharses on your resume, because it is difficult for the HR to absorb 100% of the huge information you provide. Therefore, it is necessary to highlight personal strengths and specialties. Secondly, you need to show your rich experiences, such as participating in school club activities and internships, which can prove that you can have good interpersonal interactions and communication in the team. Of course, you can also show your independence. Last but not least, leave your correct contact info to avoid being unable to be contacted due to returning to your country or other factors.

During Work

Alumni, Ms Le

• Q: What opportunities and challenges has Jiangsu Feiliks International Logistics brought to you during your career development? As the head of the Southeast Asia General Department, how did you achieve such a big career advancement in such a short period of time?

• A: When I first joined the company, the route to Vietnam had not yet been opened. So in the beginning, I am the only person to solve many problems, such as sales, logistics, recruitment, etc. Therefore, our company has more than 3,000 employees, and I have more than 2,000 contacts in WeChat, because everyone comes to me to solve problems. To be honest, this gave me a big challenge at the beginning. But as I gradually became familiar with the job, I was able to take on most of the business in Vietnam relatively independently. As Mr. Zhao jokingly said, as long as there is Vietnam-related business, they will come to me. Naturally, I got better promotion opportunities. Later, after 3 to 5 years of hard work, I became the head of the Southeast Asia General Department. Therefore, if you find that the job you are entering is a brand new field that is waiting to be explored, then this is both an opportunity and a challenge. If you can overcome them, you can achieve good career progression.

HR Manager, Mr Zhao

• Q: If we wish to be promoted at work like the alumni, how should we make career plans for ourselves?

• A: The first step is to understand that for newcomers, the company will provide some trial and error costs, so there is no need to panic.

  The second step is to develop a mindset. As long as I’m not worried or scared, I just feel like I can do it. I’ve done it before, so I have relevant experience. This can solve the problem very well.

  The third step is to have confidence. I believe that with the correct mindset and attitude, you can do things well.Try to step out of your comfort zone and become and independent person who can get things done on your own.

  In addition, when facing a "problem" at work, you can't do it with the mentality of "It's not mine, I can't do it." Instead, regardless of whether I know it, whether I understand it or not, whether I can or not, I will do it first. Go and make good use of the omnipotent search engines to solve problems, and gradually make yourself the most professional person in this field. In this way, as long as you do a good job, I believe someone (headhunters, companies, etc.) will choose you. Naturally, you don’t have to worry about career planning.