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China English speakers in high demand

Chinese jobseekers with fluency in English are seeing exponential growth in pay and hiring demand from multinational corporations (MNCs), according to the China Salary Guide 2015 from recruitment firm ZW HR Consulting.

China’s significant growth and development has been greatly influenced by MNCs searching for “the next best thing”. In an ever-shifting economy, strategists have begun focusing on these MNC expansions and how they affect the local Chinese talent pool, as well as who these companies are specifically looking to hire.

ZW HR Consulting noted major culture gaps between MNCs and the local Chinese population as a primary source of concern for many MNCs now trying to find new ways to attract, develop, and retain local Chinese talent.According to Joyce Jing, ZW HR Consulting’s General Manager, key functions such as sales and marketing, customer service, and regional roles all require proficiency in the English language. “We have recently noted that more MNCs based in China have begun to reduce the number of foreign staff, especially in management-type positions, shifting focus to the local market; in fact, our ZW China Salary Guide for 2015 indicated that local Chinese candidates who are fluent in English are going to be paid better and hired faster by these companies,” she said.

Further, reports have indicated that experienced English-speaking talent are invaluable to MNC organisations in China. Experienced candidates boasting niche skills who are looking to change jobs are able to command salary increases of approximately 20% to 30% due to the limited talent pool. Competition for top talent is expected to continue with companies placing increased emphasis on employee retention strategies.Ms Jing added: “Throughout the year, we have seen a high demand for business-savvy English-speaking professionals among the foreign multinationals. Skilled finance professionals fluent in English are currently in short supply and high demand; as a result, they are finding themselves in a strong negotiating position, with companies expecting to offer premiums of at least 20% to 30% for the right candidate in 2015.”

MNCs are looking for individuals who can understand local needs, effectively manage large teams, and work side-by-side with staff based in global headquarters. Furthermore, a recent survey conducted by ZW HR unveiled that MNCs looking to hire mid-senior level management normally require fluency in all aspects of English– reading, writing, and speaking.With increasing globalisation, MNCs have begun to put even stricter English regulations on their office locations around the world. Some global companies are now adopting or mandating English as the global language for internal company communication, even among those whose share a common tongue other than English.