Mandarin Consulting

© Copyright Mandarin Consulting Ltd University of Sussex

28 October 2014

© Copyright Mandarin Consulting Ltd

MANDARIN CONSULTING

David Peckham Engineer – 7 years

Management Consultant - PwC 13 years, - PA Consulting Group 6 years

Now - Director of Mandarin Consulting


MANDARIN CONSULTING

Job Opportunities for Chinese Students and Graduates in the UK


Why are you here? . . .

•  Determined to work for an International company?

•  Considering all options including International companies?

•  Confused about career options and choices?

•  Just need to get out of the rain/cold!


This Seminar Covers . . . .

•  Who are Mandarin Consulting? •  What opportunities are there in the UK?

•  A little practical help

•  The recruitment process – what Chinese candidates find difficult


Mandarin Consulting – What We Do . . .

WE CHANGE PEOPLES’ LIVES

By helping them to get challenging and satisfying careers


How Does Mandarin Consulting Do This? . . .

•  Understand their potential

•  Find opportunities to match their potential

By helping Chinese students and graduates . . .

. . . through a one to one coaching programme


We Are Well Positioned to Help You . . . Or in our London office . . . . . In our Beijing office . . . . .

. . . . Or in our New York office


Why Can Mandarin Consulting Help YOU?

•  We have had over 2,000 candidates pass through our programme to get into international companies

•  We have a highly experienced coaching team with a deep understanding of international recruitment

Some Facts!


The Mandarin Consulting Core Coaching Team


Job Opportunities for Chinese Students and Graduates in the UK


Graduate Schemes in International Companies What are they? . . . .

•  A job! – usually paying in excess of £25,000 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


Graduate Schemes in International Companies What are they (continued)? . . . .

•  The foundation for a fast track career

•  Exposure to global ideas and methods, an opportunity to work alongside experts

•  Usually offered one year in advance

•  Often independent of degree major

. . . . . but competitive


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!)

•  Opportunity to try out a sector/company

•  Understanding how international companies operate •  Opportunity to develop “competencies” and

strengthen CV

•  Often results in a graduate scheme job! . . . . . but also competitive


What Other Useful Experience is There? (Remember: Develop Your Competencies)

Voluntary Work

•  Inside your University – (Union, CSSA etc)

•  Outside your University

•  Many different opportunities

•  Chance to improve your English

•  Available all the year round


A Little Practical Help


Possible Opportunities Path . . .

•  Transition from student to professional •  Training to do a job

Voluntary Work

Part-time work

•  Develop “competencies”

•  Improve English •  Improve cultural

awareness

•  Discover sectors and companies

•  Develop “competencies” Internships

Graduate Schemes


Plan Out Your Job Seeking A Typical Job- Seeking Plan . . . .

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Graduate Scheme Applications

Graduate Scheme Interviews and Assessments

Graduate Scheme Job Offers

Competencies

Voluntary work?

Jan Feb


Practical Help from Mandarin Consulting . . .

•  Weekly Graduate Scheme and Internship update

(You will receive this after filling in the registration slip)

•  Voluntary work

(Many resources on the internet – eg timebank.org.uk)


The Recruitment Process Steps Chinese Candidates Find Difficult


Senior interview

Typical Job Application Process

Online tests

Application JOB!! CV

Covering Letter

Interview Assessment Centre

This is a SELLING process


What do we mean by “Selling”?

You need to understand both these parts

Matching:

The Requirements Of The Job

Your Skills And Attributes

to


“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


What attributes are companies looking for. . . ?


•  Hard working

•  Loyal

•  Carry out orders effectively

•  Know their place in the heirachy

•  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


Organisations are Looking for Key Competencies These Include:

•  Motivation and drive •  Leadership and teamwork •  Communication and persuasion skills •  Genuine motivation behind the application •  Innovation •  Awareness of the business world and implications •  Problem solving abilities •  The “Ah HA!!” factor

How do Organisations Test for Competencies? . . .

– original thinking


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


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


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

•  You like trying different things •  Adventurous •  Test for innovation, resilience •  Learning from mistakes

Purposes might include . . .


Competency Questions

Motivational Questions

General Questions

Commercial Awareness Questions

Four Types of Question . . .

√


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)


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!


General 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


Other, General 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


Examples of Commercial Awareness Questions . . .

•  Give me an example of a company that is doing well. Why is it doing well?

•  Tell me about an item you’ve read in the news. How do you think this will impact our organisation? What do you think we should do about it?

•  How have oil prices moved recently? What impact do you think this will have on businesses?

. . . . . . and there are others


A Commercial Awareness Example . . . Give me an example of a company that is doing well.

Why is it doing well?

From “The Economist”


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Further 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: [email protected] 网站：www.mcilcn.com

223a High Street Kensington, London W8 6SG Tel: +44 20 73761037 Email: [email protected] Website: uk.mcilcn.com

Mandarin Consulting

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