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Having worked in Chinese companies in Hong Kong for four years, I have faced some situations that made me ask: “What’s wrong with this firm?”.
For those of you who want to join a Chinese bank, please ask yourself: “Are you ready for the Chinese working culture?”
Here are some examples, so you can see what I mean.
Case one: Daddy’s boy
A new recruit was joining the team and our senior manager told us to give him a chance to “learn” in our department. “You are focusing on development in China. He can help.” But we never asked for an additional staff member. After “investigations” we found that he was from Beijing and his dad is from an official committee.
Case two: Don’t fight the law
After joining a new firm, my team secretary reminded me to maintain a good relationship with a colleague in another department, no matter how bad his work was. When I wondered why, my colleagues said his dad is the senior police officer in a big city in China. They made a bad joke: “You will be arrested without any reason if you don’t have a good relationship with him. Or you can choose not to visit that city.”
Case three: Hanging by the fax machine
One of my colleagues’ father is a rich businessman in China. Recently she was requested to join an internal meeting, but she declined because she was waiting for a fax from a client and could not leave the fax machine. What an excuse! I would love to receive all the faxes for my company and never take any responsibilities.
Not all bad
Family background need not be a concern at Chinese banks. Some of the second generation of officials are smart and diligent. They have perfect academic backgrounds, good networks in China, and are familiar with the local culture there.
But if they don’t do their jobs well, they become a liability. A few of them are lazy, selfish and short-sighted. They always hide in their comfort zone. When you are working with them, you have to stay calm, or you might get angry.
I am searching for another job now, and actually I wouldn’t mind joining a Chinese firm again because I have got used to the culture. But for those who are looking for opportunities in Chinese banks, ask yourself again: “Are you ready?”
The views are those of the author and not of eFinancialCareers.
“The views are those of the author and not of eFinancialCareers.”
And who might the author be? Either byline a column, or take responsibility for the opinion. It is woefully anecdotal and dangerously stereotypical. If I didn’t think the author was a Chinese with an axe to grind, I’d suspect racist motives.
This is the most unsubstantial, pointless and unacademic article I have ever read. Was the author the tea boy with nothing better to do than observe the families of his colleagues.
The author is a racist.
This appeared on the HK efc site ages ago. Why re-hash now?
I know a Chinese girl who interviewed for a Chinese bank in London, she got turned down because ‘her Chinese was not good enough’ ie girls need not apply for top jobs despite flawless academics and professional experience.
All true, good article.
At best, this article belongs on the HK Efinancial Careers site. I work across HK and London and the cultures of Chinese Banks in both is very different. It’s not perfect, but this is a very one-sided article with no substantiation, which comes across as one person’s bitter rant.
Is there really no Finnacial News in London that we could be reading about?
Also, read your contract carefully before you decide to work for rubbish British employers in a city that is declining as a financial center. Unfair and unethical employment practices are the norm there these days, the British are world champions in this respect.
So – things are different in different cultures and whilst working in an overseas market can pay well, there has to be an element of learning and adventure in any overseas position and this inludes how commerce works locally.