Best Ways to Make the Most of Your Time in China

-- By Susie Gordon, eChinacities.com (further edited by MAIS)

Not so long ago, it used to be the case that spending time in China guaranteed you a great job back home. These days, a stint in China doesn't have quite the same cache, and the Mandarin you picked up won't set you apart, since more and more people are learning it. So what can you do to make sure your time in China looks good on your résumé, rather than ending up as an embarrassing black hole? Here are five simple tips:

1. Pick up new skills (if time permits)

Even if you're already in the job of your dreams and have something lined up for when you leave China, dedicating some time to learning extra skills will pay dividends in the future. The Expat Learning Centers in Beijing and Shanghai offer short and long courses in a wide selection of résumé-perking subjects like Photoshop, Illustrator, web design, counseling, accounting and project management. Course prices are more affordable than in the West, and class sizes are usually small so you get plenty of one-to-one attention.

2. Learn business Mandarin

Many expats leave China with intermediate Mandarin under their belts, and expect to walk into a highly-paid job with a multi-national back home that's desperate for Chinese speakers. The humbling truth is that if you haven't specialized in business Mandarin and aren't completely fluent, you won't get a look-in. For your Chinese skills to work in your favor, focus your studies on business language. Most language schools have specially designed courses for business Mandarin, or you could ask your tutor or language exchange partner to concentrate on this field.

3. Build your network

It's not only the Chinese who love their guanxi. Back home, a network of business contacts overseas will endear you to potential employees. Put yourself out there at corporate networking events (if you hate the very idea of wielding business cards and approaching strangers, grit your teeth and tell yourself it's for the good of your career) and meet as many new people as you can when you're socializing outside of work. You don't even have to see it as networking. Making friends with expats from other countries will enrich you on a personal level; the possibility of working together or endorsing one another in the future is an added bonus.

4. Get your references ready

Obtain references from your employer(s) before leaving China rather than wait till you get back to the States. If the reference is in Chinese, have it translated in English by a qualified translator and have the referee sign on both the Chinese and the English versions. Scan and store a digital copy on your computer or in a "cloud" for easy retrieval later.

5. See the rest of Asia

Travel broadens the mind, and a good trip story is great job interview material. Given two candidates of the same ability and experience, employers might be more likely to choose you if you've done something extra (such as trekking in Mongolia, seeing the cherry blossom festival in Japan, watching the North Korean Mass Games or exploring Angkor Wat). With Japan, Korea, Russia, and Southeast Asia on your doorstep, you should make the most of the travel opportunities while you're here in China. If you are good at planning, you will be surprised at how many holiday breaks you will have in China; and if you are good at budgeting, you will be surprised at how affordable those travels could be with your teaching earnings there. Of course, don't forget to submit your MAIS course assignments on time before/during your travels.