CVs for the Chinese labour market contain similar information to that of a UK CV, although they may follow certain formats and structures that you might not see elsewhere.
Introduction
Given that education is very important to Chinese employers, you should attach copies of all degrees/diplomas you have obtained to the application.
Note that the Chinese have a rather modest style of presenting themselves, so any ‘bragging’ in your CV could quickly lead to a bad impression. Stick to the facts and let these speak for themselves.
Two page CVs are usually welcome and if you have a reference letter from previous employers or school, you may consider attaching a copy of the letter to the CV as well. Contact information for the references does not need to be disclosed at application stage unless specifically requested.
If you can speak Mandarin and you’re applying to a Chinese company it’s a good idea to have an additional CV written in the language to demonstrate your knowledge. Up to 4 pages can be submitted (two pages for each language).
If you are submitting an English CV only, it is helpful to duplicate in Chinese; your name, contact address, and company names (if you already have some local work experience), unless you are certain that the recipient of your CV is an English speaker.
Recruitment tips
- Employers in China start recruiting for graduate jobs in the autumn of a student’s final year, with a handful being advertised later in the spring. Employers usually expect the successful candidates to start work in the summer of the student's graduation year.
- Getting experience in your first year at university is crucial if you are looking to secure a graduate job in China.
- You should only submit your CV / application form for a job vacancy. Cover letters are only included if specified.
- If you are visiting a jobs fair, employers will only want to see your CV.
A typical CV often includes the following information - from top to bottom:
Personal information
Name, gender, date of birth, recent (professional) photograph, and the highest education qualification you have received. Contact information, including daytime phone number with the international access code and an e-mail, are most important. If you are applying for a multinational job you should include both your English and Chinese name.
Education
Listed in reverse chronological order, from higher education to high school. Again in brief: 'from September 2021 to July 2024, studying at (name of school or university).' You don’t have to put your results here. Finding work in China without an undergraduate degree can be quite difficult and particularly for attaining a visa to work in China. Listing the dates of your undergraduate degree will also be important for visa purposes. If your University features highly in recognised rankings, such as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, include the position in CVs / applications as this is often highly valued in China.
Work experience / Internships
Listed in reverse chronological order. Details of which should be stated as briefly as possible: ‘from September 2020 to January 2023, working as (job title) at (name of company)’. You should especially mention any relevant experience in China.
Skills / Awards / Recognition
You should list awards you have received or achievements you have obtained during your education or previous jobs in this section.
Qualifications
Certificates you have been awarded proving your capability, including bachelors and master’s degrees, doctorates, diplomas.
Top Tip: UK qualifications are widely recognised throughout the world but it’s advisable to check with employers before applying for jobs. For more information on the recognition of qualifications see ENIC-NARIC Network
Extra-curricular
Condense your accomplishments into a section. Where possible, lean towards selecting achievements related to China and especially Chinese language proficiency like a ‘Second place in the Hanyu Qiao Language Proficiency Contest’. In this section you should also include your language skills, such as your Chinese level (Please do not simply mention it’s poor or elementary).
Summary (Personal Profile)
A brief introduction to yourself and why you should be hired for this job; (information which is usually included in the covering letter). The summary on your CV should be factual, succinct and specify the exact career aim for the company. A Personal Profile can be crucial and is most often found at the end of a CV.
Other sections you can add to your CV are interests, nominated referees and community engagement. Recruiters in the business world will look carefully at interests or hobbies. Fitting into the company culture is crucial and especially when employees could be sitting next to colleagues for 10 hours on a business trip.
Overall, the CV needs to be succinct, relevant and clear in order to spark the interest of the employer and ensure that it’s progressed to the next round.
Things to avoid when formatting your CV
- Font size: Never less than size 10, otherwise it would be a challenge for the employers to read.
- Font Style: avoid some art fonts, Times New Roman, Calibri and Arial are recommended. 宋体 is recommended if the CV is written in simplify Chinese.
- CV pagination: The CV should be no longer than two pages. One page will be typically enough, except if you have 10+ years’ experience.
- Avoid too many colors: two colors in the whole CV maximum.
- CV file format: Never save your CV as a Microsoft Word document, because there are many file extensions for word files. Save it as a PDF file to ensure the reader sees it as you intended.
Top Tip: Save your CV with a formal file name before sending it, e.g. full name, CV + company name (optional)
Further help
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Ask a careers question, or send your CV, covering letter, application or personal statement and receive feedback from a careers adviser: Contact Careers Network - StudentHelp
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