go abroad china internship networking
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1 www.goabroadchina.org
Redefining the Art of Networking
etworking is marketing. Marketing yourself, marketing your uniqueness, marketing what
you stand for. - Christine Comaford-Lynch
As adopted from www.google.com, Business Networking is a skill and a low cost method of
marketing that is used to build new business contacts through connecting with other like-minded
individuals. Business Networking is generally done through face to face meetings almost any
place or anytime.
Social capital is the most important form of capital to be possessed by emerging entrepreneurs
who are ready to go international it is also relevant for young graduates. I can speak to relevance
of this topic in China. In Chinese Culture, networking is termed “guanxi” and it is a Chinese
gem. It is the most important aspect of the Chinese society. It is the means to most ends.
Networking skills needed to be properly nurtured and developed over time. The fact that one
could speak in public does not correlate the possibility that they are good at networking. Just as
Jarod Kintz puts it, “My belief is that during conversations, it’s not so much what you say, it’s
how you say it that matters. What’s being heard is secondary to what’s being seen, as body
language leads the discussion and dictates the mood.”
Internships High School Volunteering
Language Programs Gap Year Summer Programs
Why we network our participants?
Because:
We are in a time of “career self-reliance” which means you are the manager of your career
80% of jobs are never advertised
Employers prefer to hire people they know
It can be fun!
So you can:
Gain first-hand, current information and knowledge about your world of work, which will
help you develop a job search strategy
Access experts in your field who have information about trends
Meet other professionals within your interest area
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Learn how your skills are transferable –an invaluable skill for managing your career
Increase your understanding of the job market, which will make it less intimidating
Get things done quickly
Many interns who came to china either participate in our internship, Gap Year, Language &
Immersion, High School and Volunteering Program, have the priority of settling and doing
business. This idea is good and I always encourage them to have that as priority. China has
enormous developing and emerging opportunities for young graduates and interns. This is not
possible without effective networking. It is the reason why I usually advice students who want to
pursue their internship to watch out for networking elements and get familiar with the possibility
of the promise before making commitments. The approach adopted by Go Abroad China is
laudable and I will discuss that in the following paragraphs.
Participants in our language, Internship, High School and Gap Year Programs are effectively
networked through a properly arranged medium and events serially correlated to yield very
positive results. This effort got majority of our participants hooked to permanent jobs. The
process of networking is so unique in China. The story is a little different and new entrants
should be coached properly in order to make good use of networking opportunities.
1. As part of the initial briefing, Participants are taught the art of networking, How to handle
Business cards to people on a first meeting, How to respect Hierarchy, Chinese
philosophy about networking, Which occasions are ideal for networking, The kind of
conversations to introduce and etiquette during these meetings
2. Eating and drinking are very important cultural elements of Chinese Culture and that they
come with rules and regulations. Eating and drinking times are the best markets for
getting good contacts. It sounds like an irony isn’t it? but it is real.
3. Participants are arranged to attend networking events organized by even management
organizations both in Shanghai and Beijing to practice what they were taught and to
generate list of contacts. These are general contacts.
4. The company has also generated a list of business leaders in China who have agreed to
talk with these participants at dinner
5. They facilitate relationships between interns and their superiors
6. Seminars and conferences are organized to educate them about the Chinese Business
module, How the Chinese mind works and how to do business in China
7. They also get adopted by their host families who facilitate their return to China
8. There is a very big group of famous foreign entrepreneurs in China named Lean Start up
Group and they are networked to participants such that during their meetings, they allow
Go Abroad China’s Participants to sit in and ask questions
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Because business networking is based on the building of relationships with people, it is a
ongoing and long term method of gathering business contacts and can be very effective.
*****Success Stories*********
This is what our participants got to say about our networking component
I got to China through Go Abroad China’s program in 2013. I am an
Australian, I patronized their internship program for a year. It was an awesome
moment to actually get the experience I wanted. I got placed into an
engineering company in Beijing and my goal was to lunch my career in China
since it presents opportunities to get my skills sharpened and ready for the
market. During the program, I was taught the act of impressing my boss in the
office and some networking skills. I effectively made good use of this. Before
my internship ended, I was sure that I would be maintained. There are many
things that a westerner will not take seriously and the Chinese value that. - Nick Willeke
Networking is not all about the appealing taste of the beer but the benefits. I had
the opportunity to stay in China for extra 6 months because of the important
networks I built during my internship. I am bound to return afterwards. I am
confident and has since become a new skill that I acquired in china- Andrew
The host family systems of accommodation are the first networking step even
before stepping out. They provide a window to the rest of very wealthy family
members. Networking could never be practiced properly elsewhere apart from
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China. Chinese love networking and I also love them for loving networking It is a part of Go
Abroad China package that I really enjoyed- James
I enjoyed the inner networking among alumni of Go Abroad China. After my
program, I got connected to a group of past participants who are well
knowledgeable about business in China. They helped me with very vital
information and connected me to some entrepreneurs. The experience is good
afterall- Maria
It worked for our participants and it will serve a good purpose for others too. This is a very good
approach rather than leaving the participants to their faith. I will recommend those who are
already in China without these opportunities to seek advice how they could maximize their
experiences because opportunities come but once. Watch out for the next edition about 10 tips
for effective Networking.
About the writer
Anthony Kwami
Marketing2@goabroadchina.org
The writer is the Marketing Coordinator at Go Abroad China
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