"Get the intern to do it…"

• Source: Global Times
• [11:00 May 17 2010]
• Comments

Going it alone

For those willing to take the leap of coming to Shanghai and finding an internship on their own, opportunities can be plentiful, if uneven.

British expat Tristan Colvin came to Shanghai last September, looking to settle down and begin work after backpacking across the world. But when he contacted a recruiter at the Shanghai office of Hays, an international staffing agency, he was told "unless you have five years of experience, or are fluent in Chinese, you really only have two options: either you can work in sales, or you can get an internship and work your way into the business." Colvin opted for an internship, landing a temporary position at InnoCSR, who specialize in management consulting and ethical sourcing.

As an intern, Colvin earned 1,000 yuan ($146.50) per month supporting the sales team. At the end of the internship, he was offered a job but decided to look elsewhere for a higher salary. When asked if he thought the internship was worthwhile, Colvin commented the placement "was instrumental in getting another job" but that it did little to help improve his job skills. "At most, the internship taught me how to speak English slower."

Brendan Whitsitt, a second-year architecture student at the University of Toronto is optimistic about the ex-perience he can gain from his Shanghai internship. He recently landed a placement at a small architecture firm called 3 Gatti after a number of interviews.

For those looking for an internship on their own, Whitsitt's advice is to "dress up." "Because interviewers really like that," he adds. "I think it's because attire is very casual in most offices here compared with back home. So they see the suit, and think this guy means business. Also, expect the interview process to be short. You kind of get the feeling that they've already decided whether they want you or not before you walk in."

As for adjusting to the Shanghai lifestyle, Whitsitt is helped by the fact he's spent time in China before. He is currently living in a Shanghainese friend's apartment in an older public housing block in Huangpu district. "Even if you have a salary of 3,500 yuan ($512.60) per month, it's totally do-able to live here."

And when asked about the reaction of friends and family to his decision to go it alone in China, he says it was usually one of disbelief. "When I told people back home I was just going to come here without really knowing anyone in my field, most commented that I must be crazy."