China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Overseas professionals drawn to work for Chinese tech groups
With the rise of China’s economic strength and its technological innovation, more and more professionals are expressing a growing interest in working for its hot tech companies, according to corporate and recruitment executives.
An overseas recruitment campaign, hosted by the Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone and cohosted by Chengdu Tianfu Software Park, went to Europe and North America in late September.
There, they launched events to fill more than 200 high-level positions.
The half-month campaign served as a recruitment platform for more than 10 hightech companies from Chengdu and professionals from Silicon Valley in the United States, Frankfurt in Germany, Stockholm in Sweden and Toronto in Canada.
The initiative attracted more than 500 top tech professionals in total and ended in Toronto in late September.
At the job fair in North America, Chengdu companies attracted more than 300 overseas professionals.
More than 70 percent of interviewees had a master’s degree or above and some previously worked in Fortune Global 500 groups.
At the Europe recruitment fair, 92 senior positions attracted more than 200 professionals, of whom 80 percent had master’s degree or above.
Richard Hong, chief design architect of SAP, who used to specialize in business software design, applied for a senior executive position in Sichuan Changhong Electric Co.
Hong said that he had a good impression of Chengdu when he visited the city. He said he wanted to move there with his family.
“I am fond of the traditional cultural ambience of Chengdu, which can’t be experienced in China’s first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou,” Hong said.
Eric Zhang, a senior data scientist at a Canadian bank, was born in Chengdu. A leading video games company in Chengdu, Ubisoft, interviewed him.
“My parents want me to work in China and my children want to study in their homeland. As a Chengdu local, I want to take the experience and professional skills I have learned abroad back to my homeland.”
Zhang said he had kept an eye on the policies implemented by Chengdu and the Chengdu high-tech zone, as well as on development prospects in China, children’s education and housing issues.
Organizers said the overseas recruitment drive not only attracted overseas Chinese who wanted to return home, but also many foreigners.
At the Europe recruitment fair, more than 55 percent of the candidates were locals.
When asked why they wanted to work in Chengdu, most answered that they were attracted by China’s economic development and the charms of the city of Chengdu.
Rambabu Gupta, an engineer in a Fortune World 500 company, said: “China has longer-term development prospects and a faster development speed than Europe.
“Working in China can help me to progress faster, so I came to the event for more information about the Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone.”
Yan Lin, human resources chief in Chengdu Skymoons Digital Entertainment Co, said his team interviewed more than 20 candidates. “The result of the interviews went beyond Representatives
from Sichuan enterprises talk with participants of the Tianfu talent recruitment campaign in the US.
my expectations,” Yan added.
Chengdu Tianfu Software Park also organized a series of communications activities with overseas local governments, leading universities and companies, to build a platform to share management experience and exchange technology for Chengdu companies.
At the North America event, there was progress.
Zhang Enyang, general manager of Sichuan Changhong Electric’s technology center and Shen Bo, CEO of Chengdu Codoon Information and Technology Co — and some other companies’ delegates — communicated with representatives Jeff Chien, from the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, Stanford University and the University of Toronto.
One of the companies, Plug and Play, a leading business incubator in Silicon Valley, has set up eight offices in China.
Jeff Chien, director of its
We are looking forward to deepening cooperation with the Chengdu high-tech zone.”
director of the cross-boarder department of Plug and Play, a business incubator in Silicon Valley
cross-boarder department, said: “We will bring 15 crossboarder projects to Chengdu in November to cooperate with the Chengdu government, companies and venture capital.
“We are looking forward to deepening cooperation with the Chengdu high-tech zone at that time,” he added.
The Chengdu high-tech zone and the Changhong North America Research and Develop Center set up an overseas recruitment center in Silicon Valley on Sept 23. The Chengdu high-tech zone has set up 18 overseas recruitment centers.