Case 4: Executive Outplacement Consultancy in China

An interview:
With many thanks to an Executive Vice President & CFO of a High Tech Plant.

What were your expectations when you contacted us?
My intention was to progress my career once again in Asia after having worked there previously over a long period. My German employer recommended that I get in contact with the German partner of CNI, a leading global network of management consultancies with an active presence in Asia. In quite a short time the German partner allocated a coach for me in Shanghai. The Australian coach who supported me via CNI’s Asia-Pacific partner has operated between Shanghai and Singapore for many years, and was ideal for someone like me, who is looking for a new challenge based in Asia.

How did the process work?
During our extensive introduction my coach explained the comprehensive support process and options to me, and shortly thereafter, an intensive meeting process followed.

On which matters did you work together with your coach?
The career coaching process, approach and outputs are similar to those in Germany, but adjusted to the Asian market. CNI’s Asia-Pacific partner provides its clients with an extensive map full of core senior career transition materials, including: the identification process, direct marketing and negotiation.
The main purpose for exploring this information map is to get clear who and where I am and which next (informed) step I should take in my career.
My value system and motivation were defined based on an online assessment which looked at my work/life preferences, career vision, and strengths and weaknesses. The online test results were discussed by phone with a specialist assessor based Australia.
Next step was to develop my curriculum vitae in order to arrive at a significant document, adaptable to sector, company and vacancy. On the one hand the coach critically analysed each word in the document, but on the other he made sure that this curriculum vitae was ‘mine’ and that I could identify myself with every single word and sentence.
Those first two steps took approximately four weeks.

What did you learn about yourself?
The result is a quite good picture of ‘who I am’, of my strengths and of my preferences for the coming period.

How did you work the market, and have you been supported actively by your coach in this regard?
Parallel to the first two steps I started making a list of all of my contacts, in order to revitalize my network. This is a good exercise and along the way the list becomes longer. On the basis of this list, meetings are arranged.
Obtaining new contacts during every interview is very important: expanding your network is enhancing the possibility of a job offer.
Thanks to the list, but also with the help of my coach I was able to arrange meetings in five different Asian commercial centres, within three months. Within a very short period I built a very good picture of the Asian labour market, and the impact of the worldwide financial crisis at the time of my support programme.

In which way did the economic crisis influence the Asian labour market?
The situation wasn´t much better than in Europe. The first six months of 2009 were characterized by panic, cancellation of projects and a common helplessness.
Only in the third quarter of 2009, when some Asian countries showed better economic forecasts, cancelled projects where revitalized and new offers entered the market.

What are your next steps?
In cooperation with my coach I will continue to expand my network, to maintain contacts and I envisage securing an attractive offer soon!