What are common mistakes to avoid in Chinese job interviews
Thrive in Job Interviews with Chinese: Key Phrases and Vocabulary: What are common mistakes to avoid in Chinese job interviews
Common mistakes to avoid in Chinese job interviews include:
- Being late, as punctuality is very important and being even a minute late gives a poor impression.
- Giving one-syllable or overly short answers; interviewers prefer answers that are modest but reasonably detailed.
- Boasting excessively or sounding too confident about achievements, as modesty is valued and over-confidence can cause mistrust.
- Speaking ill of former employers, which should never be done.
- Asking about salary, benefits, or negotiating compensation in the first interview; these topics are usually avoided unless raised by the employer.
- Using overly complex or unnatural language, such as memorizing answers with big or fake words, which can make you sound robotic.
- Being too extroverted, using large hand gestures, or showing overly casual behavior, as Chinese interview etiquette favors a calm, respectful demeanor.
- Failing to exchange business cards properly or mispronouncing names; greeting politely and using proper titles are important.
- Showing insufficient cultural understanding, such as not sprinkling in some Chinese phrases or not demonstrating a commitment to assimilate long-term.
- Causing anyone to lose face, such as contradicting or embarrassing senior interviewers, which can drastically hurt your chances.
- Being too direct or aggressive in communication, as indirect communication is more common and valued in China.
It is also advised to prepare well by researching the company and the position, and to ask thoughtful questions about the role and company structure, but avoid prematurely discussing compensation or benefits. Keeping answers balanced, modest, and culturally aware will help make a good impression in Chinese job interviews. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5