In the second half of 2024, we observed a significant surge in job search activity in the job market in Mainland China. However, for professionals with clear career plans, including technical specialists and managers above, finding their ideal job remains a difficult challenge.
From a macro perspective, the issue of market misalignment still exists, leading to a mismatch between job seekers and employers. This results in a time-consuming and energy-draining process with few fruitful outcomes. However, this does not mean that companies' hiring needs have disappeared. In fact, the ideal job might be just one step away from you. So, what’s missing between you and your ideal job? Are there any commonly overlooked aspects of job hunting? And how can you seize the opportunity after landing an interview?
In this article, we are glad to have invited Elvin Zhou, a seasoned recruitment consultant from RGF China's Greater Manufacturing team. Drawing from his experience, Elvin will share insights on how to enhance your competitive edge in the job search process.
Elvin Zhou
Recruitment Consultant for Engineering, Quality, and Operations Roles
Successfully helped multiple foreign companies recruit their first employees in China
Maintained a “zero turn-down” record for 19 consecutive months since 2023
Holds the record for placing five candidates in a single month
Assisted candidates in securing salary increases of up to RMB 550,000 during job transitions
Elvin believes that the resume is the cornerstone of the job search. However, due to information gaps and differences in understanding between job seekers and recruiters, resumes that don't meet expectations often prematurely end promising opportunities. He states: "As a job seeker's ticket, the importance of a resume in the application process is undeniable. For experienced job seekers, tailoring multiple resumes to suit different positions has become common knowledge. But have you ever thought about adjusting your resume for different hiring decision-makers during the interview process? Even within the same company, different departments and positions often require distinct resumes."
After reviewing thousands of high-quality resumes over the past year, Elvin noticed that many job seekers fall into the following common traps when it comes to customizing, submitting, and revising their resumes:
- If you meet the job requirements, HR will see your resume?
- Once you’re in the interview stage, there’s no need to revise your resume?
- Your resume should be complete and detailed?
Misconception 1: "If you meet the job requirements, HR will see your resume?"
Elvin shares an example of a candidate who claimed to have 10 years of production management experience and was interested in a position for a production operations manager at an industrial manufacturing company. While his resume seemed to align well with the job, the candidate had already applied through another channel but never received a response. Upon further investigation, Elvin discovered that the candidate had omitted key experiences—such as automation expertise and lean management practices—from his resume. These were crucial skills that the company was looking for in the role.
During initial resume screening, HR not only filters for qualifications, background, and years of experience, but also looks for relevant "keywords" in resumes to assess a candidate's fit.
Therefore, job seekers should aim to showcase their full work experience and project accomplishments when first submitting their resume. For example, candidates for sales positions should list the types of products they’ve sold and their performance metrics. Meanwhile, candidates for engineering and operations roles should highlight all relevant project experience, such as localization management, production line transfers, or building systems from scratch.
Given the variability and time-sensitive nature of job requirements, Elvin recommends playing the role of a versatile candidate by submitting a well-rounded resume initially, increasing the likelihood of fitting the job description when recruiters perform keyword searches.
Misconception 2: "Once you're in the interview stage, there's no need to revise your resume?"
Many job seekers continue using their original "door-opening" resume even after they've entered the interview stage. This first version is often too broad, designed to increase search visibility, and may cause the following issues in later rounds of screening:
- Overly detailed, lack of clear focus
- Too much coverage of unrelated experiences (e.g., academic projects or unrelated industry work)
This can lead to misjudgments during the early stages of screening, causing valuable interview opportunities to be lost. Elvin advises candidates to actively inquire about the core requirements for the position after their initial conversation with HR. They should then promptly update their resumes to highlight experiences and skills that best match those requirements. It helps to emphasize key achievements using bold formatting or color to make the resume stand out.
Misconception 3: "Your resume should be complete and detailed?"
While it's true that a comprehensive resume improves your chances of passing the first round, by the time you reach the final interview stage, a detailed resume may no longer be beneficial. At this point, the goal is to make a "final impression" with a concise and focused resume that highlights your most relevant experiences and achievements.
Elvin notes that some savvy candidates create tailored presentations or slides to better demonstrate their strengths during the final interview. The key here is to adhere to the "simple, clear, and focused" principle, removing irrelevant project experiences and customizing your "final interview resume" for the specific position.
Plan & Act Forward: Expanding Your Job Search Strategy
Once you enter the interview stage, your resume alone is no longer sufficient to demonstrate your full potential and suitability for the role. To enhance your chances, consider utilizing supplementary tools that can deepen the interviewer’s understanding of your fit for the position.
- Themed PowerPoint Presentation
Useful for roles that require clear expression of logic and ideas, such as management consulting or market analysis. Focus on relevant issues that showcase your professional skills and analytical thinking. - Portfolio or Work Showcase
Essential for creative roles like design or content planning. Your portfolio should highlight your creative process and capabilities, rather than simply listing projects. - Project Achievement Report
If you have specific project experience, use data and facts to showcase your accomplishments, such as improving workflow efficiency by 20%. Keep the report simple and include relevant charts or key figures. - Business Plan or Pitch Deck
For strategic or business development positions, use a business plan to demonstrate your innovation or vision for future business growth, covering market analysis, competitive advantage, and financial forecasting.
In interviews, supplementary tools help you present your skills and alignment with the role from multiple perspectives. Be sure to focus on the specific job requirements and tailor these materials to highlight the most relevant aspects.
Final Thoughts
We hope job seekers can avoid the common misconceptions mentioned above and find a shortcut to their ideal job. However, for some candidates, the journey will involve more twists and turns, not because of lack of ability but due to a mismatch between their skills and available opportunities. Elvin advises those in this situation to dig deeper and highlight their core strengths:
- Understand the Market and Clarify Your Strengths:
Understand the core expectations in the job market, engage with experienced recruiters, and refine your personal strengths.
- Leverage Related Experience:
Even if you lack certain qualifications, substitute them with relevant experience. For instance, if you don’t have experience building a new factory, project transfer experience might be highly relevant.
- Highlight Key Points in Ordinary Experiences:
Even if your projects aren't particularly standout, focus on key achievements, such as solving a major issue or improving efficiency.
- Quantify Your Abilities:
Use data to present your skills—such as how much you improved team efficiency or shortened project timelines—to demonstrate your value more concretely.
By adopting these strategies, candidates can better position themselves and increase their competitiveness. As recruiters, we will continue to help candidates refine their strengths and present them in the most direct and impactful way to employers.
If you're looking for opportunities in engineering, quality, or operations, or if you have recruitment needs in these areas, feel free to reach out to Elvin at elvin.zhou@rgf-professional.com.cn to unleash your potential.