Look before you leap overseas
出国留学应三思而后行
Starting salaries of some overseas-returnees in China have reportedly fallen to as low as 40,000 yuan a year. Why?
据报道，海外留学的中国学生回国后的起薪降至4万元／年。为什么？
The expectations of those who study overseas vary. Many students going abroad for studies have dreams of working in a foreign country. After completing their studies, they plan to get a job in the country of their stay. Only when they realize how difficult it is to land a job in that way do they return home.
海外留学人士的期望各有不同。许多出国留学的学生都梦想在外国工作。完成学业后，他们计划在求学地找到工作。而当他们意识到在国外找工作有多么困难时，他们才会回国。
Since their original plan is to work overseas after graduation, they prepare themselves differently compared with the students in China. The wide gap between the demands of the domestic and overseas job markets shatters the dream of many returnees expecting to get cushy, well-paying jobs at home.
由于他们原来的计划是毕业后在海外工作，因此他们与中国的学生所作的准备有所不同。国内和海外就业市场需求之间的巨大差距，打破了许多回国者希望在国内找到高薪而舒适工作的梦想。
Students who study overseas for many years could lose track of the developments in China. They could also be found wanting in many areas as they cannot keep pace with their peers at home. Some students who return to China are less capable of dealing with different situations or lack comprehensive skills, and hence adapt to the changing environment more slowly than others.
在海外学习多年的学生可能不了解中国的发展。因为跟不上国内毕业生的步伐，他们也可能在许多领域有所欠缺。回到中国的一些学生不太能够处理不同的情况或缺乏全面的技能，因此适应环境变化的速度比其他人慢。
To begin with, students, especially those who are part of international education exchange programs, should be well versed in globalization. Given the uncertainties of the global job market, they cannot focus on just one area. They ought to master communication skills, be familiar with different subjects and be able to adapt to changes.
首先，作为学生，特别是那些参加国际教育交流计划的学生，应该精通全球化。鉴于全球就业市场的不确定性，他们不能只专注于一个领域。他们应该掌握沟通技巧，熟悉不同的科目，并能适应变化。
Second, whether or not a student should be sent overseas for studies should be decided by their aptitude, intellect and level of adaptability.
第二，学生是否应该被派往海外学习，应由他们的能力、智力和适应能力来决定。
And third, students going overseas for studies should know that on return employers are more likely to treat them the same as domestic graduater, because they no longer have the advantages they once enjoyed.
第三，出国留学的学生应该知道，回国后，雇主更可能像对待国内毕业生一样对待他们，因为他们不再享有曾经享有的优势。
Don’t miss overseas experience
出国后不要错过海外经验
Recognizing the importance and contribution of Chinese students to the academic discipline they study, and to enriching the student community in their universities, we value their contribution to widening the global perspective of all students.
我们认识到中国学生对所学学科的重要性和贡献，并丰富其大学的学生社区，我们也珍视他们对拓宽全球视野的贡献。
Our research shows employers look for a number of core global employability skills, including the technical skills gained through studying a rigorous degree program in the United Kingdom, in recruits. They also want recruits to be work-ready. This work-readiness includes team-working, problem-solving, a global mindset, excellent communication skills, thinking beyond the obvious, and not being afraid to challenge established ways of doing things.
我们的研究表明，雇主们需要求职者拥有一些核心的全球就业能力技能，包括通过学习英国严格的学位课程所获得的技术技能。他们也希望求职者能做好工作准备。这种工作准备包括团队合作、解决问题、全球性思维、卓越的沟通能力、超越既定思维的能力、不害怕挑战既定的做事方式。
The UK offers Chinese students a rich cultural experience in both heritage and history. UK universities offer a unique experience in terms of encouraging independent learning, innovative and creative thinking, and English language skills.
英国为中国学生提供丰富的文化遗产和历史文化体验。英国大学在鼓励独立学习、创新和创造性思维以及英语语言技能方面提供独特的经验。
But our research has found Chinese students often fail to move beyond Chinese groups within their university and so miss out on making the most of their time in the UK. Apart from other problems, staying within the Chinese community also prevents many of these students from becoming really proficient in English writing, reading and speaking.
但我们的研究发现，中国学生往往不能走出大学的中文小组，错过了充分体验英国的机会。除了其他问题，停留在中国社区也阻止了许多这样的学生获得精通英语写作、阅读和口语能力。
Employers want cultural diversity in their global workforce because there is organizational resilience and competitive advantage in having Chinese graduates who are work-ready and have a global mindset. Chinese students must get work experience, either paid or by volunteering, so they can demonstrate to potential employers that they know how the world of work works.
雇主希望其全球劳动力具有文化多样性，因为做好了工作准备，拥有全球化思维的中国毕业生具有组织弹性和竞争优势。无论是通过有偿还是志愿服务，中国学生必须获得工作经验，从而可以向潜在雇主展示他们了解工作领域是如何运作的。
If Chinese students plan to return to China, they need to understand the labor market, its complexity and rapid speed of change, as well as develop and maintain their networks. They would benefit from having "taster" work experience when they return home for vacations.
如果中国学生计划返回中国，他们需要了解劳动力市场，其复杂性和快速变化的特点，以及拓展和维护他们的人脉。回国度假时，“品尝”一下工作的体验，将使他们受益。
Students can help themselves by understanding their values and their career motivations. They can use this understanding to think about what career would suit these values and motivations, and then gain the necessary work experience and extra-curricular experiences that will enable them to see whether these ideas are valid or not, and also to network with prospective employers. And finally, they can draw this knowledge and experience together to show and tell employers why they are a good fit for the organization, and gain a career of their choice.
认识自身的价值观和职业动机对学生来说是有益的。通过这种认识，他们可以思考什么职业将适合这些价值观和动机，然后获得必要的工作经验和课外体验，使他们能够看到这些想法是否有效，以及与潜在雇主建立联系。最后，他们可以一起吸取这些知识和经验，向雇主展示为什么他们适合该组织，并获得自己选择的职业生涯。
The research team of Enhancing the Employability, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Skills of UK-educated Chinese Students and Graduates led by the University of Warwick and funded by the British Council.
《加强受英国教育的中国学生和毕业生的就业能力，企业和创业技能》的研究团队由华威大学领导，由英国文化协会资助。
责任编辑：李然
