March 16, 2019. Shanghai — The 60 consultants representing 22 search firms who participated in today’s networking event came bearing good news, namely some 300 job opportunities to share with around 250 alumni and students from the MBA and Global EMBA programmes at CEIBS.

Co-organised by CEIBS’ Career Development Centre (CDC) and Alumni Office, today’s session was opened by Assistant Director of the Career Development Centre Jennifer Zhao. “Providing career support to MBA and Global EMBA alumni within five years of their graduation is a new initiative for the school,” Jennifer said. “Our aim is to support alumni’s early post-MBA and Global EMBA career development.”

During the sharing session, headhunting executives and human resources experts shared their perspectives and insights on recruitment trends, and offered suggestions as to how professionals can successfully manage career transitions.

Regional Director of Hays Shanghai Edmond Pang shared key findings from the company’s latest talent survey. “Skill shortages will remain a main concern for employers in 2019,” Edmond said. “This means a number of companies will not be able to recruit their desired candidates, but we expect recruitment activity to rise in the near future.”

Executive Director of Russell Reynolds Associates Joanne Yu spoke about some of the parameters that alumni should consider when choosing to join an MNC or rapidly growing private enterprise. “In general, large MNCs tend to offer employees more access to corporate best practices both inside and outside of China,” Joanne said. “On the other hand, there is typically a glass ceiling that limits upward mobility, and working outside company headquarters means limited impact on key strategies.”

Today’s final sharing was from a Senior Consultant at Eric Salmon & Partners Lucy Lei. “Simply delivering results can no longer meet the needs of the enterprise, people must prepare a new competency model for the future,” Lucy urged. “In today’s VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) era, an organisation’s transformation relies more heavily on the learning abilities, insights, and personal drive of its staff.” Lucy concluded today’s sharing by highlighting the increasing role of soft skills such as discipline, tenacity, resilience, openness, and capacity for self-adjustment.

Following the sharing session, alumni and MBA students were given the opportunity to network with consultants for search firms. Manager at Michael Page Claire Tan commented on why the search firm is on campus today to meet with CEIBS MBAs and alumni. “CEIBS graduates are widely recognised by employers for their business knowledge, professionalism, and strategic thinking,” she said.

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About the CDC

As the first career development centre in Mainland China, the CEIBS MBA Career Development Center (CDC) has evolved into a platform that provides guidance to students and alumni regarding their career planning, job searching, and networking skills, and connects them with various channels and resources, with the ultimate goal of helping them achieve their long-term career aspirations. CDC will continue to organise events in the coming months, such as the Chinese Enterprise Event and Industry Experts Insights. We welcome recruiters and partners to contact the CDC for talent hiring at 021-28905270 or by email at cdc@ceibs.edu.