From Mao to More: Catching up with the next generation of talent in China

MSL China Executive Whitepaper

From Mao to More
Catching up with the next generation of
talent in China
By Charlotta Lagerdahl, Caroline Dahl and Liza Zhang

About the research
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From Mao to More
Presenting the new, challenging
Generation More
Attracting talent in Mainland China is a major challenge for multinational companies;
local managers testify that their biggest challenge for growth in China is finding and
retaining the right talent1. While it is a reality that current employees are hard to retain,
and experienced hires are difficult to find, managers say that attracting recent
graduates has proven to be increasingly difficult2. This is widely because managers
lack relationships with this group, and find it difficult to approach them; there is little
shared experience and few points of reference to rely on. Many of our clients have
told us that they simply do not understand how to attract and retain this new genera-
tion.
This might seem to be true for most markets, but our research shows that China
poses unique challenges in this regard:

• Parents still wield strong influence over their children’s career decisions

• Graduates have sky-high expectations, to the point of being unrealistic

• Many graduates reject as outdated the notion that they have to work hard in order
to succeed

• Most education and career choices are considered random and uninformed; this
leads to feelings of frustration and confusion
Chinese society is changing rapidly, and this creates additional challenges. Values and
drivers are in flux, so HR Directors and Country Managers must stay up to date on
target group values and mindset if they want to communicate effectively with this
changing talent pool.
Media often gives the impression that Chinese graduates are beginning to reject
multinational corporations in favor of local employment. Our interviews show quite
the opposite; Chinese graduates still regard a career in a multinational as being highly
desirable.
One of the most important findings from a communications perspective is that there
are large differences between job candidates. To help multinationals in China better
position themselves among students who will be graduating during the years 2012-
2015 from universities in Chinese tier-one cities, we divided candidates into four
groups and identified several key strategies to enhance communications with them.
Through this study, we outlined the common characteristics, influencers and drivers
of upcoming graduates, and categorized them into groups to help companies better
direct outreach efforts.
The next generation of Chinese graduates want more and will not settle for less.
Therefore, we have chosen to call them the Generation More.

1
“How Generation Y Can Lead China”, China Briefing, 2011-03-22
2
“How Generation Y Can Lead China”, China Briefing, 2011-03-22

Catching up with the next generation of talent in China 5

Parents still influence
career choices…
The Chinese saying “three years make a gap”
accurately explains how fast Chinese society is
changing and how generation gaps are being
created. Consequently, the generation gap
between Generation More and its parents is
enormous. This creates tension between tradi-
tional and modern values, pushing this young and
seemingly enlightened generation to make
surprisingly traditional choices, based on what is
considered important by the parental generation.
“I think a lot of my decisions were made by my
parents. I wanted to choose a university in Beijing or
another place but they insisted that I stay in
Shanghai. The pressure from parents is very heavy
I think. I think my parents push their opinions on me
all the time.”
- Stephanie, Japanese Language Major
According to the students interviewed, parents
generally care about two things: job security and
remuneration. They push their children to choose
majors which will help achieve these two goals or
which they believe will do so; we found that both
parents and students are surprisingly unaware of
certain realities, and instead base many decisions
on assumptions, word-of-mouth or what is
considered “hot” at the time. An example is
finance, which became immensely popular around
2009 and 2010, since parents believed it implied a
bright future and high remuneration.
“I wanted to learn finance. It was popular, not
because I loved it.” - Summer, Electronics Major
“Actually public finance was chosen by my mother
and father. They thought it would be a great
opportunity; and I would have a bright future if I
chose it.” - Jamie, Sociology and Finance Major
“What’s hot” also influences which employers
Generation More want to work for, including
companies they have heard about from friends
and acquaintances, but may not have a keen
understanding of. Several students interviewed
stressed that their biggest desire was to work for
large multinational corporations that have high
brand recognition. Yet, when we asked students
about these “ideal” companies, they barely knew
anything about them.
“I’m not quite familiar with these companies.
Between big, international accounting firms, how
can you really tell the difference?” - Jeremy, Informa-
tion Management & Information Systems Major

As a result, Generation More is unsure about their future
and unhappy with their majors, which in many cases were
chosen by their parents based on limited information.
“I like teaching. It’s my dream job. Maybe teach in an
elementary school. […] I got into ocean engineering. My
father works in a shipping company and made the decision.
I had no choice; I needed to continue my studies.” - Vicky,
Ocean & Shipping Engineering Major

…But Generation More brings
a brand new attitude to the
table
What’s in it for me?
Compared to the parental generation, where contribution
and hard work are valued and aspired for, Generation More
instead wants to know what the employer can give them,
and they have distinctly mixed feelings about working
hard.
“My parents emphasize old things in society and working
hard. My generation, we think working hard is not the most
important thing. We think it’s necessary but not the most value and respect experience and seniority, while easily
important.” - Simon, Project Management Major accepting their own role as inferior and less
knowledgeable.
Our respondents, on the other hand, tended to stress that
their aspiration is to learn as much as they can from one “[The boss] should be kind, be able to talk to his employees.
employer and then move on. They are eager to gain Should listen to them carefully, not just listen to his own
experience and are always thinking about the next ideas.” - Kenneth, Communication Major
opportunity.
“I think the things I’ve learned here are enough. I have no
…But they DO need a role model!
more things I can learn here. Another door is opening for Having a strong faith in one’s own abilities, including
me.” - Kenneth, Communication Major questioning seniority, does not mean that Generation More
is incapable of looking up to others. Instead, Generation
Very few students highlighted the value of growing with a More longs for role models – but not just any role model.
company for a significant period of time. Instead, the They fantasize about following in the footsteps of admired
group is impatient and impulsive: if they dislike their heroes and inspirational leaders.
current employer, they will generally just walk away,
without much afterthought. “Like Bill Gates; he didn’t go to university and he developed
his own company.” - Chandler, English Language Major
“I have heard that we should sign two or three years with a
company. Is that true? When I’ve learned the company’s Highly admired amongst Chinese university students are
knowledge, it’s enough.” - Stephanie, English Language Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Kai-fu Lee (the former China CEO
Major of Google) and Jack Ma (the founder of Alibaba). One
student explains why she admires Jack Ma:
Questioning Confucius… “I think he’s creative, he always has innovations. When he
Due to the substantial generation gap between Generation was young, he didn’t have a smooth life. He changed his life.
More and previous generations, conflicts in the workplace […] The college entrance examination; he failed twice. He
are inevitable. Chinese youth are becoming less accepting didn’t give up.” - Stephanie, Chemical Engineering Major
of hierarchy and discipline. Whereas managers often
complain about a lack of independent thinking among This places huge expectations on their own bosses and
older Chinese employees, the new generation displays future leaders. For members of Generation More to not
a level of critical thinking and a willingness to question feel that they have better ideas than their superior to bring
authority that senior management may be unaccustomed to. to the table, they need their leader to be a larger-than-life
character, someone to imitate and model themselves
Youth belonging to Generation More want to make their after. Most of our interviewees could not model them-
voices heard – and be listened to. They long for flat selves and their careers after their parents, who they
organizations where they can take initiatives and contrib- watched work hard while staying relatively poor; further
ute ideas. They typically feel that they have fresh view- fueling the need for an external hero. While technical
points that the senior staff may lack and they are eager to skills are important, Generation More longs for just more;
express them. While this may not differ from young a boss, mentor, inspirer, life coach and spiritual leader all
employees anywhere in the world, we found this to be a wrapped into one person. Everything else might just prove
rather surprising finding in China, where the Confucian to be a huge disappointment.
worldview has traditionally molded young employees to


State Owned Enterprises vs. Multinationals are fun but a little risky
The students interviewed had a positive brand image of
Multinationals multinational employers and, above all, American ones.
Multinationals are seen as more open, with less rules and
control than national companies. They are perceived to
State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are safe pay higher salaries, but also to have more fierce competi-
but a little dull tion and higher pressure. They are also associated with
international careers, teamwork, better development
There is a night and day difference in brand image
opportunities and a stronger emphasis on CSR.
between multinational and national employers. According
to our interviewees, state owned enterprises are too “Companies in European countries or America do better
hierarchical and rigid, and lack freedom and openness. than us. The companies of those countries will give back to
However, they are also more stable and less risky with a society. In China, it’s less. Maybe the companies make a lot of
stronger emphasis on work-life balance as compared with money, but they hardly think about society.” - Chandler,
multinational employers. State owned enterprises are English Language Major
generally associated with less challenge and competition.
Most interviewed students want to work for a
“In local companies it may be a bit boring, can’t offer many multinational employer during the initial stages of their
ideas, and always have to listen to the boss. There is not career, then change to a job in a Chinese organization later
much space for your own ideas. […] In multinational on, when the focus on family is stronger.
companies, the work there; no excessive rules, just your ideas
are worthwhile. If you don’t wear a suit it’s okay. You will feel “I don’t think I would take a job in a Chinese company while
relaxed.” - Kenneth, Communication Major I’m young; I want a competitive environment, a challenge.
When you’re young, you’re able to have that kind of
Also, Generation More feels that the focal point in Chinese challenge. […] When you’re older, you might be afraid.” -
companies is interpersonal relationships – guanxi – and Faye, Industrial Design Major
the nurturing of those relationships; which they are not
generally willing to prioritize. This generation prefers to
focus on their own capabilities; something they think is
easier to do in multinational companies.
“If you want to be get a promotion you need to kiss your
leaders’ ass. That’s the government.” - Bill, Economic Law
Major
“Foreign companies focus more on competence. Chinese
companies focus on relations. If I work in a Chinese com-
pany, I will have to spend a lot of time to maintain relation-
ships with others, not improve myself.” - Christine, Interna-
tional Economy & Trade Major

Generation More in Four:
The Careerist, the Hedonist,
the Adventurist & the Idealist


One of the most important findings from our interviews is that Generation More is not homogeneous. While this
group shares many similarities, experiences and influencers, they are also separated by different values and
aspirations. We have categorized Generation More into four archetypes: the Careerist, the Hedonist, the Adventurist
and the Idealist.

Careerist Hedonist Adventurist Idealist

Focus Me & Me & Me & Me &
my future my family the world society

Drivers of Potential Personality Passion Purpose
motivation

The Careerist
Me & my future

“You can compare with other things such as friends, family. compared to other profiles in Generation More. Money and
If you lose them, maybe your life will have very low quality salary becomes an important driver later on in their career.
but you can also realize your own value, you have your own
dream. If you have a good career, you can make your life “I would like to work for a company that can offer me a good
valuable.” - Simon, Project Management Major salary since I’m a man. I need salary to support my family
in the future. Maybe if I can earn a lot of money I may feel
The sky is the limit that I’m successful.” - Deam, Civil Engineering Major

Careerists have high career goals and they will sacrifice An example of a company catering to this group is Oracle
their personal lives for their careers. To female Careerists, China, which began its Graduate Development Program in
being a strong and independent woman is highlighted as 2003 to train future employees. This is a comprehensive
not only a career goal, but a life goal. education initiative aimed at grooming talented graduates
from top universities to become future technology
“There’s no limitation I think. If I have the skills, being a leaders. The program extends over two years and
CEO is also okay for woman. […] I must go forward and participants learn technology development as well as
keep going.” - Alex, Business Administration Major general business, practical skills and personal
management effectiveness. Students who complete the
“I always want to be a super-woman; a strong woman in my course are offered positions with Oracle. In 2008, nearly
career. I want to be a leader. […] Maybe I will spend a long 200 students participated in the program.
time at work compared to other women. I will not give up on
my career. I hope my child, when he grows up, he will be like Lenovo is another company always looking to recruit hard-
me; independent minded, and not rely on others.” - Tiffany, working Careerists. The Chinese computer company’s key
Industrial Design Major message is: “For those who do. We choose doers!” Lenovo
emphasizes that “those in pursuit of vigorous dreams and
Careerists make detailed strategies for how to improve prospective career development are encouraged to apply.”
their competitiveness; of the four profiles, they have the
clearest career plans. “Big companies often have good training programs; you
know what you are capable of doing after three or five years.
“In my opinion, the next ten years might be the most I appreciate some Japanese companies; they treat the
important of my life; it might be a very busy ten years. It company like a home. Offer some training, feels like home.
must be scheduled from morning to night. I need to I appreciate that kind of atmosphere.” - Faye, Industrial
achieve my goals step by step.” - Stone, Technology of Micro Design Major
Electronics Major
Careerists need to be constantly challenged and want to
Driver of motivation: Potential work in a fast-moving, competitive environment with
young and talented coworkers. They accept working
Careerists value the compensation package and growth
overtime, as long as work tasks are challenging. Unlike the
opportunities with the employer - including salary,
other profiles, Careerists thrive on pressure since they
bonuses, benefits, training, mentoring and fast track
believe it can improve their personal abilities, and they are
programs – above other aspects. Learning and personal
spurred when things are difficult.
development are more important for Careerists’ first job


“I want to do foreign trade. If I do trade with Chinese, it’s too
easy. I cannot expand my horizons.”
“I want pressure because I can stand on my own. Must be a
job that keeps moving, I just want to keep moving. When
I cannot keep moving, I have to go back and I can’t be
stronger when I always stand on one place. I just want to take
on more challenges.” - Chiang, International Economy &
Trade Major

Dream boss
Careerists are in it for the potential, and the leader is the
key catalyst. Hence, they claim to have little or no interest
in pleasantries and other “soft traits” – what they need is
someone who can motivate them to achieve and learn
more.
“Actually, I think it’s hard for people who have substantial
knowledge about the industry to be nice. Pressure from
veterans can motivate me to work hard; they are not my
work-friends. Their temperament is not really important.”
- Yvonne, HR Major
“I like leaders who are strict with their employees, it’s
important for the development of the company. I’m a person;
if you give me some stress, maybe I will improve much
more.” - Blanche, Financial Services Major

Fortune 500 is number one Case I: PwC invests heavily
Careerists want to work for big multinational companies
with high brand recognition, which are industry leaders.
in training programs to
Fortune 500 companies are especially sought-after. Still,
Careerists have limited knowledge about the companies
attract careerists
they aspire to join.
Accounting giant PwC invests heavily in
“I wanna work for Apple, it’s one of the biggest, high training and development programs for its
technology companies in the world. There’re a lot of
talented people working there, young guys. I could learn employees in China, something which
a lot from them.” - Yvonne, HR Major catches the eye of Careerists. PwC
promotes the development of individual
Entrepreneurial type: The grand
careers and offers opportunities for trans-
entrepreneur
ferring to other divisions and departments
Amongst Careerists, there is a strong desire to become
successful entrepreneurs. Many of the students for short periods to gain different experi-
interviewed said that they wanted to “create their own ences and exposures and to get a better
career” by establishing their own businesses. When understanding of the work they perform.
outlining potential business opportunities, we found that
this group’s high sense of self-reliance led to atypical According to PwC, an associate employee
entrepreneurial ambitions: receives on average 120 hours of training
“Not just opening a company, but have it go to the stock in their first year and in 2010 PwC invested
market; something like Nasdaq in China. If you can be better more than 1.2 million hours to teach and
in this market, you will make more money.” - Liang Bin,
Technology Information Major
develop its team.

“You always want your company to become famous; you
want to be a successful man. The Chinese say; if you’re a
soldier, you’re not a good soldier if you don’t want to be a
commander.” - Simon, Project Management Major

The Hedonist
Me & my family

Just want a peaceful life
“My dream is to go to Yunnan. Not a lot of competition. Have
my little family, have my leisure time, I think it’s slow. Of
course I would take my parents with me. It’s a solitary life,
that’s what attracts me. The place is beautiful. I think
I can be a teacher. As a teacher you can get two vacations.”
- Stephanie, Chemical Engineering Major
“I want to be a gardener, just plant some flowers; I think it is
a beautiful job. Because I like the smell of the flowers,
I think it can be relaxing to plant flowers in your garden.”
- Daisy, Electronics Major
To Hedonists, the definition of success is to lead a
peaceful life with little to no pressure or competition.
Goals do not exclusively apply to career, but also to their
personal life and development. Hedonists usually don’t
have a clear career plan.


Relation- Young & Nice & friendly Multicultural Devoted &
ships in talented Make friends & exciting engaged
the Learning from in the Communicate Share great
Co-workers workplace with ideas
workplace
foreigners

Pushing Friendly & Supportive & Charismatic &
Ideal & compassion- freedom- inspirational
boss encouraging ate giving

Drivers of motivation: Personality
Hedonists value that their personality fits with the
employer. The employer personality is mainly judged by
their attitude, company work-life balance, job security, peer
group profile, culture and leadership style. Among the four
career profiles, these students dislike the idea of working
overtime the most.
“I don’t want to work overtime, because in my spare time I can
do other things, and develop myself.” - Sophie, French
Language Major
“Maybe I won’t try to be outstanding in the company.
If you do this, you will have to work overtime.” - Summer,
Electronics Major
This career profile will sacrifice their careers for their family
and quit a job if they feel their private lives are suffering.
“That’s why I want to get married at 25 to 28; I have three
years for my career. After three years, I can change myself
into a family and devote more time to my family. If my
husband can support me, I will sacrifice myself and
find a simple job to give more time to my family.” - Yinfei Fan,
English Language Major


A focus on relationships
Collective values are fundamental to Hedonists. Of the
four profiles, this group is the most traditional and the one
who listens to their parents the most. Hedonists put more
emphasis on relationships than the other profiles. They
prefer teamwork over individual work and want to develop
new friendships in the workplace. Conflicts are strongly
disliked and they long for superiors who show kindness
and sympathy.
“Everyone wants the boss to be a friend of yours.”
- Stephanie, Chemistry Engineering Major

SEOs provide a fitting work environment
Of the four types, Hedonists are the most loyal to their
employer, and they are the most tolerant of “boring” work.
Hedonists typically prefer to work in state owned
enterprises since they tend to be associated with secure
employment, stability and work-life balance.
“The quality of life, maybe, is an important part. Just
because you’re in the government, you will get more free
time than other companies. […] I can do things I like in my
free time. Improve the conditions of my life and family. It’s
very important; balance.” - Luixin, Sociology Major
Hedonists put an emphasis on enjoying little, everyday
things; another area where state owned enterprises score
relatively high:
“You get a lot of things; like during the Mid-autumn Festival,
the company will give you a moon cake or something like
that. The welfare is good. It’s easy for me to be happy, I find
happiness in small things. Don’t have too many complaints.”
- Yan, International Economy and Trade Major
Compared with other profiles, Hedonists also focus more
on the physical attributes of the workplace.
“Maybe some plants, flowers, in the office and the air
conditioning is good, some air and some light can come
through the window. And the temperature in the office is
good; about 24 degrees.” - Tina, Finance Major

Entrepreneurial type: The romantic
entrepreneur
The Hedonists’ entrepreneurial dream is to establish and
own a small-scale lifestyle business, for example a coffee
shop, a small hotel or a boutique where they can sell
curated books, flowers, handicrafts or other “things they
love.” They commonly talk about their ideas with friends
during late nights while studying for an exam. Hedonists
have a slightly naïve attitude to starting a business; it is
seen as a hobby and a way of self-fulfillment, where they
can make friends rather than enjoy the actual business
aspects or as an outlet for hard work.
“We like the smell of books. Many girls like this; they will
come to our shop.” - Sissi, International Economic
Law Major
“I prefer to be the manager of a coffee bar. Many people come
here and I can see many people’s lives. When they come
here, I can see a lot of kinds of people; they might be happy
or not happy. […] It’s interesting to research their lives I think.”
- Stephanie, Japanese Language Major

Case II: IKEA looking for the right
personality fit when hiring
Swedish furniture retailer IKEA takes a “marketing”
approach to recruitment, in order to identify people with
the right mindset and behavior rather than just attracting a
large volume of candidates. The company has a strong
corporate culture and wants to hire people who can “live”
the company’s ideals by communicating the IKEA spirit
and vision and translating them into daily actions and
behavior. To get to know their target employees better,
IKEA brought together twenty potential candidates. Group
members had to answer a series of written questions and
participate in a personal interview, discussing what they
knew about the company. IKEA also wanted to see how
candidates reacted to recruitment specifications, and even
what language would best appeal to them. IKEA further
interviewed its present employees to get an
understanding of how the recruiting policy was applied in
practice and how employees viewed their work
experience. Based on these research findings, IKEA
produced a range of ads to be used in different media
channels.

The Adventurist
Me & the world
Want to lead an exciting life
“I’m still young and I want to experience exciting things.
Life is too short. Life is always by chance. Maybe tomorrow,
I’ll change my mind.” - Yvonne, Tourism Management Major
“My dream is to stay in the UK and work as a Formula One
journalist. Maybe it will not be as I expected, maybe I will
hate it. If I hate it, I will just quit and go for another dream.
You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Maybe you’ll die
tomorrow.” - Alice, Journalism Major
Adventurists never make long-term plans for the future.
Instead they prefer to “go with the flow” and “see what
happens.” This group is the most changeable and
unpredictable of the four types.
“First I thought my personality is suitable for HR but then I
thought it was very boring. I don’t like always working in the
office. I’m not sure what kind of career is suitable for me.
I always change, I’m changeable.” - Sharon, Finance and
HR Major
Adventurists are much like Careerists due to their focus on
learning and personal development, but whereas
Careerists have a clear and consistent career focus,
Adventurists are willing, or want, to try different
professions. Of the four profiles, they are the most
confused about their future careers.
“Actually my dream is to get different kinds of jobs in
different places. I don’t like to have the same job too long. I
want to try different things. Actually, I want to teach English.
Maybe more jobs, maybe be a bartender. I want a good job to
experience life, maybe in different small companies, different
departments.” - Summer, Electronics Major


Main No challenge Too long work Boring work Company not
reasons or promotion hours tasks and taking
for Better salary Too much workplace responsibility
changing offer pressure No freedom Can’t express
elsewhere opinions
job

Driver of motivation: Passion
Adventurists value passion – including fun and diversified
work assignments – freedom, independence and interna-
tional assignments above all other aspects. They dream
about working in a dynamic and energetic workplace with a
multinational workforce. Adventurists like change and get
easily bored if they are not stimulated. Of the four types,
Adventurists are the ones who talk about being the most
engaged in their future job – but only if they really like it.
“I think I will stay until the day I’m bored with this kind of job.”
- Vicky, Chinese Language Major

By highlighting “passion” and “people with passion” in
recruitment ads, Google has become one of the most
attractive employers in China – especially amongst
Adventurists. Google stresses that “No matter what major
you are in, if you have passion, Google is your home”. The
Chinese e-commerce company DangDang.com communi-
cates a similar message to its potential employees; they
stress that they do not choose talent based on their major;
instead, they look for people with passion. According to
DangDang.com, a person with passion will learn fast and
work better.
While Careerists argue that it is not possible to combine a
career with a hobby, Adventurists think that it is. For
instance, several students interviewed pointed out that
they want to combine their interests in sports with their
job.
“I want to be a commentator, like a news reporter for tennis
matches. I really like tennis and I play tennis.” - Cindy,
Japanese Language Major

Want to be in control
Adventurists want to create their own path in the work
place, and they want their superiors to be supportive and
not interfere too much. They want to be in command of
their own work time and treasure flexible work hours and
the ability to work from home whenever they want.
“I think it’s the freedom to choose how to live, not be framed,
I think it’s the most important. If the time is totally under my
control, I think I can accept overtime work. I think I should
have control of my spare time.” - Stone, Technology of Micro
Electronics Major
“Maybe I will be freelancer because I can have freedom from
Case III: Procter & Gamble
Monday to Friday and only work on weekends.” - Jun Qian,
Journalism Major pulls out the big guns to
Wherever the wind takes me attract adventurists
“My dream job is freedom. I want to travel more than work, Procter & Gamble has already adapted its
find a job which takes me to many different countries, maybe
for one or two years. And then go back to China and then go recruitment efforts to Mainland China and what it
out again. I don’t want to stay in one country for a long time.” offers to meet the needs of adventurous students
- Sharon, Finance and HR Major belonging to Generation More. Rather than just
Of the four profiles, Adventurists have the strongest desire promising higher wages, the company highlights
to discover the world outside of China. Freedom is a key opportunities for flexible hours, the chance to
concept for Adventurists. work from home, and the guarantee of regular
“When I get tired of a certain city I will change jobs to another three-month sabbaticals.
city. Find another more interesting job, I’ll change. When I’m
young I will try different kinds of jobs in different places.”
- Summer, Electronics Major

Eager to interact with multinationals
“The job should have a lot of foreigners. People with different
views of the world, you can share opinions and ideas. If this
company can meet all my standards such as a lot of
foreigners, send me to other parts of the world I can stay
long-term. But just company very ordinary or I cannot get
things I want; I think I will change company very quickly.”
- Jarvis, Architecture Major
Adventurists typically feel that working for state owned
enterprises implies too little excitement and too much
stability; this life does not suit their adventurous aspira-
tions. Thus, these students prefer to work for multinational
companies or large Chinese companies with assignments
abroad. Adventurists also have a desire to communicate
with different nationalities and they are more comfortable
than the other profiles in interacting with foreigners.
“I think international companies are more fun, you can meet
more people. Exchange ideas and work abroad. And local
ones are very dull, maybe very boring. People are not so
competitive, don’t fight to reach their goals.” - Yvonne,
Tourism Management Major


The Idealist
Me & society

Photo by kafka4prez on flickr
“I just feel… China has to change. Journalism is a way to Drivers of motivation: Purpose
change China’s situation now.” - Amie, Journalism Major
Idealists value the greater purpose of the employer,
including its corporate reputation and commitment to
Careerist Hedonist Adventurist Idealist environmental, social and governance-related issues,
above other aspects. How the company takes
Spare Extra courses See friends Travel Volunteer work
time Internship Learning a Daydream Seminars responsibility for its employees is also of great
language significance.
To Idealists, the company mission matters; it should have a
Want to heal the world greater purpose and be aligned with their own values.
Values highlight faith and devotion to the employer. Of the
Idealists have high expectations for the world in which four types, Idealists put the least emphasis on financial
they live and being able to contribute to society is the benefits.
primary career goal for these students. They are typically
already engaged in extracurricular volunteer activities in “When I search for one company, I want to know what kind of
school, which they find meaningful and fulfilling. culture the company has and what is the value, it should
have a high mission. If you don’t agree with the mission,
“We do some charity; donate money to the poor. I think it’s
you will not do your best, not devote yourself to the company
very meaningful. […] When I graduate, I will also enter some
or the career.” - Eddy, International Economy and
charity organization.” - Paul, Architecture Major
Trade Major
Idealists particularly want to contribute to Chinese society.
One interviewee pointed out that his career objective is to “Not quite important to earn money. Some people earn a lot
change people’s ideas and reform policies and wanted to of money but they lose more, maybe they lose their friends.”
hold an influential government position to make this - Chandler, English Language Major
possible. Whereas other career profiles mainly focus on
the well-being of themselves, their friends and families, Eager to speak their minds
Idealists prioritize the well-being of society. Equality, freedom of expression and responsiveness are
“Contributing to society, that’s success. I will try to do central concepts for Idealists, and they want to work with
something for society, to give a better life to all people in people who have great ideas; work in a team where all
society. […] If I can earn a lot of money, is that success? members are devoted and want to change something.
I don’t think so. It’s just one element in life.” - Eddy, Starbucks Coffee Company understands this. To attract
International Economy & Trade Major Idealists, Starbucks China has created a new
communication strategy stressing that employees “aren’t
just choosing a job, but deliberately choosing a wonderful
Careerist Hedonist Adventurist Idealist brand” where the company is proud of every employee
and where every employee’s voice is heard. In fact,
Definition A successful A peaceful life An exciting life Well-being of Starbucks does not use the term “employee”, preferring to
of success career Family Being free society
call coworkers “partners” to demonstrate the significance
A big pay check happiness
of each staff member; from barista to manager. Starbucks

Photo by kafka4prez on flickr
also provides opportunities for each employee to engage
in volunteer activities in the local community during work Case IV: Alibaba Group
hours; another feature that attracts Idealists.
reaches out to idealists by
Idealists are eager to speak their minds, and they are not
afraid of criticizing whatever they feel is wrong in their taking responsibility
environment. Of the four types, these youth are the Chinese Business-to-Business e-commerce group
hardest to steer. Alibaba aspires to provide a better life to its
employees and their families. In September 2011,
“I hope that I can express my opinion. Everyone can express
Alibaba Group declared it would launch a RMB 3
their opinion very freely. We are free to say something.”
- Eddy, International Economy & Trade Major billion interest-free housing loan scheme, called
iHome, for its employees. Those employees who
served the group for at least two years and are
Want to learn about CSR issues planning to buy their first apartment can apply for
Idealists typically want to launch their careers in these loans. Alibaba has also set up an education
international companies. Just like Careerists and fund worth RMB 500 million, which will be used
Adventurists, Idealists have aspirations to work abroad, for the construction of education facilities and
but not because they want an international career or to cooperation with related education organizations.
explore the world, but because they believe they can learn Alibaba will cooperate with local schools in
about CSR issues abroad. Yet, Idealists typically consider Hangzhou to help solve problems regarding
many big and international corporations too commercial to preschool and primary education for the children
work for. The long-term goal of Idealists is to work in a of its employees. Alibaba will further give more
domestic company or start a business of their own. than RMB 40 million in one-time subsidiaries to
“I would prefer to stay in a domestic company; my idea is to its junior employees due to Chinese commodity
change China, not American society. […] If I can, I will work in prices increases and rapid inflation.
an international company to learn about their professional
ideas and skills about journalism and then go to China to
practice it. […] You love the country; you think it can be better,
more democratic for people to live.” - Amie, Journalism
Major “I can hopefully have a school of my own. So that’s why I’m
gonna be a teacher on my own. I think I can do a better job.”
Entrepreneurial type: The philanthropic - Jeremy, Information Management & Information Systems
Major
entrepreneur
Just like Careerists and Hedonists, Idealists dream about
starting their own business but with a different purpose;
becoming philanthropic entrepreneurs is a chance for
them to contribute to society in their own way. They can be
free and have their own objectives and independent ideas.
Just like Adventurists, Idealists highlight freedom. One
student stressed that he wanted to start his own school as
an attempt to change the school system in China.

Communication Strategies
to Attract Generation More;
The Careerist, the Hedonist,
the Adventurist & the Idealist

Careerist Hedonist Adventurist Idealist Going online
One of the most common ways for all four profiles to get
Company Family and Friends TV &
spokesperson friends newspaper information about different employers is the internet.
Teachers
Recruitment Teachers Teachers
Chinese recruitment websites are one of the most
Recruitment common. The recruitment websites most mentioned in
websites
Source Weibo, Renren websites Friends
of Official the interviews included:
Recruitment Official Recruitment
websites
informa- websites websites websites
tion Weibo, Renren 1. www.yingjiesheng.com
Official Weibo, Renren Official
Teachers websites websites (the biggest and most popular one)
Weibo, Renren 2. www.dajie.com
3. www.51Job.com
4. www.tmjob88.com
5. www.zhaopin.com
6. www.hiall.com.cn
7. www.chinahr.com.
The company homepage is a frequent source of
information, as are Chinese social media sites: Sina Weibo,
Renren and Douban. Using social media channels,
students are able to locate current employees at specific
companies to get insights from them.


The power of word-of-mouth companies and trying different jobs. Friends are a very big
source of information for all the profiles but specifically
Students looking for information about employers for Hedonists.
frequently consult their friends; word-of-mouth is a very
important source of information.
The Adventurist
Adventurists are not as focused in their search efforts as
for example Careerists, since their plans change con-
Advancement Work-life Freedom and Work with
stantly. They might come across an interesting initiative on
possibilities balance flexibility CSR the web or in a newspaper, which makes them turn to
Financial Stability Fun and Possibility to
Baidu to search for more information. They are more likely
Key benefits Diversified contribute to be triggered by what they consider to be “opportunities”
Harmony work
message Challenging Freedom of
compared to what they consider to be “jobs”, which means
environment Friendly International speech/ that they to a lesser extent than the other groups are
atmosphere assignments responsiveness scrutinizing job sites and companies' career sites.
Team work

The Idealist
Idealists get most information from the news; television
The Careerist and newspapers from both Chinese and international
sources. These students are more likely than others to be
Chinese university students generally start searching for sensitive to what is going on in society. They are skeptical
company information when they are juniors (3rd year) and and in need of objective information.
seniors (4th year) in the university. Amongst the four
profiles, Careerists are the most active in searching for “I will read some foreign websites like New York Times, BBC
company information. They know the most about different and China Daily. I will search this way to know more about
companies, including multinational ones. this world.” - Eddy, International Economy and Trade Major

The Hedonist
Hedonists prefer to work for state owned enterprises and
do not know much about different companies. Hedonists
and Adventurists put the most emphasis on experience;
they will learn about companies by entering different

China graduate opportunities
MSL China’s seven tactics
The research has clear implications for companies’
communications strategy when targeting Generation More. Develop a clear Employer Value Proposition (EVP),
Below, we outlined a few key findings: 3 based on your most important recruit archetype.
You cannot and should not treat Chinese university
1 Do not neglect the family’s influence when it comes graduates as one collective entity. Accept that you
1 to making important decisions such as the first
employer. It is not enough to convince the
cannot win them all; while at all times stay
authentic and true to your brand, focus on the
candidate, the parents need to support the choice drivers of the group most suited to your company
as well, something which companies need to culture.
consider when creating their communications
strategy. 4 Up the ante in providing individually tailored

2 Don’t sell – educate. Both students and parents are
4 development plans and career paths. Generation
More emphasizes the individual over the collective,
2 making surprisingly uninformed choices when it
comes to studies and future employment. Be the
and wants to know what’s offered in terms of
personal development and remuneration.
one who guides them. We recommend companies
to start targeting students as early as the high 5 Build your corporate reputation. Brand awareness in
school level, to outline the benefits of employment
in your industry in an easy-to-understand way. This
5 the target group will give you a larger selection of
candidates and supportive parents, even if it is a
approach will lead to more informed choices at the “shotgun approach”, that in itself will not guarantee
university level, decreasing the risk of unmotivated attracting the students who best fit your
and uninterested people, and you will compete for organization. PR, advertising and other
the attention of students (as well as their parents!) communication efforts outside narrow trade media
in a much less saturated market. will impact students and their parents and
strengthen the overall image and attractiveness of
your company. Fame counts.


6 Focus on middle management. While the quality of 7 Companies in China need to keep in mind that not
6 a company’s managers is always important, for
Generation More, we believe that we may see a huge
7 even on their first day of on boarding, this group has
a plan to stay on with the company for a long time. It
clash between reality and expectations when they is a good strategy to create strategic alumni
enter the workforce and start reporting to their first programs to ensure keeping the relationship going,
bosses. To bridge this gap, companies should: and leverage the fact that there will be a big pool of
ex-employees in the market who might – if the
- Enhance middle management capabilities: The company plays its card right - be convinced to re-
old truth “People don’t leave companies, join the company after they get more experience
people leave bosses” seems especially true for elsewhere.
Generation More. Companies need to
understand the importance of its managers, If your company has exceptionally qualified leaders, we
and ensure their training and management suggest leveraging this asset through communication. But
capabilities. before you boast too much about your organization, make
- Manage expectations; include elements in on- sure you are aware of the already sky-high expectations for
boarding programs that outline the relationship managers, and consider the consequences of not living up
and mutual expectations between recently to these expectations.
graduated new recruits and their direct line
manager.

MSL China regularly publishes Executive Whitepapers with insights
and comments on trends, the industry and society as a whole.
To get information from MSL China or to subscribe to future
whitepapers, as well as to contact us for any other matter, please send
us an e-mail on greaterchina@mslgroup.com
or call us +86 21 5169 9311 (SH) or +86 10 8573 0688 (BJ).

May 2012
Copyright ® MSL China

From Mao to More: Catching up with the next generation of talent in China

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