Crouching Tigers and
Hidden Dragons
The impact of Chinese cultural values on job seeking
and career planning Ronald Ma MSW RSW
SUCCESS Training Institute
Canada
Dr. Norman Amundson PhD
University of British Columbia
Canada
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Background and rationale
• The need for Immigrant workers in Canadian labour Market
• Difficulties Encountered by Immigrant workers and employment counselors
• The need for cultural understanding, techniques and tools for counseling Chinese Immigrant job seeker
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Methodology• Standardized questionnaire• Survey – 36 returned questionnaires,
some followed up for in-depth individual interview
• 2 Focus groups, 12 participants each
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Target group
Chinese or non-Chinese Career counsellors with at least 3 years experience working with Chinese immigrant job seekers
Date of date collection: September 2006 – March 2007
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Selected Chinese cultural Values for investigation*
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Questionnaire (1)
* based on Kluckhohn and Strodbeck’s classification and framework of Chinese values
Question 1: Does this value still exist among your clients?Question 2: How does it affect their job searching behaviour/ strategy and career planning?
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Questionnaire (2)
Abasement, modesty and self-effacement
are prevailing 謙 Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons
Results____________________________________
Situation-orientation, depends on situation,
easy to give in and settle with less緣
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Respect for authority, prone to obey or trust authority, more reliance and less initiative敬
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Expect continuity of employer-employee relationship,
treasure loyalty and long term relationship忠
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Follow the doctrine of the mean,
do not want to go to extremes 中
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Looking for Harmony with others, not to
criticize, less complains和
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Recommendation• Assertive training• Presentation skills • Independent and self-reliance • Knowledge about the changing
world of work• Knowledge about workplace
culture
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Next Steps
• Study on Chinese in difference Chinese sub-communities:
– Mainland China– Taiwan– Hong Kong– Canadian Chinese (local born or long time
immigrants)
• developing curriculum for Chinese Users: contents; delivery methods, instruction for counsellors
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Tools recommended
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The Wheel
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Strategies for Cultural Bridging
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* The beginning relationship* The involvement of family and friends* Transferable Skills and
Attitudes* Behavioral Rehearsal
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The beginning relationship
* One eye on the person and the other on the cultural context* Mattering* Personal artifacts* Drawings* Questioning
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• Skills• Interests• Personal Characteristics• Positive Changes• Ways to Continue Improving• Unrecognized Pos. Skills and
Attitudes• Career Suggestions
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Significant Others Questionnaire
Working in reverse with the Wheel
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Transferable Skills and Attitudes
• Assuming the role of “Cultural Guide”
• Demonstration and Practice
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Behavioral Rehearsal
Chinese version
Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons
The possibility of adding materials – “side trips
The flexibility of using this guidebook:
Self helpIndividual guidance Counseling GroupsCombination of individual
and group counseling
How to assist Chinese job seekers using this book- a counselors’ guide
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• curriculum design • contents and time schedule• client recruitment and
selection• involvement of friends and
family members• groups activities
• relationship building• discussion• exercise / work sheets• action• review• follow through
How to assist job seekers using this book-To employment counselors
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How to assist job seekers using this book-To employment counselors
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extended activities and further readings– required skills:
• basic individual employment counseling skills and process
• basic group employment counseling skills and process
– optional skills:• local employment environment
and system• employment services• job searching strategies• workplace strategies• fundamentals of career
development theories• balance of life/work
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Career SUCCESS in Canada
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Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons
Summing up
Q & A
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Thank You
Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons
Ronald Ma MSW RSW
SUCCESS Training Institute
Canada
Dr. Norman Amundson PhD
University of British Columbia
Canada
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