The recent project is about looking to fill a junior-level position (around 3 years of experience) for a U.S. client who need to setup their Shanghai office in one month. When we reached the interview stage, the client added a senior-competence levl for the same role. A few days later, the requirement was further adjusted to senior or managerial level.
The junior-level candidate we initially recommended passed the interview but declined the offer when they learned that the team didn’t yet have mid-to-senior management in place. From the candidate’s perspective, it makes sense: someone with 3 years of experience would naturally prefer to join a team with sufficient mentorship and training resources.
Thus, when recruiting for teams being built from scratch, we advise companies to prioritize more senior candidates (5+ years of experience). These candidates are more likely to join and are better suited for a new team structure. So, if you are new to the market in China, let’s work out the team structure based on your business strategy.
