| Q: |
What are the language requirements for working at Burson-Marsteller in China? |
| A: |
For local applicants, excellent verbal and written communication skills in both Chinese and English are a must. For expatriate applicants, excellent verbal and written communication skills in English are a basic requirement and Chinese language skills are preferred but not required. |
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| Q: |
What is the procedure for hiring? How many rounds of interviews will there be? |
| A: |
Our hiring procedure is as follows:
- Telephone interview
- Face-to-face interview with HR personnel
- Face-to-face interview with practice leader or potential supervisor
Please note that some positions may require two or more rounds of interviews with team members in the relevant practice area. |
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| Q: |
Once I have submitted my application, am I guaranteed a response? |
| A: |
If you email us an application or resume, your application will go into our system. However, due to the large number of applications that we receive, only short-listed applicants will be contacted. If you are short-listed, you can expect to hear from us within four weeks of submitting an application for an open opportunity. If an appropriate opportunity is not immediately available, we will save your information for further consideration for other positions in the future. |
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| Q: |
Who needs a Work Permit? |
| A: |
Candidates who are non-PRC passport holders will need to have a Work Permit to be employed in mainland China. In such a case, your offer will be conditional on our ability to obtain a Work Permit on your behalf. |
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| Q: |
For PRC passport holding applicants, what are the Permanent Registered Residence (HuKou) requirements? |
| A: |
For all positions, we have no specific permanent registered residence (HuKou) requirements. |
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| Q: |
What qualifications do you look for in an ideal candidate? |
| A: |
Burson-Marsteller looks for candidates with superior writing skills, strong client focus, intellectual curiosity, self-sufficiency and strong business growth and development skills. The more senior the level, the more helpful it is to have prior agency experience and the ability to lead and develop national teams working on complex projects. |
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| Q: |
What is the best educational training for someone choosing a PR career in China? |
| A: |
While public relations courses are helpful, we have also found that the best education includes courses and extracurricular activities that strengthen written and verbal communications skills. Experience working in a team-oriented environment and having a wide range of interests that demonstrate intellectual curiosity is also very helpful. Applicants with a broad knowledge of various industries and areas will also be better prepared to join our team. |
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| Q: |
In hiring at the middle management level, do you favor people with MBAs or those with communications and journalism backgrounds? |
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It depends greatly upon the level of seniority and specialization. We usually favor candidates who have journalism and communications somewhere in their background. A business background is attractive for candidates working across practices (although again, an MBA is valuable but not required). Our employee population boasts a wide variety of backgrounds and academic credentials, which adds to the diversity of experience and expertise we are able to offer our clients. |
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| Q: |
What are the different employee levels in Burson-Marsteller? |
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Burson-Marsteller has eight professional levels for PR consultants. |
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| Q: |
What internship opportunities does Burson-Marsteller offer in China? |
| A: |
Burson-Marsteller China offers two to three paid internship sessions per year, each lasting for a period of three to six months. Internships are open to both local and expatriate applicants. |
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| Q: |
What is the typical career path of a new B-M employee? |
| A: |
Based on motivation and professional experience, a variety of experiences await new employees. An individual can enter B-M at any level of seniority and take on increasing levels of responsibility within their original area of specialization; across a range of groups; across types of roles such as client leadership and key areas such as knowledge and insights; and in different parts of the world. |
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| Q: |
Is there career mobility within Burson-Marsteller? |
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Yes. When you join the team there will be a variety of opportunities available to you which may include promotions to positions of greater responsibility. There may also be opportunities to transfer full-time to another area, change offices within China, or to move to a new office in the region or around the world. Burson-Marsteller also offers long (1-3 years) and short (3 - 6 months) term cross-market assignments. We try to balance the needs of the Company, our clients and the individual employees in finding the best opportunities for our best people. |
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| Q: |
What is the reporting structure? |
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Each employee has a supervisor to whom he or she reports. That supervisor and the Market Leader have ultimate responsibility for evaluating an individual’s performance and professional development. Client staff may work on several client teams, for which they report to designated "Client Leaders." |
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| Q: |
How is performance measured? |
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Every employee has their own Professional Development Plan (PDP) which includes a 360 degree review once per year. During this annual review, employees are given feedback from their supervisor(s), peers and colleagues along with an opportunity to discuss development needs and career goals and make plans to address these needs and goals through training and job assignments. In addition to this annual review, employees have ongoing conversations with their supervisors to discuss their individual action plan and progress on a regular basis. |
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| Q: |
How is Burson-Marsteller related to Young & Rubicam Brands/WPP? |
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Burson-Marsteller has been a part of Young & Rubicam Brands since 1979. In October 2000, Young & Rubicam Inc. merged with WPP. This merger resulted in our becoming part of one of the world’s largest and most powerful communications companies. |
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| Q: |
What do you think is the advantage in working for a PR agency over working in public relations for a client organization? |
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The diversity of client assignments and the role you can play as an outside “expert” is the principal advantage, but experience in a client organization is very valuable in a well-rounded career. |
