James, tell us about yourself.
I serve as an International Marketing Manager for Set In China. In his role, I assist by finding partners in North America who would be interested in hiring Chinese interns or hiring Chinese for a full-time job.
I am also an Intern Coordinator, responsible for hiring, managing and mentoring all interns working at Set In China.
Prior to joining Set In China, I have worked at Ameson Education and Cultural Exchange Foundation where I assisted in recruitment for Ameson Year in China (AYC) program. I have helped with other projects such as Jiaozi Club, GW Forum, and much more. I graduated from Pensacola Christian College in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.
What is your favorite travel memory?
In May 2016, my colleague and I had the opportunity to travel to Hangzhou to help out with a Chinese business show.
My colleague Juliet and I helped out with registration and then we sat in the show and watched the two types of contestants: one was seeking for a job while the other was seeking to open a business in Hangzhou. Candidates must justify to the group of judges why they should hire them or invest in their company. At the end of the program, each judge will pick one candidate to hire for a job or offer assistance to start their dream business.
What makes this my favorite travel memory is because it gave me an opportunity to visit a company similar to ours and hear the positive impact foreigners are making in China. Plus, I love traveling and visiting different cities.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
One of the applicants we recruited was for a drama performance internship. She saw our job posting through our Wechat and was excited about the internship opportunity. After a few hours, she sent in her application to us and said she got a reply from us. She mentioned that our staff was always friendly and helpful.
When she came to China, our company invited her to a welcoming party with other clients and also showed her around Shanghai. She also attended KTV with our company. During her time in China, we followed-up with her ensuring a successful internship/job placement.
When she completed the internship/job program, she said the agency is well organized and structured. She felt like she was in good hands and didn't have to worry about visa applications and other planning details, which made her time in China much easier.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
The Teaching English in China Program is excellent and I would love to join! What makes this program unique is that we customize it to each and every applicant based upon their needs.
We try to fit every element they are seeking in a school or training center and make it happen. Even if you are a recent high school or college graduate, we are able to place you in a school. While most schools require a TEFOL or TESOL certificate, we try to find a school that matches the qualifications that you already have.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
Our company was established in 2013 by Juliet Li. What makes our company unique is that we are a company with a diverse background experience. Our employees come from all over the world and at the moment we have people working with us from the USA, China, France, Spain, Lithuania, and more.
While we are a young company, we give each applicant special attention and try our best to find them a job opportunity in a program that suits their experience and needs. When our applicants come to China, we ensure they have a safe, fun and great learning experience that helps them to prepare for their future.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
The three biggest factors I believe to make a company successful are great customer service, a leader with a vision, and leader who's willing to take risks.
Warren Buffet said, "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it." A successful company must build a foundation of great customer service from the time it begins selling, buying, or improving a product or service.
Another quote, from Proverbs 28:19, says "Where is no vision, the people perish". That quote is also true in business. Successful companies like Alibaba, Apple, Telsa, Microsoft, Facebook and many more, all had a vision. Because of their visionary outlook, their company is now successful.
Finally, Thomas Edison said, " Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time". What made Thomas Edison successful, just like other successful men and women, was that they were willing to take risks even if it meant trying something over 1,000 times to successfully light up one light bulb.
These three characteristics that make a successful company is incorporated in our company values and business. We ensure we provide the best customer service, we have a leader who has a vision for our company and our company is willing to take risks to make a positive difference for our applicants and our company partners.
