Domestic head hunters to face more rivalry

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　本报记者　LI MING

　　Domestic head hunters are divided on their future after foreign counterparts are allowed to enter the market, the Beijing Morning Post said yesterday.

　　A senior officer with the Ministry of Personnel recently said that China plans to open its job market to foreign employment agencies, and the ministry now is drafting related regulations.

　　But the door will be opened gradually. At the first stage, foreign employment agencies will be allowed to set up only joint ventures, he said.

　　Attracted by the huge market potential, some overseas job agencies have already begun carrying out business in China without official approval. More of them are watching at the threshold and will not hesitate to rush in once the market limitations are lifted.

　　Some domestic agencies are afraid that they will be totally outrun by the foreign head hunters.

　　As compared with foreign counterparts, domestic firms are usually small in size and lack capital and management experience, said Wang Changjiang, manager of Beijing Haozu Head Hunting Company.

　　Most of the employment agents in Beijing have very limited database and employees, according to a recent survey.

　　Foreign head hunters of the same nationality as overseas company chiefs in China will enjoy advantages enabling them to seize contracts, Wang said.

　　However, some domestic head hunters said the impact of the entrance of foreign firms will be limited, at least in the short term, because they need time to understand the market, and set up business connections.

　　Some foreign head hunters have already closed their businesses in China due to failure to do business in line with Chinese culture, said a Beijing employment agency manager who only gave his family name as Zhang.

　　Both sides will enjoy benefits from the industry's opening-up, said Huang Jian, a manager in another Beijing head hunting firm.

　　Domestic head hunters will learn advanced management expertise from the overseas firms and their competition could promote a more standardized market. In addition, China's job market is big enough for more players, Huang said.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　摘自《中国日报香港版》2001年8月11日