Archives 2008

10 Things Recruiters Should Know About Every Candidate They Interview

Interviewing candidates and gauging their fit for a culture and position is one of the most indispensable tasks a recruiter performs. The more a recruiter knows about a candidate, the better equipped they are to add value to the hiring process. That’s why getting to know the candidate and understand what they are looking for, along with overall qualifications, is so critical.
But there is more about candidates you should uncover if you want to do the best possible job of providing information (read: value) to hiring managers. Below are ten points in key areas that all recruiters should investigate for each candidate they interview — before they present the candidate to the hiring manager.

Complete compensation details. Understand exactly how the candidate’s current compensation program is structured. This means more than the candidate’s base salary; the base salary is just part of the overall package. Be sure that you ask about bonuses; if, how and when they are paid out, stock options or grants that have been awarded. Compile a complete list of benefits and how they are structured (e.g. PPO vs. HMO; there is a difference) and know when the candidate is up for his or her next review, because this can alter cash compensation.

Type of commute. Commute is a quality-of-life issue and discussing it is important. A ten-minute commute against traffic is very different than taking the car to a train and having to walk five blocks to the new organization. If the commute to your organization is worse for the candidate than it is in his or her existing job, bring it up and see how the candidate responds. If the commute is better, use it as a selling point. By all means, be sure that you understand the candidate’s current commute and how they feel about the new one.

The “what they want vs. what they have” differential. Most candidates do not change jobs just for the sake of changing jobs. They change jobs because there are certain things missing in their current position that they believe can be satisfied by the position your organization is offering. This disparity is called the “position differential” and it is the fundamental reason a person changes jobs. Know what this position differential is and you will be able to know if you have what the candidate is looking for. If so, you will be able to develop an intelligent capture strategy when it comes time to close.

How they work best. Some candidates work best if left alone, while others work best as part of a team. It is your job to know enough about the organization’s philosophy and the way the hiring manager works to see if the candidate will either mesh or grind. Beware of recommending hiring a candidate who does not fit into the current scheme, because, at times, style can be just as important as substance.

Overall strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to get some understanding of the candidate’s strong points and the candidate’s limitations. All of us have strengths and weaknesses (even John Sullivan has weaknesses, but he won’t tell me what they are). Our role is to identify them and be able to present them to the hiring manager. Hint: Ask what functions the candidate does not enjoy performing. We are seldom good at things we don’t like.

What they want in a new position. Everyone wants something. Find out what the candidate wants in a new position. Be sure to do whatever is necessary to get this information. Feel free to pick away during the interviewing process with open-ended questions until you have all of your questions answered. It is difficult to determine whether a given hiring situation has a good chance of working out if you do not know what the candidate is looking for in a new position.

Is the candidate interviewing elsewhere? This is big; I don’t like surprises and neither do hiring managers. I always ask the candidate what else they have for activity. If the candidate has three other companies they are considering and two offers are arriving in the mail tomorrow, this is absolute need-to-know information. If the hiring manager wants to make an offer, it’s time to advise them as to what the competition looks like and move this deal onto the express lane, fast.

What it will take to close the deal. This is a first cousin of #6 above but it is more specific and flavored with a “closing the deal” mentality. #6 relates to what the candidate wants in a new position, but this one quantifies that want. For example, if the candidate wants more money, this is where you will assess how much it will take to close the deal. As another example, while #6 will let you know that the candidate wants to work on different types of projects, this one will tell you exactly what types of projects those are.

Can the candidate do the job? Even though, as the recruiter, you might not be able to determine if this is the perfect candidate, you should exit the interview with an opinion as to whether or not the candidate can perform the functions of the position. Furthermore, that opinion must be based upon information that was unveiled during the interviewing process and not just a gut feeling. It has to be based upon what the candidate has successfully accomplished and how that aligns with the needs of the current position. If you can’t offer a solid opinion on this one, you need to dig deeper until you have a solid case for why the candidate can or cannot do the job.

Will the candidate fit into the culture? Predicting the future is tricky business, but someone has to take a shot at evaluating a candidate’s chance for success. Not everyone that is capable of doing the job will have a successful run at the company, because culture does play a role in candidate success. For example, the culture of a buttoned-down insurance company in Boston is very different than the garage culture of a software startup in the valley. If you have a reason to believe that the person is the wrong DNA for an organization, it is imperative that you raise the issue.
There are few things hiring managers value more than solid candidate feedback based upon a well-executed interview. Convey this information to the hiring manager and take one more step towards becoming a world-class recruiter.

China Yahoo said to be cutting staff

CHINA Yahoo, a subsidiary under the nation’s largest e-commerce firm Alibaba.com Corp, is trimming its workforce and sending staff back to the parent company, sources close to the company said.

“Dozens of people,” including mid level managers and directors, are returning to Alibaba while others are asked to leave with compensation for their service, they said, asking for anonymity.

Tao Ran, a spokesman for Hangzhou-based Alibaba, refused to comment yesterday.

Alibaba took over Yahoo China – which was later changed to China Yahoo – in 2005 and was paid an additional US$1 billion from Yahoo Inc, which in return gained a 35-percent stake in Alibaba.

Since the deal, a revamp of the acquired business has been going on as Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, is trying to integrate it into their e-commerce platform, with ideas like launching shopping search functions. The business was renamed China Yahoo last year.

China Yahoo had about 800 staff as of September 2006. It was still recruiting sales and marketing staff in October and November. The latest figure on its employee number was not known.

Bosses offer more bonuses to entice workers to stay on

EMPLOYEES at two-thirds of multinational companies on the Chinese mainland can expect year-end bonuses to rise at least 10 percent this year, a human resources report released yesterday revealed.

The figures were released amid revelations that many employees were dissatisfied with wages and bonuses, with 10 percent quitting their jobs.

Hudson Recruitment, a Nasdaq-listed international headhunting firm, surveyed 737 multinational companies on the mainland, mostly based in Shanghai, about their hiring intentions, year-end bonuses, salary and turnover in the first quarter.

Across all sectors, 66 percent of employers surveyed said they were planning to pay a year-end bonus of 10 percent more than that of last year.

The consumer sector turned out to lead the year-end bonus list with 78 percent of respondents saying they would pay more than 10 percent.

But the report didn’t provide an average year-end bonus figure.

It did, however, say that 32 percent of the surveyed firms would raise employees’ salaries at least 20 percent this year, compared with 25 percent for the same period last year.

In media and public relations firms, 21 percent of surveyed employers promised a salary rise of more than 20 percent, the lowest among all sectors.

The mainland finished first in both year-end bonus and salary increase categories in the quarterly report that covered the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.

Angie Eagan, general manager of Hudson’s Shanghai office, said the high bonus increase and high pay rise reflected the country’s headcount shortage.

“It’s interesting to find employers here using bonuses and higher pays to retain talents as a way to stop people leaving,” Eagan said.

The survey reported that 61 percent of employers were looking forward to hiring new staff in the first quarter of this year.

“But this strategy does not seem to be working, as they are also facing the highest staff turnover rates,” she added.
In the past 12 months, turnover in the Chinese mainland was high. Forty-seven percent of firms said more than 10 percent of their employees quit their jobs.

The turnover rate is almost twice the figure of Japan, the report said. The most frequently cited reason for resignation was limited career progression and “dissatisfaction with salaries or bonuses.”

Avoid the Top 10 Résumé Mistakes

Most employers are deluged with résumés from eager job seekers. Some human resource managers have hundreds of them sitting on their desks on any given day. With competition this fierce, the key to effective résumé writing means being certain that yours is free of the common errors that many employers complain that they see made over and over again.

A strongly written résumé can be the difference between landing an interview and landing in the “no” pile. Here are 10 common pitfalls to avoid when preparing your résumé:
1.No clear focus. Your résumé should show a clear match between your skills and experience and the job’s requirements. A general résumé with no sharp focus is not seen as competitive. Why are you the best person for this particular position?
2.Dutifully dull. A solid résumé is much more than a summary of your professional experience; it’s a tool to market yourself. Avoid phrases like “responsibilities included” or “duties included.” Your résumé should not be a laundry list of your duties but rather an announcement of your major accomplishments.
3.Poorly organized. Information on a résumé should be listed in order of importance to the reader. Don’t ask employers to wade through your hobbies first. Dates of employment are not as important as job titles. Education should be emphasized if you are freshly out of school and have little work experience; otherwise, put it at the end. If your résumé is difficult to read or key information is buried, it’s more likely to be cast aside.
4.Too much emphasis on old jobs. Résumés that go too far back into the job seeker’s work history can put that person at risk for possible age discrimination. Does anyone really need to read about your high school job bagging groceries, especially if that was 20 years ago? The rule of thumb for someone at a senior level is to list about the last 15 years worth of professional experience.
5.Important skills buried. Don’t forget to bullet the important skills that make you a standout in your field. Your objective is to play up the value that you will bring to a prospective employer. Emphasize how and what you will add worth to the company, not the reason you want the job. Employers are looking for someone to enhance the organization, not their own résumé.
6.Drab looking. Try to stay away from the cookie-cutter résumé templates that employers see constantly. Show a little imagination when writing and designing your résumé. But don’t overdo it. Overly artistic or tiny fonts are a no-no, since they’re hard to read and don’t scan or photocopy well.
7.Too personal. If your Web site includes photos of your cat or your personal blog about what you did over the weekend, don’t steer prospective employers there by including it on your résumé. Keep your personal and your professional life separate in order to be taken seriously.
8.One typo too many. Your résumé is your one chance to make a first impression. A typo or misspelled word can lead an employer to believe that you would not be a careful, detail-oriented employee. Spell-check software is not enough, since sentences like “Thank you for your patients” would get the thumbs up. Ask several people to proofread your résumé to be sure that it is free of typos and grammatical errors.
9.Stretches the truth. Everyone wants to present his or her work experience in the most attractive light, but information contained on your résumé must be true and accurate. Whether you’re simply inflating past accomplishments or coming up with complete fabrications, lying is simply a bad idea. Aside from any moral or ethical implications, chances are that you’ll eventually get caught and lose all credibility.
10.Skips the extras. A common mistake is neglecting to mention any extra education, training, volunteer work, awards, or recognitions that might pertain to your particular job area or industry. Many employers view such “extracurricular activities” as testament to a well-rounded employee, so leverage such things as assets to distinguish your résumé from the hordes of others out there.

Linktone Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer

SHANGHAI, China, Jan. 16 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ — Linktone Ltd. , a leading provider of interactive media and entertainment products and services to consumers in China, announced today the resignation of Chief Financial Officer — Colin Sung, effective January 31, 2008. Mr. Sung has also resigned as a member of the board of directors of Linktone.

Mr. Sung is expected to remain with Linktone in a consulting capacity for a transition period in order to assist the company with the planned strategic investment by PT Media Nusantara Citra Tbk. Mr. Sung informed the company that he is leaving his position as Linktone’s Chief Financial Officer to pursue other interests.

Foo Him Tiem, the Deputy Chief Financial Officer of Linktone, has been appointed as the acting Chief Financial Officer of the company. Ms. Foo Him Tiem joined Linktone in June 2004. Linktone plans to begin its search for a permanent Chief Financial Officer and will announce a successor when this process is completed.

Mr. Sung said, “It has been my pleasure to serve as Chief Financial Officer of Linktone for the past 2 and a half years. I believe that the company is well-positioned with strong initiatives and ample opportunity to achieve long-term value for its shareholders.”

Michael Li, Linktone’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “On behalf of the board of directors and Linktone’s management, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to Colin. His hard work and contributions are most appreciated by the company. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.” Mr. Li added, “We are also committed to identifying a highly qualified permanent CFO in the near term.”

About Linktone Ltd.

Linktone Ltd. is one of the leading providers of wireless interactive entertainment services to consumers and advertising services to enterprises in China. Linktone provides a diverse portfolio of services to wireless consumers and corporate customers, with a particular focus on media, entertainment and communications. These services are promoted through the Company’s and our partners cross-media platform which merges traditional and new media marketing channels, and through the networks of the mobile operators in China. Through in-house development and alliances with international and local branded content partners, the Company develops, aggregates, and distributes innovative and engaging products to maximize the breadth, quality and diversity of its offerings.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward- looking statements by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” and similar statements. The accuracy of these statements may be impacted by a number of business risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated, including risks related to: the risk that Linktone will not be able to locate and retain suitable people for its board of directors and middle and senior management; current or future changes in the policies of the PRC Ministry of Information Industry and the mobile operators in China or in the manner in which the operators enforce such policies; the risk that other changes in Chinese laws and regulations, or in application thereof by other relevant PRC governmental authorities, could adversely affect Linktone’s financial condition and results of operations; the risk that Linktone will not be able to compete effectively in the wireless value-added services market in China for whatever reason, including competition from other service providers or penalties or suspensions for violations of the policies of the mobile operators in China; the risk that Linktone will not be able to develop and effectively market innovative services; the risk that Linktone will not be able to effectively control its operating expenses in future periods or make expenditures that effectively differentiate Linktone’s services and brand; and the risks outlined in Linktone’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its registration statement on Form F-1 and annual report on Form 20-F. Linktone does not undertake any obligation to update this forward-looking information, except as required under applicable law.

NOTICE TO INVESTORS

This announcement is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell securities by any person. The offer for the outstanding shares of Linktone described in this announcement has not commenced. Any offers to purchase or solicitations of offers to sell will be required to be made pursuant to offer documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in accordance with U.S. securities laws.

The offer documents required under U.S. laws, including Linktone’s recommendation statement, will contain important information, and shareholders and potential investors are urged to read them carefully when they become available before making any decision with respect to any offer. The recommendation statement and other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC are available for free at the SEC’s website ( http://www.sec.gov ). Free copies of these documents can also be obtained by directing a request to Linktone through the investor relations contacts listed above.

For more information, please contact:

Edward Liu
Linktone Ltd.
Tel: +86-21-6361-1583
Email: edward.liu@linktone.com

Brandi Piacente
The Piacente Group, Inc.
Tel: +1-212-481-2050
Email: brandi@thepiacentegroup.com

IBM on a hiring spree in India, China

Washington: International Business Machines Corp is increasing its employee count, with most of the growth coming in India and China, as well as other emerging markets, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

The IBM has been hiring steadily in emerging markets, and its total work force in the BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India and China – will approach 100,000 people by the end of the year, up from about 85,000 at the end of 2006, the report quoted a source familiar with its hiring as saying.

At the end of 2006, IBM employed 355,000 people around the world. A forecast of the worldwide employment total for the end of 2007 wasn’t available.

This year, the IBM’s employment in India is likely to reach 73,000 people, up from 52,000 last year. Employment in China will top 13,000, up about 30 per cent from 10,000 last year, the source said.

IBM spokesman Edward Barbini confirmed the accuracy of the numbers. He said some of the emerging markets’ employment reflects outsourcing of services, software development and manufacturing work that used to be done in Europe and the US, according to the report.

China’s Downside – Retention & Hiring

By Frank Mulligan – Accetis International, Talent Software & Recruit China

China began its current economic journey back in 1979 with a very low base but it has managed no less than an economic miracle in the equivalent of only two generations.

The country has attracted among the highest rates of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the world. This year’s figure is up 14% in the first 11 months alone, and is due to top US$65 billion for the whole of 2007. Although foreign-funded companies account for only 3% of China’s industrial base, they account for over 50% of the exports, and the vast majority of the high-tech exports. They also have a disproportionate influence on the overall economy in that they contribute about 20% of the total tax revenue.

Any shift in FDI can have serious repercussions for staff hiring, retention and motivation in China as FDI is somewhat of a predictor of hiring demand in the short to mid-term. In addition, constantly achieving peaks of investment and growth creates an expectation in the market of more of the same. China’s FDI peak may have been reached so we should look to what is happening in the general economy and consider the possibility that the economic growth might slow down a little next year. This would only be normal prudent behaviour.

FDI Peak – The reasons for any possible decline in FDI are many and varied, but they basically stem from an increase in costs that accrue to manufacturers in China.

It’s not just salaries. Prices have gone up in China for land as the government has regained control over the allocation of land for industrial purposes. Local officials had been asking for land prices below the actual market value of that land as they competed with each other for FDI, any FDI. Prices have doubled in the last few years as the government’s effort yield fruit.

Inflation – The ugly inflation monster has finally reared its head in China, and it has teeth. Base prices for foodstuffs and other contributors to the CPI have gone up to the extent that November’s inflation touched down at a shade under 7%, the highest figure in 11 years.

The causes are many and varied but they reflect the downside of a fast growing economy, one that not really slowed down since around 1993. Look to an increased focus on this issue by internal staff because this hits where it hurts, in their pocket. It’s not actually your company’s problem but you will be seen as the solution. The new labor law won’t hurt their efforts here.

Government Policy – The Chinese government is currently trying everything in its power to slow down the Chinese economy. Most Prime Ministers or Presidents would cut off their right arm to be in this position but it’s not inherently stable.

Actions taken include taxes on stocks and housing purchases, restrictions on land availability and prices, reductions in the VAT rebates for exports, an increased focus on the environment with mine and power plants closures, and tightening of overall economic policy. These measures have not had the desired result but with the global economy expected to slow they might all kick in at the same time.

If you are looking at hundreds of job requisitions right now you might get what you wish for next year ie. a softening job market that is biased more in your employer’s favor. Don’t hold your breath though.

Shift to Services – In mid-2006 the Chinese government announced that the FDI figures for 2005 were to be revised because US$11.8 billion of investment in the banking, insurance and securities sectors had not been included in the figures. Previous investment in this area had been so low that it had not been on MofCom’s radar, and the sudden increase had taken them by surprise.

This comes off a base of investments that are lower in value than previous years, and this is evidence that China is moving away from high-value capital investments as it moves towards a more service oriented economy. If you are in the service sector you already know about the war for talent among service firms, but you should know that this war is extending out to non-service firms. Watch out for banks that want your operations staff, never mind your finance and HR people.

Shift to Inner Provinces – I don’t have specific figures for the investment in China’s Inner Provinces but the fact of that increase is undeniable. From a low base of about 2% of the total FDI, the Inner provinces get a guesstimated figure of somewhere in the region of 4% now. The overall goals of the shift are writ large and include efforts to promote the development of the Western and Central regions, eliminate regional disparities, consolidate the unity of ethnic groups, ensure border security and social stability, and promote overall social progress

Before opening up in 1979 China had roughly balanced the income per capita in all of the provinces in the country. Admittedly, it was an equally low income per capita figure but it was roughly the same all around the country. Since then there has emerged a huge split in income figures between the prosperous East Coast, the Gold Coast, and the impoverished Inner Provinces. In response to this the government has invested heavily in infrastructure and urban development in these Inner Provinces over the last few years, and the results have been forthcoming.

If you currently manage HR for a factory on the East Coast you should be looking forward to the time when you will have to move the plant to the West. Especially if the plant is low tech.

Even if you are in the high-tech area you might still have to move.

Operations – The coastal provinces in China offer excellent logistics and access to a good base of technical and managerial skills.

But more and more companies are finding the East Coast crowded and over invested. Competition for staff and resources is intense but the option of moving West is not always on the table because the professionals that you need to run a modern plant are not necessarily there. Neither is the logistics or the market for the final products.

This increases the churn in factories and offices in the East Coast, and is likely to get worse because the West is still not proving that attractive. The FDI keeps coming into China and the bulk of it is invested in the East. Don’t look to any likelihood of an ease in hiring and retention soon.

India – Yes, the country is an infrastructural nightmare, and yes, China is very much easier to work in. But India is coming up and there is no denying the preference in MNC headquarters for a balanced approach to their FDI. Putting all their eggs in one basket called China is not the way they would choose to invest.

Up until recently there hasn’t been much choice in where to locate a stamping plant or a EMS plant but India is looking more and more attractive. It’s not likely to affect industrial FDI in a big way soon but the country is slowly developing a strong internal market that will draw in plants just to be inside the Indian tax zone. Many companies have set up in China for exactly this reason.

For HR staff you can look to opportunities to cover a broader base of countries within your portfolio. In all likelihood companies will still locate their Asia Pacific HQ in Shanghai, so this could offer you chances to travel to exotic India. This is not a problem, it’s an opportunity.

Next Steps – One of the big fears that I hear expressed in China is the possibility that China will not get to the next level. What this means in the real world is that costs rise but the new jobs don’t arrive to replace the lost ones in production.

If you look at what India is good at you might have cause for concern. They don’t do production as well as China but they are very strong in software, technical consulting and design. The worst case scenario for China is that it gets left with the production of basic products like car parts and packaging, while India gets all the high value work in product and systems design. Consider this issue if you are currently charged with hiring people for a design centre in China. Ask yourself if the failure to hire the people you need is a fatal flaw in your company’s strategy, and whether you will be able to find the people you need some time soon?.

The answer will tell you a lot about the career you can expect to have in that company.

China’s army turns to schools for recruitment, modernization

By Maureen Fan

The Washington Post

ZHOU HAO

Zhou Hao, left, and Tan Zhenwen are juniors at Beijing’s Tsinghua University who have signed up for the army. Zhou, who wants to work in government after college, said, “I think my experience in the army will help me to get a position.”
BEIJING — The fliers circulating last month on the campuses of China’s most prestigious universities showed three soldiers positioned against a Chinese flag and an appeal that read in part: “Carry Your Pen to the Army to Become More Accomplished.”

In ancient times, the phrase was “Throw Away Your Pen and Join the Army,” a challenge to China’s intellectuals to stop wasting time and help defend the country. Now, the People’s Liberation Army is recruiting college students in an ambitious modernization program designed to attract smart soldiers who can handle sophisticated equipment and transform the 2.3-million-strong force into a high-tech adversary.

“With the rise of China, China needs a powerful army,” said Tan Zhenwen, a junior at Tsinghua University in Beijing who recently headed to Guangdong province to join the South China Sea Fleet. “… I don’t worry about the low social status of soldiers. With more and more college students joining the army, the situation is changing and getting better.”

While China’s rising diplomatic power has helped fuel a desire for a more professional army, military commanders also need highly educated soldiers to maintain the “information-based” military power that has become increasingly important — both internationally and as a means to dissuade Taiwan from declaring independence.

Domestically, the army already has come a long way. A military that 18 years ago was most readily associated with the shooting of protesters in Tiananmen Square is increasingly helping in relief efforts after floods and other natural disasters. The army has also been the driving force behind recent achievements in space exploration.

In a speech in August marking the 80th anniversary of the army, President Hu Jintao called for accelerated modernization of weapons and equipment, enhanced personnel training and strengthening of combat capabilities through technology.

One of the most important aspects of the modernization is a huge effort to shed the impoverished farmhands who have traditionally signed on as a way to ensure three solid meals a day. The once-bloated force had 4.2 million people two decades ago but has gradually reduced its infantry. It has, however, increased the number of personnel who serve in the navy, air force and Second Artillery Corps, which maintains China’s nuclear missiles.

The army now advertises itself as an opportunity for young people to acquire technical skills and experience not easily attained in the private sector. This year, for the first time, the army took out full-page advertisements in newspapers. The ads featured an astronaut, a naval college professor and Peking University’s first recruit since its students began signing up in 2005.

Six years ago, 26 universities produced roughly 1,400 army recruits through a special government program similar to the U.S. military’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or ROTC. This year, the program has grown to include 110 universities, and officials hope to recruit 11,000 students, including some majoring in philosophy, law and medicine.

“Compared with the private sector, army salaries are not very high. But in recent years, the army has increased the salary for soldiers and officers,” said Li Shengqiang, an officer at the army’s Beijing Recruitment Office. “Because the army is trying to equip itself with advanced weapons and equipment, the quality and knowledge of soldiers has become correspondingly higher. … In the 1980s, primary-school graduates could join the army. But now, no way.”

Recruits are lured by financial incentives and programs that allow students to return to university after two years in the army with preferential standing for graduate school. Officials have introduced psychological tests to weed out unsuitable candidates and imposed penalties for ineligible applicants who try to bribe their way in. Also this year, for the first time candidates who want to be air force pilots must pass a language test in English or Russian.

Undergraduates from outside Beijing may be offered Beijing residency, an important perk, in exchange for two years of service, according to a new policy under discussion, said another recruitment official who spoke on condition of anonymity because a decision has not been announced.

For Zhou Hao, 20, a third-year journalism student at Tsinghua University, joining the army had been a childhood dream. He was unaware that university students were eligible until he spotted a recruitment poster and discovered financial rewards for signing up. Last week he headed off to join the Second Artillery Group in Chuxiong city, Yunnan province.

“I prefer to work for the government after I graduate, and I think my experience in the army will help me to get a position,” Zhou said. “I don’t think I really give up anything for the army. But one thing is that more eyes will look at you. So, there must be more pressure, which will force me to do my best.”

China’s growing military budget has generated intense debate in Washington, where some analysts believe China’s defense spending is much higher than the $45.3 billion officially earmarked.

Whatever the amount, one Beijing-based military expert added that some of that money is going toward China’s military-education system.

“We didn’t use all those funds just for missiles or defense” but also for “better welfare” for troops, the expert said, noting that more than $1 million has been spent recently on uniforms.

“Maybe five years ago IBM had the most advantage. Most students wouldn’t have joined the army. But now the situation is different,” he said. “The army now offers higher salaries, higher status than before and more opportunities for advancement. If you wore the uniform before, maybe you couldn’t get a girlfriend. Now, even that’s different.”