Some 6 years ago, I moved to China. Before that, I went through a steep career path in an US company (a global MNC with >100000 employees) in EU. I worked very hard, traveled a lot, lived in 3 EU countries. I got the opportunity to experiment with new management styles and I established a scientfic R&D centre in co-op with a famous UK university.

But, crazy as I was about China, I start learning Chinese, left that MNC and came to China on my own. I did highly interesting jobs for Chinese and western companies here. Taught at uni.
Well paid, but never got a full expat package.

Last month, an old frend of mine (he was fired at that MNC, 4 years before I left) became president at that MNC. He right away called me and asked me to come back to clean up the mess in EU.
They are losing money in almost all their EU plants and in US it isn't much better.
I will get a salary, much higher than my expectations, a car, apt, relocation compensation, basically a full expat package to live in my home country!
So far so good. The contract is in my email box for 4 days now, I am hesitating to sign it.

These are my objections:
1. My Chinese gf has a nice job & salary in the Shanghai HQ of a western MNC. Not sure she will be happy in EU
2. I will not have a driver anymore as it is very uncommon in EU.
3. No ayi. They told me it is difficult to get a loyal, stable and honest ayi in Germany
4. No off-shore payment anymore, the full load of the EU tax system.
5. I will get paid in EUR and as we all know, the EUR is going down the drain.
6. It has taken me a lot of time and effort to speak Chinese and to manage the Chinese business culture. That whole investment will be lost.
7. Part of my new job will be to move away or close manufacturing plants. Not to build new factories. I will see more sad than happy faces.
8. I'm afraid that I will miss the everyday TIC surprices and challenges.

Thoughts and recommendations please.

It's a no-brainer. Take the job. The only problem I see is with your girlfriend. But if she's not happy to be with you wherever you are then it wasn't meant to be.

I agree with bigroh74....you are getting out of jail card (paid) and still lingering...
Of course it depends where you will be working in Germany. Munich and Hamburg good the rest is OK

It seems like you answered all your questions with a 60% for SH and 40% pro EU result. At least that is what I am reading in between the lines.

As for seeing sad faces as you mentioned in p.7, well that is going to become the standard face expression of Europeans for the years to come. Better get used to it.

BTW, your Chinese skills and live experience is something no one can take away from you. So no time wasted there.

Yeah, I would not have to think long for such an offer.

Unless other plants have excess capacity, you have to find new plants. Maybe those can be had in China, Chinese is always useful.

Take the job, if it doesn't work (or you don't like it) you can always come back to China.
Remember, China is a parallel (**** up universe) and despite the fact that you are 'used to' does not mean that the way that things are done here is the right way.

Good Luck, and can I say that I'm envious of your 'one way ticket outta China'? (I mean it in a good way)
Cheers !!!

I suppose it wil depend on what needs you want to be satisfied now and in the near future and what you are prepared or even need to sacrifice for them. It's nice to have choices in life. I don't make mine based on money alone. Hope you make the right one.

try it out and come back later if it sucks?

SoFarSoGood wrote:I agree with bigroh74....you are getting out of jail card (paid) and still lingering...
Of course it depends where you will be working in Germany. Munich and Hamburg good the rest is OK

For various reasons I can establish my office in either Frankfurt, Köln oder Saarbrücken. I think I'll go for Köln.

SoFarSoGood wrote:It seems like you answered all your questions with a 60% for SH and 40% pro EU result. At least that is what I am reading in between the lines.
As for seeing sad faces as you mentioned in p.7, well that is going to become the standard face expression of Europeans for the years to come. Better get used to it.

You are very right, both about the 60/40 and the sad faces.

Well, Köln sounds better than Frankfurt... Never been to Saarbrücken, but I guess its also quite nice.
Good luck with whatever your decision will be.

As mentioned above by condesa, I too am envious (in a good way) of your ticket out,
take the job, from what I see you have nothing to lose,
also seems you have the option to come back whenever you what.

Good Luck!

daxuejiaoshou wrote:

SoFarSoGood wrote:I agree with bigroh74....you are getting out of jail card (paid) and still lingering...
Of course it depends where you will be working in Germany. Munich and Hamburg good the rest is OK

For various reasons I can establish my office in either Frankfurt, Köln oder Saarbrücken. I think I'll go for Köln.

SoFarSoGood wrote:It seems like you answered all your questions with a 60% for SH and 40% pro EU result. At least that is what I am reading in between the lines.
As for seeing sad faces as you mentioned in p.7, well that is going to become the standard face expression of Europeans for the years to come. Better get used to it.

You are very right, both about the 60/40 and the sad faces.

There is no nice way to say this; p.7 if done well, is a skill that will take you to the next level in your career.

Take Koeln.

If I would ever go to live in Grmany again.
Koeln would be my choice. The only place
in Germany where all people have humor
and are generally friendly.

Actually, they offered me one more location option, in the EU headquarter, in a small countryside town, about 1 hour SE of München.

Pro:
1. A first floor office with view on vast forests and a lake.
2. Right in the centre of the decision power.
3. I like the countryside.
4. I like BMW and Bayern
Con:
1. A 1 hour drive to the F.J. Strauß Flughafen in München.
2. My Chinese gf will never get used to live there.

That last one made that I right away ruled out München

Oh boy... having ayi and driver are the important factor to you when you think about career?! Then stay and enjoy "feel like a king in Asia"....

daxuejiaoshou wrote:Actually, they offered me one more location option, in the EU headquarter, in a small countryside town, about 1 hour SE of München.

Pro:
1. A first floor office with view on vast forests and a lake.
2. Right in the centre of the decision power.
3. I like the countryside.
4. I like BMW and Bayern
Con:
1. A 1 hour drive to the F.J. Strauß Flughafen in München.
2. My Chinese gf will never get used to live there.

That last one made that I right away ruled out München

I love countryside, and Germany has a lot of beautiful places for sure.
Just give your GF some time to get used to it~~

Zhu Ni Hao Yun !!!

谢谢你。
Thank you all for the interesting viewpoints. And for not derailing this thread.

After another round of emails and telecons I yesterday finally signed the contract.
Some of the smaller items that (nobody mentioned but) pushed me over the tipping point were these:
1. The feeling to come back home in my old company, the old-boys, the fellow-fighters meet again.
2. Both me and my old friend are asked to come back; a rare recognition of our viewpoints and management style.
3. The sweet taste of revenge. Finally getting the power to do something about the always drunk sales manager in London, the unwordly engineering manager in Italy, the lazy GM in France and other subjects disrupting the business.
During my look-and-see visit last week, I was surprised to see how many of these guys are still there.
Time to rattle the bars.

Congratulations.....

Now lets hope the rest of us that also want a "get of jail free card " can get a clean get away just as this.....

OP good for you... show them sleeping leaches in good ol' EU, what we do with ppl. like them in China. Maybe its about time to apply some Chinese office running "......" (Fill in your fav. term, I really don't want to use the word "Method") China and method in the same sentence is soooo scientific

Anyway, I think you got my point. Yes go rattle them bars...

After what you have described it seem like you are talking about A....s? Better don't answer

Good luck!

SuperTed wrote:Congratulations.....

Now lets hope the rest of us that also want a "get of jail free card " can get a clean get away just as this.....

AMEN

daxuejiaoshou wrote:Actually, they offered me one more location option, in the EU headquarter, in a small countryside town, about 1 hour SE of München.

Pro:
1. A first floor office with view on vast forests and a lake.
2. Right in the centre of the decision power.
3. I like the countryside.
4. I like BMW and Bayern
Con:
1. A 1 hour drive to the F.J. Strauß Flughafen in München.
2. My Chinese gf will never get used to live there.

That last one made that I right away ruled out München

Congrats !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wish you a good future and Good Luck !

TylerD, I was laughing so hard I almost fell from my chair when I read your comment..
Ah Köln, in the 80's it was also in the mids of art world's hype..the newcomer next to NY and Paris.
Well that candle did not burn long.. did it.

The good thing with Köln's its location ... close close to Holland and France.

Make sure you negotiate enough authority to actually clean up the mess. Otherwise you will be miserable.

Hi

So here's an update about my new life, away from China.

The job is interesting, challenging, not too difficult. I'm on business travel almost every day, a bit tiresome but I like it.

I was shocked how "my" company is changed. This is no longer about making good products and happy customers. This all about pleasing the shareholders. The accountants and controllers have taken over the business from the engineers and designers. There is an exponential increase in the number of rules and requirements. All flexibility is gone.

I miss China, really I miss the organised chaos, the dazzling city, the unpredictable and fast changing business environment. Köln is a nice city but in no way comparable with Shanghai.
Money isn't everything. My girlfriend is still living in Shanghai, she isn't sure yet whether she will move to Germany ...

I will come back soon.

A bit late ... but useful for others

daxuejiaoshou wrote:Hi

So here's an update about my new life, away from China.

The job is interesting, challenging, not too difficult. I'm on business travel almost every day, a bit tiresome but I like it.

I was shocked how "my" company is changed. This is no longer about making good products and happy customers. This all about pleasing the shareholders. The accountants and controllers have taken over the business from the engineers and designers. There is an exponential increase in the number of rules and requirements. All flexibility is gone.

I miss China, really I miss the organised chaos, the dazzling city, the unpredictable and fast changing business environment. Köln is a nice city but in no way comparable with Shanghai.
Money isn't everything. My girlfriend is still living in Shanghai, she isn't sure yet whether she will move to Germany ...

I will come back soon.

Sadly this is the trend for so many companies, perhaps we should list the MNCs we have a gripe about

I've been through offers similar to this in the last 2 years or so... well, not horribly similar, but the same kinda dealy. "Move back to the US, get paid $200k+ with benefits" pops up now and again. As does "Shanghai - $200k", as does "Singapore $250k". It's stopped being headhunters and started being MNCs directly wanting me. Still ain't gonna bite though, have too much invested in Beijing and despite the chaos, it's great to not have a boss or deal with the whole rat race. **** money, I don't have to wear pants and I can sleep till noon. If a client becomes unreasonable I can tell them to get bent and never have to deal with them again. ~Freedom~

daxuejiaoshou wrote:Hi

So here's an update about my new life, away from China.

The job is interesting, challenging, not too difficult. I'm on business travel almost every day, a bit tiresome but I like it.

I was shocked how "my" company is changed. This is no longer about making good products and happy customers. This all about pleasing the shareholders. The accountants and controllers have taken over the business from the engineers and designers. There is an exponential increase in the number of rules and requirements. All flexibility is gone.

I miss China, really I miss the organised chaos, the dazzling city, the unpredictable and fast changing business environment. Köln is a nice city but in no way comparable with Shanghai.
Money isn't everything. My girlfriend is still living in Shanghai, she isn't sure yet whether she will move to Germany ...

I will come back soon.

Sorry to hear that. I'd say get out of your company asap. Most companies that shift their core interest to shareholder satisfaction will be in trouble. Managers who have to deal with quarterly reports are mostly left with doing the most ridiculous things.

I've been through offers similar to this in the last 2 years or so... well, not horribly similar, but the same kinda dealy. "Move back to the US, get paid $200k+ with benefits" pops up now and again. As does "Shanghai - $200k", as does "Singapore $250k". It's stopped being headhunters and started being MNCs directly wanting me. Still ain't gonna bite though, have too much invested in Beijing and despite the chaos, it's great to not have a boss or deal with the whole rat race. **** money, I don't have to wear pants and I can sleep till noon. If a client becomes unreasonable I can tell them to get bent and never have to deal with them again. ~Freedom~

Amen.
I got plenty of friends doing the same thing, Good for you guys.

Yea 250k sounds good, but is it actually mentally and soul stimulating?