Year of the Dog-walker
This weekend most Chinese communities worldwide are celebrating the Lunar New Year. Per National Geographic: “Gung hay fat choy is how Cantonese speakers wish you a happy new year—literally ‘wishing you great happiness and prosperity.’ In China, the official language is Mandarin. Gong xi fa cai is how Mandarin-speakers wish you a happy new year—literally ‘wishing you to be prosperous in the coming year.'”
2018 is the Year of the Dog in the Chinese zodiac, so we’re putting a spotlight on jobs that allow you to turn a love of dogs into a side gig or even a full blown career change. Rover.com, the site that matches pet owners with walkers or sitters, touts dog walking as a way to earn supplemental income and an opportunity to bring some puppy love into your life without the expense and stress of pet ownership.
Modern Dog magazine’s Darcy Wintonyk identified career paths to appeal to dog lovers of all stripes, including:
- Registered Vet Tech, for the careerist ready to achieve a 2-year degree
- Dog Show Handler, with the freedom to be an independent contractor
- Doggie Daycare owner, for the entrepreneurial spirit
Read the full article: Turn your love of dogs into a career
If your (Western) New Year’s Resolutions included looking for a new job, you may be starting to lose steam at this point, especially if your early efforts haven’t paid off. But, cautions Jonathan Edwards in the South China Post, calling off your job search or even putting it on pause can be counterproductive.
This time of year Chinese communities are in holiday mode with parades, parties and family celebrations. And with the President’s Day holiday hot on the heels of Lunar New Year, many businesses are turning this into an extra long weekend. Edwards suggests some concrete steps to keep your momentum going, even if you are feeling the urge to take a break:
- Keep your online presence up to date, including your personal website and social media accounts (as appropriate)
- Check in with any recruiters or HR professionals you’ve contacted in the past year
- Keep your search focused and realistic, and only target the organizations you really want to work for
Read the full article: Job Hunting in the Chinese New Year
Photo credit: wiroj
