The employability of newcomer self‐initiated expatriates in China: an employers' perspective

Based on 24 interviews of western recruiters with staffing experience in China, this empirical study is one of the first to explore a neglected aspect of the careers of western newcomer self‐initiated expatriates ( NC ‐ SIE s) in cross‐cultural career settings from the employers' perspective: the value and employability of NC ‐ SIE s in China. The findings reveal that individuals responsible for staffing in China perceive the employability of NC ‐ SIE s to be low, and how both organisational and contextual drivers define the value of each person‐related skill and ability, and how the knowledge that affects the perceived employability of a staff member. The findings also illustrate how those attributes are expected to contribute to the performance of an organisation. These findings are relevant both for employers and employees because increasing numbers of mobile NC ‐ SIE s without previous work experience in cross‐cultural career contexts seek career opportunities in such labour markets.