[Experience]Bacon's Experience Sharing in Foreign Trade

[font=Verdana][font=Impact][font=Times New Roman][size=3][size=4]It was 5 years since I graduated from the college, my major is international trading, I have the opportunity to improve my English in the university, even it was my dream when I was in mid-school, that one day I could spend all my time on English only, I was poor in subjects of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, that is the very reason.V1S.g0En4I!u\
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I really benefited from English, which opens a window of the outside world for me. From May 2002, I worked in the Nike footwear factory in our city for half of the year, I learnt some knowledge of the shoe making, it helps me to identify the genuine and counterfeit Nike shoes. It was hard days for me to work in the Nike authorized factory, Taiwanese factory, you know it. I am an new hand there, not any job experience, and I was a bottom staff responsible for the documents and invoices, and a boy who is one year older than me, was my ?¡ãTeam leader?¡À. I was disappointed, that my major, or in another word, English is useless there, I was not the salesman or called foreign trade clerk, the job was very boring, same like other graduates talked, even when we left the campus, we were still not accustomed to the life of the community with complex relationships, I lost my patience and confidence gradually, how boring the dairy job was, even I was missing my classmates and the good old school days so much, then I found an excuse to resign the job, my parents and some of the relative not allowed me to do it, they thought it is a good job. Yes, I should admit it is a good job with monthly salary RMB1200, when my classmates get the salary at 800 RMB each month in the office.7L#|f,\ c+A&g


{9f%Q7{"[M\5O I had the complex of the campus, I can??t get used to the living out of campus, I was so weak at that time, when I back college at the weekend myself, I found everything changed, I can??t find the traces of the past time, my friends have already left to work in various parts of China, Xiamen, Shenzhen or other cities in Guangdong province, Southeastern of China.+I"qT4y,^"t"`EI(U;~
I prefer to stay in my city-Putian-the home town of MAZU, I do not like to stray.4?&TwP*D
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[color=Navy]PS: It is very important to have a good starting after you left college or university, to practice, to get more knowledge about foreign trade in a short time, but don??t change jobs again and again for money purpose only, because we have the opportunity to make money, not only in one or two years. Take care of yourself without the protection of campus and parents. [/size][/size][/font][/font][/font][/color]

[size=4][font=Times New Roman]At that time, I knew nothing about internet-business, or my situation will be much different now, all what I wanted in year 2002-2003 is to get a stable job with wages of RMB 1500-1800,then I will be very satisfied and happy. As some of the FOBers may know that, our city is very famous on duplicated brand sport shoes, some of my friends, who was also in the Foreign language department, graduated 1 or 2 years earlier then me, they earned at least RMB five hundred thousand every year from selling the fake sport shoes through internet, there were big profit on them, RMB 400-500/pair, they bought a membership from Alibaba or similar websites, sending photos to the website, waiting for the inquiries, quoting prices, receiving the payment, looking for the suppliers, negociating and getting a deal,then delivery the goods by courier service, that is all, not any more difference from the business now, but the most important thing is that, the competitive is much more fierce now. My Lord, I didn't catch the chances, some like my other classmates, it is OK now, just a pity.
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I am an ordinary person, I don't have big ambitions, all what I want is offering my family an affluent life, I thought I don't ask to much.`'H\eF+dDd

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IZ After the first job, my friends persuaded me to go to Xiamen(Amoy) to find a new job, it was the second time I visit this city, just like friends who didn't meet each other for many years, I wanted to talk with her, I love this city very much. But destiny played games with me, I can't believe that I was unable to find a job in 4 months, even I had the CET-6, had the job experience, but there were also to many graduates in this city, I feel tensely, because of my introverted character, I was still a green hand for foreign trading business. It is the most embarrassing Chinese Lunar New Year I had. I should earned some money for my family, I should be a man who can bring bacon home.
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h*Y?C5WlO_f I didn't find there is a so called bright future in front of me, my life at that time is full of failure."ZGro(Wn1C
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[color=Navy]PS: For the graduates, it is correct to have an idea, but we can not expect too much, Plans according to your capabilities is better for you, step by step.[/font][/size][/color]
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[[i] Last edited by bacon999 at 2008-10-22 20:54 [/i]]

[font=Times New Roman][size=4]With the help of my classmate, I got a job in Dehua County, Quanzhou City, which is one of the four China Porcelain & Ceramic Capitals. There, I offered low salary, but I am glad that I had the opportunity to attend Guangzhou Canton Fair twice each year, I worked as a foreign trading clerk. China Guangzhou Import & Export Commodities Fair, where you can communicate with many foreign customers from all over the world and learn a lot, my follow young friends, take good use of it, not always complaint that it doesn't bring any order for you after your company paid more than hundred thousand RMB on it. You paid, you got.
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At that time, I am still not familiar either with websites or B2B, which really new for me, I can't believe that I will know some clients from the internet and they will place me orders, it could be a magic. Now, I get to know the power of it._4wv\q3RF K i6u

cEn*k2~f5Eli.pB I stayed in the mountain town for almost 2 years, it is really an unforgettable experience, during those days, I lost the connection with outside world, but it let me calm down and think about the future carefully.!{:e4@#]8d!i/I

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In 2005, I resigned my second job again and back home and got married, married at a young age. 3 months later, I started my job now.
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%Wr/S*b)?3{"V6Ga The main channel for us to find the new customer is internet, send marketing emails to hundreds of email address relate with our products, yes, it can be said the spam, then you may receive 2-3 responce from the receiver, some days nothing, even some people may curse you, because you waste their time. In this "stupid" way, I got my first order USD 300 in 8 days, it is really a Miracle or Myths for me, I was going to crazy, I enjoyed the "success", you can't imagine how happy I was.
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k?4B)Ywh F5N/] I am sure most of the FOBers did in this way, and I should say that it is the most effective method to find the valuable customers through internet now, "Search Engine" is really a powerful tool for us, the most important thing is it is free. And in my point of view, waiting for potential buyers from B2B websites are passive now, which will cost you to much time,energy and passion, you will lose your confidence after days to days waiting. But we have to make good use of these free source, B2B or any massage board in the internet, And you should pay your attention to design a good website, good optimization, eye catching, can be included or caught easily by Google or Yahoo or something like these. I must mention the "Key words", you should learn from some experienced friend or officemate, refining the words, looking for gold(buyers & orders) from the sands(thousand of information from the internet.)
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Secondly, it is very important to be a specialist for your products, than you can access the buyers' trust, as well as good communication, try to make the buyers your friends.
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And I should suggest that we have to visit customers in their countries and attend the exhibition overseas if possible, which will offer you more opportunities in foreign trading.yBeX#d1R/L
From the beginning of 2007, our company started to attend the exhibitiones in Mid-east, Africa, Europe, South America, more than 10 countries, each fair costs about one hundred thousand RMB, not so expensive compare to exhibitions in domestic, but the results are much different, which not only bring orders, but also do promotion for our brand, that is the long-term economic benefits we want.
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``-La!Sv I am lucky, I have the opportunity to go abroad for business travel and meet many new customers there. In March 2007,I visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it is my first time to visit another country, so many overseas Chinese there, even some of them are from our city, they still speak our local language-PuxianHua, most of them are nearly sixty or seventy years old, who left their hometown very young, they talked with me cordially and inquiry the new development in the hometown, I invited them to come back and walk around in the city.
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cgy6n4g)R(Fp x] In April, I arrived in Istanbul, Turkey for the next exhibition for ten days, it is really a beautiful city there: Mosque, Carpet, Turkish Bath, Turkish Barbecue, Belly Dance, Turkish folkloric music , Bars in Taksim Square, the nightlife in Istanbul is colorful, people are friendly and hospitality, everything just unforgettable.
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I come to Dubai, Emirates in July 2007 to attend another exhibition , it was really hot there, always about Celsius 50 degrees from June to August, Dubai is a bustling international city, luxury cars, seven stars hotel, in the past half year, I went to Tehran, Iran for 3 times, I come to understand this country better, it's a big market there, I am working on it. 0Cc4D|giv$@/B
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[color=Navy]PS: All roads to Rome.?LIjz4X.i+jw
An opportunity is for those who preparing for it.[/color]D`)D8@fMo0l
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I will share more experience with you and hope these words can help you , and we could discuss together too.:) [/size][/font]lPl7l*MT
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[[i] Last edited by bacon999 at 2008-10-22 21:20 [/i]]

It is lucky to read the whole experience.:)
i_:qdV~h_J H ED E U experienced more than us,cus I graduated this year.Compared with your 5 years' working experience,I feel I still have a lot to learn.For the tips u offered for us,it is useful.Don??t change jobs again and again for money purpose only,that is true.One of my classmate changed his job again and again,now he want to change an environment cus the present salary is not enough to support himself.9p)J2P/W;~ e
I have the plan to find a new job after Spring Festival.i am doubting that which job is proper for me.I've no idea yet.:Q It is hard for me to find a direction that I can stick to it.But whatever it happens,make a plan and complete it in the stated few years will do much help.after I go back home and talk with my parents,I will start new life with aim.
+E2D{1^kVW@9G Thanks for tips u offered,but still I am not clear of B2B,search information,analyse it is true or not.I've no idea of it.:L3Z2iV.g^D'e
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[[i] Last edited by jeff008 at 2007-12-13 13:30 [/i]]

It is very important to have a good starting after you left college or university, to practice, to get more knowledge about foreign trade in a short time, but don??t change jobs again and again for money purpose only, because we have the opportunity to make money, not only in one or two years. Take care of yourself without the protection of campus and parents.
7N{`\I o you are so thoughtful,Bacon!@LDtXP+D
and i did learn a lot from your 5 year's working experiences!
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and i graduated this year, so very few experiences to be shared here, just learn and put them into the practice as many as possible.

bacon, as for the choice of "key words" in google,you must have some good ideas.zy"xkD

?jnoW1Z will you please kind enough to tell  sth more about it , could you?:time: 8n/t'gS6C*b
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..... irdX,h]/v

%nn0k8o!|3b maybe  we shoud be more active in  learning it in the  E-Business in  the C-Fob.:)
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/h/W[UorFv [[i] Last edited by jeff008 at 2008-1-15 11:11 [/i]]

Hi bacon,
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Many thanks for your words!:)+b
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I am reading it carefully. It's really useful for me.:lol
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v1H`;GO:Q3k1Y The working experience and practice is really powerful info for us employee.
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/^Hg's[c I have been working more than 6 years, since 2001. All my job are refering the trading & export business. But the export business in Guangdong is different from Ningbo's. That's my feeling.6p$`CM5z#{O-_/}W~

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t3@c1K]r I am keeping on learning here. Hope I can go out for international trading business on day. Nd!qjhB&l4tOW*M
I am sure, I can get it.  :victory:
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Good luck all my friends!  :time:4quH Um(^2YK ^

2s&C(AR/M_a't [[i] Last edited by dancy0103 at 2007-12-13 14:02 [/i]]

I am very luckly to read your experiences! And in my opinion it is very useful for us !but you get these are not easy ,so all of us are need to learn more and work hard ! Of course  luck is also important!  :$:Zsf.Sfs%S8j}9m

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kU[}t [[i] Last edited by jeff008 at 2007-12-13 16:01 [/i]]

Reply #3 bacon999's post

I was moved~:') qZA\'_WUi

!@p{2WW:wc thank you for your sharing here. I appreciate your kind offer of your ecperience. :victory:

i really appreciate your article...let me know that live is not easy!:victory:

Thanks for your experience sharing!!! Indeed we learn sth from it.:lol :lol :lol :victory: :victory:

Hello Bacon.
Z9EN*@ CmhvrR Your whole story/experience is really a good sample for green hand like me. Actually, I am a liitle confused about my future career at the moment. I've been in this company for almost 2 months, and there haven't show out any cludes of an incoming order. The most important thing is that I have not found the direction( which business line I should engage in the future). My present work is at a small company, I couldn't learn more things related FOB even though was told by friends that you would learn a lot if plunge yourself in a smaller company. I am always learning trade knowledge all the time, and hope one day I can start my own business in the future.:)
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$rs;UZ4[3ZU [[i] Last edited by jeff008 at 2008-1-15 11:02 [/i]]

Bacon:
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#uz8KD}}Ir Nice to know your story.
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People alway confuse when he/she is starting to work!they will keep about thinking "what shold i do? can i get a job meeting my major ? i am really concerning about the relationship with boss or workmate..... even they can not stand any criticism from their boss or workmate.]cYQ,B!V

"m~xc-K3G In such a case, they will think about that everything will be better if i change a job for a new enviroment! they can deal with everything after quit their current job!! I believe everyone have thought about this when they was a beginer for job! just like me
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i3@#_'@.r I3B_;\ [[i] Last edited by jeff008 at 2008-1-15 11:08 [/i]]

I feel so honored to read your experience,especially about changing the job"but don??t change jobs again and again for money purpose only, because we have the opportunity to make money, not only in one or two years."really appriciate your sharing,good luck!!:victory:

I 'm a green hand in foreign trade ,and so glad to read your words,
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p*j6gT actually my major is not International trade nor English, and my previous job was nothing to do with foreign trade. so it's hard for me to find a job in foreign trade."H!]9`Vw2GX l7\/N0p
Finally, with my friend's help , I got a job in a small factory as a International trade clerk. I know that is a big challenge for me , but I think I can do it well!
~$y2x6^m6T+c0pB I agree with your opinion about job and money, and Iove your experience attending exhibition oversea, I hope one day I can go too!:loveliness:

Hope everybody can succeed in future.

Great thread,great author!!!

so wonderful article for all FOBers,especially green hand,just like me.

[font=Times New Roman][size=4][color=indigo][i]:lol I had a similar experience with bacon . same job experience ,same zigzag trading road.  but we are insist on now . no reason , just as you say , we are the men who"take bacon back". good , i like this word .[/i][/color][/size][/font]
\-c#dIq/{ [size=4][font=Times New Roman][color=indigo][i]      So many youngers like to pursue the money or consumptive level when he as a fresh men, and they like to craze to vie with each other, that's a bad habit ,i think .  there is no patient do some things to final .[/i][/color][/font][/size]
0sZ"h7c fydLt [font=Times New Roman][size=4][color=indigo][i]     In other hand ,you are more lucky, so many times experience about abroad Fair.it is more helpful to explore the customer .ihad businessed the international trading five years,just experienced once a hongkong  electronic fair.:L .  payment B2B is necessary , but the "search engine" is a way to balance your skill and patience.  you are well done on it ,i think , pls share more details for us about the use it .[/i][/color][/size][/font]_u"W)Ogq&Un3Q/A]
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[font=Times New Roman][size=4][color=blue][i]PS:you are married so earlier. :lol  how about it ?[/i][/color][/size][/font]
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[[i] Last edited by jeff008 at 2008-1-15 10:36 [/i]]

:lol thanks for sharing with us,
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V}D;E;f as you adviced, we must work hard for our position and see what we can learn from it not only the money,,,,so I resigned days before,and regained new job ,seems not bad, so i think i will screw on whatt i want, and adjust my mood not to  change so much,,,,hehe all that we want also are taking bacon home :lol :lol

bacon999 ，good for you ..
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Merry Christmas 。。

hi, bacon, thanks for your experience, I red it carefully and as a green trade I can learn more from your post
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5 years, including failure or success, finally, you get successful

you are a good writer.
w\$C&fbZd thank you for giving us such a good article:handshake

I am glad to read your story pertaining to trading experience. Comparing to you having more than 5 years experience, I feel that I am still a green hand in foreign trade. Firstly introduce myself who have graduated from school in International Trade in 2005, only past CET-6. My first job was Merchandiser  with monthly salary RMB 800 in in Garment company.I felt this work too comfortable and monthly and steady almost 3 years, without any challenging. So I have decided to change another job for sales in Nov 2007. There are so many inquiries from all over the world I have to reply. Although It's boring little, I could be stick to the way forwarding, full passion,positive,diligent and firm belief in sales, it can comes true one day.
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~I)ZNc Come on !! :victory:

The last King's Iran--Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's statue.
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Sorry,i made a mistake it is Riza Shah's statue,Mohammad Reza Pahlavi' father.R*p O7_6R^N

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Protestors tore down a statue of Riza Shah,x@3Q
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the father of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.

If any of you are interested,you can search with those key words for more information about this country-the history,the situation now and in future.-F7Y'}L_$_*W |qV
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Some pictures of the Place
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A6Vty8LXZ"TI Murals
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Ancient weapons2CrA4NfG$n
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Carpet with Map of the world ;|3C.BA)|&jBNlZ
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@:kV.|1_,L:s The legend of children raised by the wolf
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[color=DarkGreen][size=4]Walking on the Tehran's street,there are full of INDUS,in August,2007[/size][/color]
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[size=4]TEHRAN PERMANENT FAIRGROUND
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[size=4]Many exhibitiones and fair hold there every year.in Septem,2007[/size]
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K@EH^9]x(W4Fb9u A corner of Tehran'street-Opposite to TehranDorsa Hotel where I stay for 5 days there in January,2008
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%Fv0p&{s"a I sincerely hope all these pictures will not make this poster to be moved to Travel Guide.:lol 8@ {2nC'Q,M K
Just to meet some FOBER's suggestion.Thanks all!
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Hope can share you more in the future.:)

Bacon, thanks for sharing your experience to us!
Gk:I!V{C uy+vJ         It is, though a little bent and hard, a precious and unforgettable experience for you!*D$j+n!gJ @p;q
        We foreign traders all have to grow together with the one-by-one tries, many ups and downs! Let's grow up together!