Careers of New Chinese Professional Women

Yinghua Yu

doi:10.3384/cu.3301

Abstract

This paper considers a specific cohort of new Chinese professional women born under the one-child policy in the People's Republic of China (PRC). It explores their perceptions and experiences of career in Australia through qualitative data collected from twenty-one professionals. This paper seeks to unpack the complexities of their career planning, pathways, and change, including their use of the WeChat platform to mediate their careers. I argue that new Chinese professional women's experience of career is ambivalent. They aspired to achieve some degree of 'freedom' through choosing to further their career in Australia; simultaneously, they attempted to build homeland connections and fulfil familial obligations as Dushengnv. As a result of constant negotiation, their career pathways were full of 'nonlinear' changes. WeChat works specifically as one important platform that structures the ambivalence experienced – it allows them to establish connections with family in China and the local ethnic community, but it may also limit their ability to develop networks in the Australian workplace; it offers opportunities for entrepreneurship, yet it complicates their social positions. The paper contributes to broader knowledge of new Chineseprofessional women's careers.

Highlights

This paper explores the careers of new Chinese professional women, looking at the neglected interplay between one-child policy and migration to Australia and its associated social and cultural effects on their career pathways
How do new Chinese professional women negotiate their relationships and distance with their families through their careers? How do these women manage the tensions between their career aspirations and the sense of family obligations? What is the role of digital technologies in this?
This paper has explored the ways new Chinese professional women navigate their careers

Summary

Introduction

This paper explores the careers of new Chinese professional women, looking at the neglected interplay between one-child policy and migration to Australia and its associated social and cultural effects on their career pathways. WeChat works as one platform for integrating these possibilities and challenges – it allows new Chinese professional women to connect with their family in China and the local ethnic community in Australia. Still, it might limit the development of social and work networks in Australia. The lure of a ’lifestyle’ change afforded by migration to Australia is tempting for many Chinese professional women, because it seemingly offers a balance between work and life not so gained in China (Shen & Jiang 2020) How do new Chinese professional women negotiate their relationships and distance with their families through their careers? How do these women manage the tensions between their career aspirations and the sense of family obligations? What is the role of digital technologies in this?

Methods

Findings

Conclusion