Software Developer in Hong Kong

[KnowItAll]

Seriously, don't bother if you're not in Hong Kong.

Recruiters work on quotas .... if you're not around for an interview tommorrow and a close in a couple week's time -- why would they bother pitching you to the client?

[jimbo]

Thanks, jimbo

But contacting them several times a week seems a bit excessive to me. Anyway, it's been more than a month since I talked with them. I think I can put one or two updates on my CV and use that as an excuse to contact them again

I didn't realize I would end up at the bottom of the pile that quickly.

No its not excessive at all.

anything more than a week and you will end up on the bottom of the pile, Theres such a high number of people you'll be in competition with and they do recieve good c.v's etc pretty much every day.

speak to them and ask about how you can be more marketable etc and use that as an excuse to contact them etc.

[HKNewBi]

Think about it from the recruiters perspective. It is hard to remember each and every CV. You stand much more chance if you send them a reminder every now and again.

When you speak to them ask them if they have anything current and close the call by agreeing a time when you will contact them again, say in a week or two.

I used to work at one of the big HK recruiters in their London office, not as an agent, but I was very involved with the recruitment process as I was anaylsing all their business processes. It was clear that you are much more likely to be placed the more you make yourself known. Otherwise your details are only going to come up on a database search and if the last contact was over a month ago they will work on the assumption you are no longer available (well, at least assume it is less likely you are available than another candidate that they last spoke to as available 3 days ago).

I do think that you will struggle not being in HK with your skill set. Unless your European languages differentiate yourself. Why would they want to put you forward for a possible job that lands on their desk 9am on Monday morning? First off, they would have to wait 8 hours to call you and secondly if they put you forward for an interview and you decide you can't fly out to HK in the next week you will only be making them look bad to the client. Why risk it over someone local that could have agreed to have their CV put forward by 9:20am.

Some of the agencies here will also, normally, not put you forward unless they have had a brief face to face meeting to check a) you exist! b) you only have 1 head and c) if you are presentable for their particular client.

Having read a lot of the notes that recruiters write about candidates on the internal database some of it can be very cruel (but funny too) indeed!

I think you should approach local companies where you live that might be looking to send someone to Hong Kong. This is possible and you may end up with a much better package.

[gert]

KnowItAll and HKNewBi

I am not that naive that I think myself that hot a commodity among the recruiters, and I know my chances are slim at best, before I finally just throw in the towel and come to HK unemployed - which I would do in a heartbeat if I didn't already have a well paying and good job here.

I'm just hoping that one of those rare jobs will show up where someone with my profile would be desirable enough to compensate for all the drawbacks.

Btw, I did have two face to face interviews with agencies when I was here last month, and they didn't seem that put off by the fact that I had to leave HK again a few weeks later. But maybe they were just being polite. No idea what kinda impression I made on them, but the did respond promptly to my e-mails immediately afterwards, although I haven't heard from them since.

Anyway, I'm seriously considering just going for it after this Christmas, even if I don't have any offers.

So, to change the subject slightly, what do you think my chances would be of finding suitable employment quickly (1-3 months)? Anyone here working in the IT biz who would care to chime in?

[jimbo]

Can't you take say a 3 month unpaid break from your current job and head out to HK and look for work and if no joy then head back to your old job?

The job market is usually pretty quiet though till after chinese new year which is usually around february as most people thinking of leaving don't usually quit till after then due to things such as 13th month bonus etc.

[gert]

jimbo,

Requesting unpaid leave is what I'm planning on anyway. I don't believe in burning any bridges, I don't have to.

But it's a small company, and my being gone for for several months will be felt, so I don't know how my boss will react. I'm not sure I'll even want to go back if the atmosphere at work has been ruined completely.

If I do this it won't be until around mid or late January, anyway. I was planning on making it an extension of my usual Chinese New Year visit. So I guess I would be right in time for the "post bonus rush"

[JonnyC]

Wouldn't the fact that lots of people move on after chinese new year just mean that the competition is even more fierce then as more people are looking for work? I can see how there might be more available jobs if people are leaving positions but then if more people are looking too it would even out wouldn't it?

And regarding the fact you must be in HK - not necessarily. I was recruited from the UK by an agency and the whole thing (including interviews with the employer) was done over the phone. I didn't meet anyone face-to-face until I actually arrived here with the contract all signed and the visa in my passport. So keep looking, there might just be something out there for you

[KnowItAll]

JonnyC, Are you in banking / finance by any chance? Have heard this from a number of folks in that industry.

[hong615]

JonnyC, that's really encouraging... mind if i ask is the agency one located in UK or in HK?

thanks...

[JonnyC]

Yes I'm in banking/finance, I guess a lot of companies in that industry are prepared to pay a bit more and search a bit wider to get who they want.

Hong, the agency is based in HK and doesn't even have a UK office. They are a western company though (Oz). I just looked on jobserve.co.uk for jobs in Asia and the one in HK popped up