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Finance jobs in HK that dont work 100+ hours?

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  1. #31

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    Original Post Deleted
    Unfortunately he's right. It's depressing!

  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by climber07:
    How about this:

    1. Don't be a ROBOT! I don't need button pushers, there are macros for that.
    2. Learn to think outside the box.....nearly non-existent skill in the local fresh grad market. They know how to memorize and regurgitate facts. If I wanted to hire a ROBOT...please see #1.
    3. Don't come to my interview with rehearsed answers to potential questions....If you do….I will mentally break you down and possibly make you cry.
    4. If you don’t know how to sell yourself and what your best attributes are, get a job at 7/11, your career hit a ceiling before you even started.
    5. If you’re a typical piss-ant who has a fear of corporate hierarchy and cannot tell a Director or MD to fuck off….I’m not interested in hiring you.

    Moral of the story......finding a local candidate in Hong Kong with even an ounce of confidence is harder than balancing the US Federal Budget.
    You would have 'enjoyed' what I've seen yesterday. Next to me on the MTR sat a young guy who was busy memorising a 'speech' (can't find a better word for it) he prepared for a job interview. I couldn't help overhearing every irritating single little detail of it. And no, he didn't even try to sell himself, all he practiced was flattering the interviewers....

  3. #33

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    Am with DeletedUser here, we have hired in the past 7 years here in HK some brilliant locals (and they work damn hard).

    But I do get what Climber says too.

    For some functions (mostly support from what I can se around me, so this is just an observation, not a truth) it's depressing to see the lack of critical thinking.

    One thing I feel sometimes local grad miss is "Commercial Attitude" - as compared to the fresh grad we may hire from other places.

    But they usualy compensate that by very high analytical skills, job ethics and commitment.


  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by HKNumberOne:
    Climber's got some inherent racial bias inside him from what I can read. Arrogant with somekind of gwei superiority complex. Maybe too agressive. Exactly the type of person who might push the wrong buttons outside of the office and get his jaw broken into piences IMO by a local.

    Just because you have a one track mind, doesn't make it fact. My entire team happens to be Chinese. One HK local and 4 from Mainland motherland. They are all brilliant quants (Math / Physics PhDs) and with their educational background have awesome communication and interpersonal skills.

    My post is based on the interview processes I was asked to conduct to hire fresh grads into finance. The standout candidates (for the roles I need...which happen to be extremely confrontational in nature and require thick skin) are few and far between. However, we do find them and contrary to your belief they are not filled with gweilos.

    BTW...if you're keen to kick my ass..I'll be happy to PM you my address. Just be ready to put your money where your mouth is. If you talk the talk, you better walk the walk.
    Last edited by climber07; 20-07-2012 at 07:43 PM.

  5. #35

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    Original Post Deleted
    Sounds just like CS!

  6. #36

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    To the OP, I don't think it is only a banking issue or finance issue.
    Generally speaking, working culture in East Asia is just built around long hours.
    If you aren't working long, you must not be working hard (or so the saying goes).

    I'm not a banker, and in Japan and Taiwan both 14 hour days were the norm, in office, with conference calls to the States at crazy hours of the night (i.e. 2am). During peak times, people could be in the office overnight, even (most levels of staff, as well). Similar to IB, I think.

    All that said, I often question the ROI when operating like this.
    It's not efficient and productivity decreases massively.


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