Fresh Graduate in International Business Seeking to Work in HK

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  1. #1

    Thumbs up Fresh Graduate in International Business Seeking to Work in HK

    Good day everyone!

    I was hoping I could get some insights. I am going to graduate by September 2012 from a Bachelor in International Business of Economics Finance and Management. However I majored in management.

    Now that I am finishing I would like to move to HK to gain some work experience and I am interested to find a job particularly in luxury retail or travel. That doesn't mean though that I am not open to anything else. I am very good in the field of marketing and marketing communications.

    I have been constantly searching directly on company websites and employment websites in Hong Kong but it seems very difficult to find a job that suits my interest and qualities. Especially because they require you to speak Cantonese or Mandarin which I unfortunately do not. I do speak English, French and Italian fluently and master Spanish at a basic level.

    I am kindly asking for your insights and suggestions because I am considering to move to HK by October regardless whether I find a job beforehand or not.

    Jess


  2. #2

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by cherryjess:
    I am considering to move to HK by October regardless whether I find a job beforehand or not.
    You mean visiting as a tourist, as you can not move here without a proper visa that lets you do so.

  3. #3

    My apologies. Yes, I will be visiting as a tourist, in hopes to find an employer willing to sponsor.


  4. #4

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    Very unlikely to get a visa as a new grad with no experience. Hard to get a job with no prospect of a visa and no Chinese language skills. Get experience elsewhere and try later.

    Sent from my GT-N7000 using GeoClicks Mobile


  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    Very unlikely to get a visa as a new grad with no experience. Hard to get a job with no prospect of a visa and no Chinese language skills. Get experience elsewhere and try later.

    Sent from my GT-N7000 using GeoClicks Mobile
    Unless that is, you are willing to take a low-paying job teaching English (in which case you can easily find a job). As the previous poster indicated, if you just show up without the legal requirement to work it will be quite difficult to find employment. There are always caveats though, and if you know someone who can get you a job that is willing to sponsor you, it's a completely different ball game. Also, if you already have the legal right to work here then you're totally ok coming here. Otherwise it is very, very prudent to work in your country of origin at a multi-national company that will transfer you here. My wife and I just showed up here after seven months of travelling across Asia and we are using up our savings at a quick clip while we wait for word from immigration on our visa status.

  6. #6

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    As people have suggested get some experience first! You may find it difficult in the areas that you want to work since travel will normally require Cantonese/Mandarin and luxury retail would mainly be aimed at the mainland so again Mandarin would be needed at the lower levels.

    As you speak fluently in English, French and Italian it may be a better idea to gain experience in France or Italy (or even Britain) to build up experience. If you gain valuable experience it will help you later on in your career.

    On the other hand you come to HK spend a few months looking for a job and end up taking a role completely unrelated. Doing this could take your career back a year or two.

    Sometimes we are required to be patient to get what we want.


  7. #7

    Thank you that is all very helpful. So the best option is really just to be transferred here via a MNC. Does it make a difference though if a person graduates from a well credited university or not? An expat friend of mine in HK advised me that usually most people who come to HK without a working visa are capable of finding a job through word of mouth. I am not sure whether that is really a credible option.

    What about as a finance student who just recently graduated but with not much professional experiences except from summer jobs and who does not speak chinese but English, German and Italian? Is the situation different in this case?


  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by cherryjess:
    Thank you that is all very helpful. So the best option is really just to be transferred here via a MNC. Does it make a difference though if a person graduates from a well credited university or not? An expat friend of mine in HK advised me that usually most people who come to HK without a working visa are capable of finding a job through word of mouth. I am not sure whether that is really a credible option.

    What about as a finance student who just recently graduated but with not much professional experiences except from summer jobs and who does not speak chinese but English, German and Italian? Is the situation different in this case?
    Again, it depends on your situation. If you have a trust fund or plenty of money to burn, by all means buy that ticket and come on down. If you are just like everybody else without Cantonese or putonghua language skills you aren't going to find many doors open to you. Sorry.

  9. #9

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    There are loads of US grads seeking work here at the moment and we come across many from top universities. I recommend that you find something locally and move here in a few years when you have some more experience. I work in the (luxury) private aviation industry and we simply toss cv's in the trash if they don't have a decent amount of experience + a legit work/residence visa.

    I have met a lot of young grads in the US who seem to think that there are plenty of jobs here in HK and China and they can waltz in without a visa and be employed in a matter of weeks. This might be true in the case of Finance or English teaching but definitely not other sectors.