Pressure trying to find jobs in Hong Kong

[tratratratra]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and hoping that members in here can provide me some insight. First off, I am originally from Hong Kong, I just finished my PhD in life sciences in the UK around 2 months ago. I have been trying to look for research jobs or anything tbh in the life sciences sector, and they don't really want me. I have a feeling that having a PhD is actually a burden in helping me landing a job. No industry jobs actually require PhDs, and the academic postdocs would not take me as my first author research paper hasn't been published yet. So 2 months of job hunting doesn't sound that bad at first, but then come in my friends and my family members are all like expecting me to have a job immediately because I am a Dr. and then that's where the pressure comes in.
So my question is, usually how you deal with people around you when you are jobless, because I don't want to avoid social interactions. I just want them to stop worrying and stressing me. Also, is there something I am doing wrong in my job hunt? Is there jobs that I possibly overlooked? I just apply online in those recruitment websites, and I also send my resume to recruitment companies.

Thanks

[jimbo]

You're not networking that's just part of the problem.

Do you even have a LinkedIn profile? Rather than send cv's you need to arrange meetings. Have you contacted Eileen Jiang at connected group? Based in Shanghai but she'll know people in HK etc.

Contacted Iris Diagnostics?

I found these in a 30 second LinkedIn search. Find these people and talk to them.

[HK2A430]

I'm sort of in a similar situation as you and I've made it clear to people around me that it was my choice to move to Hong Kong and my choice to live my life the way I want to. People worry about you because they care about you, and that's a great thing to have. Thank them for their concern and tell them you have everything under control.

Of course, there are always those who don't really care about you, but just want to show you how smart they are and that they know everything. They won't listen to you even if you tell them you've got it under control. Actually, they won't listen, period. It's not what you said you wanted to do, but I limit my interaction with these types. To be honest, they're not worth my time, and unless I need to see them at someone else's behest, I'd never deal with them, ever.

As for the job search, jimbo gave some great advice. I'd also add volunteering your services so that possible employers are exposed to you and what you have to offer.

Other than that, take your time and enjoy your time off. Once you get in the daily grind, you're going to miss these days.

[MovingIn07]

What else did you learn in your phd? Are you quantitative? The banks or consultancies might like those. What do you actually WANT to do? Focus on that and then network on those areas.

[tratratratra]

The research that I did is mostly life science research and it is not quantitative. It is mostly in vitro experiment and molecular cloning, DNA analysis etc. I would like to work as a research scientist in the Life Sciences industry developing molecular diagnostics tools. However, research jobs in Hong Kong is rare.

So may I ask, apart from Linkedin, is there any other possible route I can go in order to network? I have been using linkedin for awhile now, I am still trying but it seems jobs in HK dont really need my skill set, they are mostly looking for candidates with clinical research background.

[tratratratra]

Thanks for your advice, YES! there are some of my friends that do act like how you described, it seems like they want to just make a point to me that doing PhD is a complete waste of time. But I am just doing what I enjoyed. Anyway, yes I will try to connect to linkedin members and ask for possible volunteering service for their firm so I can get some connections.

[tratratratra]

Hi Jimbo, thanks for your input. Since I am quite new to linkedin, I would like to ask how people usually ask other members out for a meeting? It seems like you are lucky if they reply your message and accept your connection. Asking them out for a coffee seems nearly impossible. May you please enlighten me in this regard?

[britsys]

Have you looked on some of the job sites specifically in your field?

I did a google search "life science jobs uk" and it showed newscientist website listing worldwide jobs.
Contacting recuiters or looking for the hiring managers on linkedin or google from the firms are hiring may be a good start.

e.g. if you see a job in the US from Johnson & Johnson that you like, do some digging to see if there is anyone on linkedin working for j&j in asia doing what you want to do or if there is a j&j hiring manager on linkedin.

most recruiters that I have found and connected to on linkedin want to meet you for a coffee anyway so you can sell them on your skills and what you are looking for.

Good luck

[jimbo]

Hi Jimbo, thanks for your input. Since I am quite new to linkedin, I would like to ask how people usually ask other members out for a meeting? It seems like you are lucky if they reply your message and accept your connection. Asking them out for a coffee seems nearly impossible. May you please enlighten me in this regard?

Just be open and honest in what you ask for, give an introduction and see if they're free for a coffee.

[LBR]

Assumed that the final submission of your paper has been accepted and you are just waiting for it to hit the print. Did you include words in your application and/or cv stating that your paper is being printed with the expected publication date of xxx in which journal, volume and page numbers etc??? Consider including the abstract of the paper to be published in your job application as an attachment for reference??? (as a courtesy, perhaps let your supervisor and other authors if any on the paper know that you are going to do so?).

Have you tapped into and leveraged your PhD supervisor’s network or that of any other professors/researchers etc which you worked or collaborated with over the years? If you are interested in working in the industry (rather than academia), I’d target researchers who have an interest/stake/connection in pharmaceuticals or biotech industry. Given that they would know you, your work and have extensive contacts in your particular field, they can provide you with ‘warm’ leads and introductions who can potentially lead to contacts in Asia and/or HK even if these contacts are not immediately/currently in HK. Similar to jobs outside of science, many (excellent) research projects and jobs are not advertised and often filled through contacts. [As a side note, I seem to recall many of my old professors hold patents, run/affiliate/provide consulting work for pharmaceuticals/biotech/bank/venture capitalists. One in particular I can remember turn his discovery into commercial products and later took the company public. It was a life time ago since I was in biological science and research though!]

This is more of a longer shot if you have not started already. You may also consider applying for postdoc funding yourself with the support of one or many supervisors in your field and finding a laboratory (one of the universities?) here in HK to host you (you will need to come to an arrangement with the lab of course)? There are funding around the global – commonwealth research fund (UK, Australia, Canada etc), the US defence department (they do fund biological projects) and some available from the large pharmaceutical companies - check out the government agency of science/technology/research in different countries, check with your own contacts and on the scientific journals. One thing to be mindful of is that the research funding pool in many developed countries have been reduced post 2008. Maybe HK or China has a funding program too? Over the years, friends who stayed in life science research have had success in obtaining funding for themselves said from one country and conduct their research in a different one (even as their first postdoc). Of course, you will need to put up an excellent business case to demonstrate why the project needs to be done in HK and how it will benefit the country or program which provides the funding (more so than applying funding to be conducted in the same country - find an angle and sell it!). Like I said, it may be a longer shot although it’s never too early to start on grants writing, applying for funding and networking. Many successful scientists also share traits of an entrepreneur.

Over the years, I have changed career paths, moved countries and took long breaks from working (often due to the previous two). In dealing with people who care more than me about my status of ‘looking for the next challenge’, I look to myself. For me, it comes down to 'if' and 'how' I choose to let their expression of concerns and opinions impact me. I have also developed a strong filter to only focus on what makes positive impacts on my life and be mindful of the changes that I am going through. Most of the time I find myself too busy working towards my goal and socialising with people who are contributing positively towards my goal. It allows me little time and space to remember and consider what the rest of others say about my 'in-between' status and the choices I make.

Good luck!