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Working in HK without Chinese language

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  1. #11

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    Sep 2015
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    Swire and Jardines require you to read and speak Chinese. You better learn mandarin, it’s close to impossible to get a proper job with your background and no chinese abilities.


  2. #12

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    Nov 2015
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    Agreed. Unless you are shooting for a managerial position, proficiency in canto and mando are pretty much minimum requirement.

    Heard it was a lot better pre 1997 ahh good times


  3. #13

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    Aug 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hkemail888:
    Swire and Jardines require you to read and speak Chinese. You better learn mandarin, it’s close to impossible to get a proper job with your background and no chinese abilities.
    I've met junior management trainees at both who have no Chinese proficiency though.

  4. #14

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    Dec 2002
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    Quote Originally Posted by Paxbritannia:
    I've met junior management trainees at both who have no Chinese proficiency though.
    Global rotations or hired locally?

    Old thread.. I know..

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Jan 2020
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    Similar situation, i am also looking for work in HK. I fluent in Cantonese but can't read or write Chinese...

    Not sure were to start... Is there any good job posting site?


  6. #16

  7. #17

    Two senior staff from my company who resigned after decades at work couldn't speak/read/write/understand a word of Chinese which proved a problem when they were confronted with technological problems requiring Chinese aptitude. * Didn't stop them from being paid far more than me and working over two decades.

    *Refused to learn how to deal with the problems.


  8. #18

    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    124

    I am seeing more and more jobs requiring native Mandarin speakers if not then cantonese, specially for account management or business development. Even some recruiter from Global tech firms like Microsoft, AWS, IBM etc are refusing non-speakers, I heard they hired quite many foreigners initially and now they want to stick with locals (not sure if that's true for other industry as well but seems true for cloud and ICT industry).


  9. #19

    Join Date
    Jan 2020
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    211
    Quote Originally Posted by Busyguy:
    I am seeing more and more jobs requiring native Mandarin speakers if not then cantonese, specially for account management or business development. Even some recruiter from Global tech firms like Microsoft, AWS, IBM etc are refusing non-speakers, I heard they hired quite many foreigners initially and now they want to stick with locals (not sure if that's true for other industry as well but seems true for cloud and ICT industry).
    Sounds about right, I am improving my mandarin in recent years but still not fluent at it... I give up trying to learn to read/write... If I can speak/listen, i'll be happy

  10. #20

    Join Date
    Feb 2019
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    3,240

    In my experience many locals have conversational putonghua but very few are anywhere near fluent.