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2018 - Job Hunting in HK - Tips / Info

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  1. #1

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    2018 - Job Hunting in HK - Tips / Info

    Hi Forum,

    I’m currently in Hong Kong trying my luck to secure a role here. It’s been a goal of mine to work and live in this city.

    As the job market has evolved over the years with different sectors opening up, changes in work permit criteria, employers reskilling and cost restructuring... thought it would be interesting to discuss how people are getting their new jobs.

    Keen to hear what has worked:

    - direct online applications
    - LinkedIn cold messages
    - headhunting firms
    - particular skills and profiles

    Thanks

    DSB


  2. #2

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    Any particular industry you would like tips/info for?


  3. #3

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    By "direct online applications" you mean after the company has posted a job right? Not just cold messaging them if they have jobs available?

    I still think looking through regular job boards like JobsDB is the best way.

    Linked In is almost like Tinder. Only useful if you are already at or near the top of your industry. If you are hot (career and skill-wise), you will be inundated with messages asking if you want a new job. If you are still at an early stage of your career, its pretty useless.


  4. #4

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    Good question! I left a key piece of information out. Would be for financial services. Also interested to hear about professional services such as consulting.

    Thank!


  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by UK/HKboy:
    By "direct online applications" you mean after the company has posted a job right? Not just cold messaging them if they have jobs available?

    I still think looking through regular job boards like JobsDB is the best way.

    Linked In is almost like Tinder. Only useful if you are already at or near the top of your industry. If you are hot (career and skill-wise), you will be inundated with messages asking if you want a new job. If you are still at an early stage of your career, its pretty useless.
    Yes, exactly what I meant. I see so many jobs listed, but have so far only landed an interview.

    Agree about LinkedIn. I don't use this much as there are so many dubious profiles on the platform.

  6. #6

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    I don't use this much as there are so many dubious profiles on the platform.
    A significant number of jobs posted online are fake - esp on mass market platforms like JobsDB. Many of them are just lead generators for people to approach you to become insurance sales agents etc.

    LinkedIn does have good jobs listings - look for target companies and see if they have listed jobs directly. I have a profile and seem to get job listings which are appropriate for the level I've updated my profile - ("Assistant Senior Vice President of Global Domination" in the media industry).

  7. #7

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    ok, do you have any experience or just fresh off uni?

    if no experience, then forget about it.

    If experience, then see if you can an internal move with your current company (if they have office there), by far the easiest move.

    Applying online is useless, HR here are useless and will only contact people who match 100% what is on the JD. They can't understand how you can transfer skills etc...

    They will also look at, are you in HK, if not then very slim chance of getting anywhere, they also don't want to be bothered with Visa stuff.

    As said above, I disagree with what is said about Linkedin. Get your name out there, connect with people. Post about things related to your industry, analysis you have done, insights you have etc.... People are bad at a few things here, like creative thinking, problem solving, visualizing ideas etc... if you can show you are good at that then you might have a chance.

    At a certain level of experience it's all done via your contact. And HK relies a lot on contact, most people don't read their emails, or read and never follow up. If they meet you face to face they will definitely remember you.

    On Linkedin, try to find the hiring manager and drop him a line. Show that you know why you apply there and what their challenges/opportunities are.

    The job market is hot at the moment, a lot of companies struggle to find technical talents and unemployment rate is very low.

    Applying on job board or doing quick apply on Linkedin is useless. I've been on both sides, posted jobs and got a million application (most being completely random without having read the JD).

    Finance is big in HK but there is a lot of competition with locals who can take low salaries while living with their parents. It's not getting easier.

    shri and Drunken Master like this.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Plutark:
    ok, do you have any experience or just fresh off uni?

    if no experience, then forget about it.

    If experience, then see if you can an internal move with your current company (if they have office there), by far the easiest move.

    Applying online is useless, HR here are useless and will only contact people who match 100% what is on the JD. They can't understand how you can transfer skills etc...

    They will also look at, are you in HK, if not then very slim chance of getting anywhere, they also don't want to be bothered with Visa stuff.

    As said above, I disagree with what is said about Linkedin. Get your name out there, connect with people. Post about things related to your industry, analysis you have done, insights you have etc.... People are bad at a few things here, like creative thinking, problem solving, visualizing ideas etc... if you can show you are good at that then you might have a chance.

    At a certain level of experience it's all done via your contact. And HK relies a lot on contact, most people don't read their emails, or read and never follow up. If they meet you face to face they will definitely remember you.

    On Linkedin, try to find the hiring manager and drop him a line. Show that you know why you apply there and what their challenges/opportunities are.

    The job market is hot at the moment, a lot of companies struggle to find technical talents and unemployment rate is very low.

    Applying on job board or doing quick apply on Linkedin is useless. I've been on both sides, posted jobs and got a million application (most being completely random without having read the JD).

    Finance is big in HK but there is a lot of competition with locals who can take low salaries while living with their parents. It's not getting easier.
    HR doesn't know how to read a CV or the job seeker doesn't know how to present their CV in the way in which HR would understand?

    Who is paying who here?

    Don't get me wrong--it could be easier but I find this an important skill to suss out who read the JD and knows something about the company vs who did auto apply on hundreds of thousands of jobs. Comes down to supply and demand--an educated work force is available so you have to do something more to stick out. I've never heard of the "visa" being an issue unless the job seeker makes it an issue.

    When you're in the right mindset, you have a targeted few companies (not hundreds). With a solid cover letter this should land you the interview. A simple follow-up email to touch base and express your sincere interest in the role nearly guarantees you an interview.

    Knowing people might bypass the LinkedIn step/stage of it all--but you still likely have other interviews and deal with HR. In my opinion I think bargaining room for wages becomes a bigger ordeal compared if you found the job yourself. I've done this before too where HR was negotiating the offer directly on phone calls!! and it's a hassle.

    I've found plenty of opportunities on LinkedIn with MNC's -- and worked for some of them too. JobsDB is too many recruiters but once you filter them out, looks ok.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by MandM!:
    HR doesn't know how to read a CV or the job seeker doesn't know how to present their CV in the way in which HR would understand?

    Who is paying who here?

    Don't get me wrong--it could be easier but I find this an important skill to suss out who read the JD and knows something about the company vs who did auto apply on hundreds of thousands of jobs. Comes down to supply and demand--an educated work force is available so you have to do something more to stick out. I've never heard of the "visa" being an issue unless the job seeker makes it an issue.
    Well HR are getting paid by the company, so why don't they use some of their free time to learn about what these roles require (briefly). I can't count how many times I've talked to clueless HR staff who don't know what their company is doing, or even what skills the industry is requiring. Oh yeah they focus a lot here on what Uni you have been too or if they can find a reason to throw your CV. The whole recruitment process is broken anyway.

    You said supply and demand, that's the thing, there is no supply of tech skills in HK. Ask any mid size companies how they find their programmers, yes they can find some but how bad are they.

    I remember having HR telling me, oh no you don't know that you have to it's mandatory there is no way this will work. I was explaining that it didn't matter as I knew another technology that was way more efficient. I ended having to bypass HR and go to hiring manager, he was like, we are using the tool you just mentioned.

    You never heard of Visa being an issue? Have you read how many clearly says - No Visa Sponsorship.

    It really pisses me off when people says, that's the law of supply and demand, sorry we'll keep our shitty system in place for that reason. Job search is a soul destroying process, why shouldn't HR make it a little bit easier by not ghosting people or even following up on things (in most jobs not following on things get you fired).

    HR is the forefront of the company, shitty HR shows shitty company process and efficiency. And for all you they might end up being your customer. And please can someone get rid of Taleo!
    shri, Drunken Master and rs4 like this.

  10. #10

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    Well, if HR is anything like the HR in the companies i've worked at, then they are pretty useless.

    And i agree with you about the skills thing. There are so many jobs which specify skills which are not needed - so either they don't know what position they are hiring for, or what skills that position needs. Or they want to hire one person to fill 2 jobs being cheap.

    But in the end, as MandM says, it is the jobseeker who wants the job, not the company who wants the worker. But i've certainly stopped using companies before because of negative HR experiences.

    Plutark likes this.

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