Is there a chance that i can be employed in hongkong

[xuanxuan]

Many thanks, Mat.
I think I have to work hard to land a job.

[hiperlinx]

xuanxuan, from my past experience, I have learned that private companies are fond of a mixed breed of employee. That is, one who can manage and also do the grunt work and this case - you'll probably going to have to spend some time coding.

have you considered California? I recommend there because I've worked in the corporate environment and companies very much welcome advanced degreed individuals. also, did you know that Cali ranks 1st in total employment in high-tech industries. might be a good start IMHO.

cheers,
hiperlinx

[xuanxuan]

Thanks for your suggestion, hiperlinx
There should be many good opportunities in Cali. However, I prefer to live my life in asia. I'll still try this area first

[NickGrant]

Hi all, I am a recent joiner to this forum, still in the UK but starting to consider moving out to HK. I have about 20 years IT experience, last 10 years in project and programme management, usually large government projects using PRINCE etc but NO degree.

I have read the various very helpful contributions on this and other threads already and from looking at the jobs boards no degree and not speaking Cantonese seems like a biiiig biiig drawback.

Does anyone have any idea or guidance on just how big that drawnback really is?

many thanks

Nick

[berryplucker]

No degree, no Cantonese, not being moved here by a multinational employer => as close to zero chance as makes no difference I would say.

[NickGrant]

Mmmmm, bugger, as I feared, so first plan is to address those 3 issues before even thinking about it.

thanks

Nick

[berryplucker]

Yes - although I should prbably have said no Chinese rather than Cantonese - probably better (and by all accounts easier) to learn Putonghua than Cantonese.

[KnowItAll]

Its really not that bad. I've seen several people who have carved their niches for themselves over the last year or so.

A spanish person who ended up working at a country management level for a spanish owned department chain.

A french person who ended up working for a french importer selling duty free products to Airlines and DFS type stores.

If you have experience and have the ability to sell yourself, doors will open up for you. Unfortunately, for most of the positions, you have to be here and networked.

As an employer who has hired for regional positions over the last 5 years, the whole canto / chinese thing is overated, unless its for entry level jobs or for postings in China or Taiwan.

I can assure you if there is one western manager in a senior position in the office, most meetings (internal and external) and internal communications are in English and the culture is frequently adapted around the manager.

[Syd]

KIA ... joined forum recently and from all that I have read about expats wanting to live and work in HK from other places around the world, it seems one has to either have extraordinary skills that the locals do not posess to find a job, have to be fluent reading, writing & spoken Mandarin and Cantonese as well as English/American, have degrees and work experience to even be considered. Is it really that difficult?

I am an ABC from the US and will soon complete my international MBA with 6+ years of professional experience in marketing, with conversational Cantonese, working on my Mandarin skills in reading and speaking and find that I don't qualify for most, if not all the marketing jobs available because of language skills. Are they really that hard up for multilingual skills?? It's a bit discouraging.

Thought about the ROA, RTL, etc. but I don't think my parents can help even though they were both born in China, my mother received her undergraduate degree
from some university in HK and hasn't been back since. Would love to embrass more of my culture and heritage by relocating there as well as improving my language skills, but seems near impossible. Can it really be so difficult?

[fly]

Syd,

(Okay, no facetious remarks about the "embrace" typo, I know what you mean)

Speaking from my own experience, I'm quite sure you can get by with the spoken language skills it sounds like you already have. Aside from local companies, all the MNC's will work in English, so there's no issue not being able to read; although it would help, it's not a showstopper.