I'm hoping to move to HK at the end of Feb/beginning of March as I've heard this is a good time to find work since a lot of people change jobs around Chinese New Year. I'm wondering how difficult it will be for me to find employment considering that I don't have a degree and don't speak Cantonese. I'll probably be looking for an admin post of some kind. I have the right of abode in HK - will this increase my chances of employment?
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10-01-2010, 05:34 AM #1
Finding work in HK
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10-01-2010, 09:22 AM #2
Hmm - junior admin post without cantonese ... I don't think we would even employ one of those, and our office is almost entirely international .. but we do like our admin staff to be able to communicate with stationary suppliers and the landlord.....!
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10-01-2010, 09:48 AM #3
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10-01-2010, 10:01 AM #4
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10-01-2010, 10:03 AM #5
I think it will be difficult. Local employers would expect you to speak Cantonese and international employers often rely on the admin staff to communicate in Cantonese for them (as I do).
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10-01-2010, 10:13 AM #6
As others have say, admin is unlikely to work. The only area I can thing of would be in telephone customer service for companies focussed on expats (but even then, if you can only speak English you're not well positioned for that) or possibly being one of the whipping boys who cold call expats to try to set up meetings with "financial advisers" (and are therefore some of the most hated people in Hong Kong).
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10-01-2010, 07:13 PM #7
It's not sounding good for me!!
But thanks for all your replies!
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10-01-2010, 07:29 PM #8
ScotAsia24
You might get lucky - I know of a few people on dependent visas with no cantonese who found admin type work. However, it took them a while and they had a spouse to support them in the meantime.Last edited by Beanieskis; 10-01-2010 at 07:30 PM. Reason: typo
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10-01-2010, 07:32 PM #9
Thanks Beanieskis, hope you're enjoying your new life in HK! I have a cousin currently working in recruitment in HK so hoping she'll be able to help. I'll check online ads and apply to everything that I might be suitable for, hopefully luck will be on my side!!
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10-01-2010, 07:37 PM #10
Be aware though that even if you find it, the salary is likely to be $10,000/month or less, which, if you have to pay for your own accommodation, is hardly going to give you a lavish lifestyle.
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