Career advice
Curated writing from operators, recruiters, and HR leaders — written for people building real careers in HK.
Travelling is one of the most rewarding experiences a young person can have. However, most millennials fear that taking time off to travel will significantly derail their career paths. Luckily, Hong Kong…..
There comes a time in everyone’s career where they feel they deserve more compensation. Asking for a salary increase may feel intimidating at first, but it’s not as scary as it may seem…..
Family businesses form the foundation of the Hong Kong economy and are increasingly important in mainland China. Unfortunately, they also sometimes cause discontent and distress……
My job is to help find and develop leaders, so it’s not unusual to be asked to look for a new CEO. This week, however, I was called in by the chairman of a listed company with a search request that was groundbreaking. The company has been struggling to keep up with the pace of technological change in its industry – and risked being overtaken by disrupters and losing touch with its customers. So the board resolved to do something radical: hire a new, young CEO whose ability to innovate would matter more than industry experience or familiarity with the Hong Kong market.
If your boss asks you to take on an extra task that isn’t part of your job description, you can view it in one of two ways: as an opportunity to learn a new skill and gain valuable practical experience, or with exasperation that you are now taking on extra work. Unfortunately there are many people who take the later approach – they may not express it openly but it is evident in the way they complete tasks or their attitude at work. Instead why not embrace the opportunity and see it as your chance to add not only extra skills but valuable experience to your CV?
This week I spoke to a CEO on the day of his retirement from a company he had led for many years. I asked him whether there was anything he would have done differently. He didn’t hesitate. I’d take a longer-term view in my decision-making and be less obsessively focused on quarterly and annual performance.” He mused that, had he taken more time to reflect on long-term trends and brainstorm new business models, his company today might have been a few steps ahead of technologies and competitors that are reshaping the market.
Does sourcing have a future in Hong Kong? This is a question frequently asked by people in the industry, from junior merchandisers to managing directors. After all, the competitiveness of factories in southern China has been eroded by increased costs, an appreciating renminbi and fierce competition from South East Asia. Job seekers are worried about the future of the industry in Hong Kong and managing directors face difficult choices when determining where they should establish their regional hub.
In the past few years we’ve produced more data than in the whole of human history. The volume and dynamic nature of the data is changing not only how we live our lives, but how we do our jobs. Why does this data explosion matter to you? Data can reveal patterns and regularities that allow us to predict anything from what people want to buy, to what creates customer loyalty, where crimes are most likely to occur, to your possible future healthcare needs. All industries can benefit from the potential insights big data can reveal.
More than two thirds of the companies listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange are predominantly family owned – as are thousands of small and medium enterprises.
If people are a company’s greatest assets, then training should be viewed as an important investment and not just an additional expense. In a company where training is provided, you will want to know if it was worth the time and money spent on it. Training can, and should, improve the performance and profitability of an organisation; but we also need to measure its effectiveness.
Finding employment with the Hong Kong government can be a very successful and secure career path for many with an interest in public service. The positions within the government sector can be challenging yet rewarding and can even offer tremendous room for growth and advancement. There are typically a wide range of job openings available with various branches of government to cover a multitude of skills and interests. Unfortunately, finding a way in for an interview may not be as easy or as straight-forward as in the public sector.
When it comes to compensation, most employees in the workforce feel they are underpaid. It makes sense. After all, if you asked your friends and family how they feel about their salaries, it’s unlikely anyone would say they are overpaid for what they do for a living. There are measures you can take to change your financial situation at work and some are more obvious than others.