Career Coaching & Guidance
Giving women a greater say in companies is better for all
As a female manager and leader, I am often asked to share my insights and tips for working women……
Career advice
Practical guides for a Hong Kong career
Curated writing from operators, recruiters, and HR leaders — written for people building real careers in HK.
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Advice Columnist
Create a Better Work Life Balance
Work life balance has become a corporate trend in recent years. Much talk has been given to the need for companies and managers to offer their employees……
Advice Columnist
How to Increase Productivity in a Busy Office
Studies show that the average office worker is interrupted every 11.2 minutes, and it takes up to 23 minutes to return focus back to the task at hand. Luckily, there are many ways to regain your focus and increase your productivity while working in a busy office…
Career Coaching & Guidance
How to succeed as a digital specialist in Hong Kong
Blink and you won’t miss it — the rising demand for digital expertise in Hong Kong will not plateau any time soon……..
Career Coaching & Guidance
China’s global expansion is an opportunity for Hong Kong professionals
Chinese companies are going global–fast. In the first quarter of 2016, Chinese buyers were responsible for foreign acquisitions almost equal to the entire value for 2015. For Hongkongers thinking about careers in global business, this trend presents a great opportunity. Chinese acquirers are seeking to build integrated global companies, and increasingly expect their Western and Chinese subsidiaries to build collaborative ventures that require a high degree of intercultural understanding.
Career Coaching & Guidance
Entrepreneur or corporate leader? For pre-retirement senior executives, there are still good opportunities available
Recently we have seen a number of very capable and seasoned corporate executives decline good job offers from established companies.
Career Coaching & Guidance
Now hiring: Hong Kong’s next-gen CEOs need to make crucial changes to maintain the city’s competitive edge
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.
Career Coaching & Guidance
Are daily chores bogging you down? It’s time for bosses to get out of the spreadsheet swamp, says Catherine Zhu
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.
Career Coaching & Guidance
Wanted: Maths whizzes with an eye for the big picture to join the data revolution
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.
Career Coaching & Guidance
With business getting riskier, the CFO’s role is increasingly more crucial in corporate decision making
Having spoken with a number of senior level accounting and finance professionals over the years, I know that certain times or circumstances call for different leadership skills. So what abilities should young would-be executives equip themselves with as they eye companies, functions and jobs? What skills should they hone as they aim to advance their careers? Tough questions.
Career Coaching & Guidance
Window shopping for work: Why it’s not the best way to advance your career
In the world of recruitment a ‘passive’ jobseeker is someone who may be interested in a suitable job if it comes their way, but who is not actively looking for their next role. These passive jobseekers scan job boards from time to time and ask to receive updates from recruiters. They like to know who is hiring and what skills employers currently value. But they are not actively searching or applying for jobs themselves.
Job Search in Hong Kong
What to include in your job application
You have seen the job you want and you are keen to make a good first impression with your application to secure an interview. So what are the key points you should cover? A good place to start is to write a great cover letter talking about what you would bring to the company, role and opportunity. Link your skills and work experience to why you are suitable for the job by including a few achievements from your last two roles that show how you added value to the organisations.