Hong Kong has a relatively rich employment marketplace for international and expatriate job seekers, particularly in the key industries of IT, banking and finance, teaching, import and export and telecommunications.  Furthermore, because Hong Kong has such a vibrant and cosmopolitan atmosphere, the number of expatriates relocating to Hong Kong annually to take up positions of employment is high.

The majority of expatriates who secure jobs in Hong Kong are degree qualified because there is quite a strict policy observed by the government’s immigration department that those applying for work permits have to be graduates or at least have extensive experience and even professional qualifications relevant to the industry in which they are going to be working.  This article covers the essentials of finding and securing jobs in Hong Kong and what it’s like working in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.

Britons seeking jobs in Hong Kong are lucky in that a number of national British papers list international positions and ‘the Guardian’, ‘the Economist’ and ‘Overseas Jobs Express’ all have specific listings for Hong Kong.  An alternative to looking in newspapers for jobs in Hong Kong is of course using the internet to search for vacancies, potentially suitable employers or even recruitment agencies which specialise in recruitment in either Hong Kong specifically or in the industry in which the expatriate job seeker wishes to work.

http://www.ExpatsDirect.com is an online resource specialising in jobs abroad or a job seeker could try recruitment agencies with a specific base in Hong Kong such as GeminiPersonnel or look through the Hong Kong job listings in http://www.ClassifiedPost.com.  For those already living in Hong Kong who are looking around for a change of career, a new job or just seeking new horizons local newspapers such as the ‘South China Morning Post’, ‘Recruit’ or ‘Career Times’ are a great place to begin looking.

Teachers who specialise in the teaching of English as a foreign language and are considering living and working in Hong Kong can try contacting the international and language schools and private teaching institutions in Hong Kong directly and even those interested in working within a specific industry or for a given employer can consider sending off their resume and a well written covering letter to specific companies and asking for any suitable job vacancies.

Business etiquette in Hong Kong has to be experienced to be truly understood but a general guide for those going to work in a profession such as finance or banking where business etiquette tends to be quite formal across the world should understand a few protocols from the outset.  For example, when attending a meeting in Hong Kong wait to be seated, the seating arrangement at formal meetings tends to be carefully worked out with perceived peers often placed opposite each other and the meeting leader or most senior member of staff attending seated in the middle of the negotiating table.

Business cards are a must have and are exchanged often but quickly and without ceremony, having said that if someone gives you their business card it should be treated with respect.  Status and wealth are highly regarded in Hong Kong and those who are trying to get ahead in business and be taken seriously should remembered this and may wish to display outward signs of wealth - however superficial they may feel it is as a result of their background and upbringing!  The pace of the working week in Hong Kong can be quite intense and a certain amount of value is placed on those willing to take risks, work hard, work efficiently and focus intently on their career.