A week ago, no-one had heard of Jeremy Lin. Since then he has electrified the NBA with his inspirational play and has become a media sensation and a fan favourite. The Jeremy Lin phenomenon continues to grow and has far reaching effects outside of the sports world.

Barely recruited after high school, Lin went on to Harvard and remained unnoticed by NBA teams after college. Undrafted and in his second professional season in the NBA, he was cut by two other teams before being offered a non-guaranteed contract by the New York Knicks. Due to injuries to teammates, he has recently been given the opportunity to play and has excelled.

As I write this, Lin has led the New York Knicks to an amazing and improbable six game winning streak. He has embraced and maximised his opportunity to play, going from being an afterthought on the team to becoming the starting point guard for the Knicks. He has single handedly turned their season around.

Recently, after Lin had beaten and out-scored NBA legend Kobe Bryant; Kobe had the following to say:

“It’s a great story. It’s a testament to perseverance and hard work. I am sure he has put in a great deal of work to always have that belief in himself, now he has the opportunity to show it.”

In the work place, opportunity can present itself in many forms – getting a promotion; a position opening up when a colleague leaves; an overseas assignment, or simply taking on more responsibilities and duties above and beyond your current role.

Take a long hard look around your workplace – for those in management positions, is there a Jeremy Lin in our midsts who is a star in the making?

You never know when you may get that opportunity, but when you do – it’s your chance to step up like Jeremy Lin and to embrace it. At times we feel that we are not given the opportunity to shine, however be patient; continue to work hard and you will be given a shot when you least expect it. When that opportunity does come up, grab it as you never know when it may come around again.

Until next time!

Career advice, determination, Harvard University, Jeremy Lin, job promotion, Kobe Bryant, Linsanity, NBA, New York Knicks, seizing the opportunity, talent management, 林書豪

Our colleague Anthony Truchot from the Tokyo office looks into how to survive in a tough market, providing you with tips for what you can do during this difficult time.

To read more, click here

Career advice, coping with job loss, how to handle job loss, staying positive while looking for a job, Unemployment

We recently witnessed history in the making: an epic Australian Open tennis final. Novak Djokovic outlasted Rafael Nadal in the longest ever men’s singles grand slam final lasting 5 hours and 53 minutes. The lead changed numerous times throughout the match and remained dead-locked until the fifth set, where the game remained in the balance. Earlier on in the final set, Djokovic seemed down and out as he lay flat on his back after losing an exhausting point to Nadal. Eventually however, Djokovic won through.

“You’re in pain, you’re suffering, you know that you’re trying to activate your legs, you’re trying to push yourself another point, just one more point, one more game,” Djokovic said after the match.

“You’re going through so much suffering your toes are bleeding. Everything is just outrageous, you know, but you’re still enjoying that pain.”

What gave Djokovic the edge over Nadal? Arguably they are equals from a physical talent perspective and both have the necessary experience and drive to win.

I believe the answer is mental toughness. Djokovic had a career best year in 2011 and a lot of experts put that down to his increased mental strength and resilience.

On a daily basis, we all come up against unexpected issues and problems in both work and our personal lives. When the going gets tough, giving up or quitting is the easy way out. Those who are able to repeatedly pick themselves up after set-backs and duress will only get stronger through the experience. In my experience, people who have been able to push through and persevere in tough times have been more successful when compared to peers in their industry.

The year of the dragon will be a challenging year career wise for a lot of us, so those who can display mental fortitude will put themselves into the best possible position to thrive.

Until next time.

Career advice, mental toughness, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal. Australian Open 2012, year of the dragon

As we all know 2012 is not going to be easy for many job seekers in the banking and financial services sector. Talk of budget constraints, projects on hold and job cutting in investment banks is not uncommon at the moment

However, for most top-tier banks and financial institutions  keen to out-run their competitors in the market, client servicing and process improvements are often the key success factors in which technology advancement plays a very important role.

Given the fast-paced and result-oriented nature of the investment banking field, jobs just have to be done, direct contracting or secondment contracting are on the increase. So, have you considered taking a contract role?

Below are a few tips to successful contracting:

1) Using your technical skills to the needs of your clients

Finding a position that meets most of your skill set is not always easy. Whether you are an application developer, project manager or infrastructure specialist – be patient, diligent and continue to build and develop your skills along with your contract career path.

2) Maintain a client-oriented attitude

This will greatly impact how your work is received by your clients. Approach your work with a  no-ego, service-oriented persona and be sure that you fully understand the scope and schedule of your role and focus on getting the job done with the highest quality. This is key in proving your ability and increases your chances of a contract extension or a possibility of a permanent position.

3) Certainly, change is inevitable

You never know how long a project could last or when a project will end, given the different internal factors and external market turbulence. You must always be ready for anything to happen, be sure to continue building on your technical skills, keep your options open and be flexible without any complaints. Enjoy your assignments but keep open to other potential opportunities.

application developer, banking technology market, contract job, infrastructure specialist, IT job in Hong Kong, project manager

On behalf of everyone here at Morgan McKinley, we would like to wish you all a wealthy and prosperous year of the dragon!

Chinese new year, Hong Kong, Morgan McKinley, professionals, year of the dragon

[Temporary IKEA installation in New York to showcase a new store opening]

I’m sure most of you reading this have some form of IKEA product at home. Whether you need to buy furniture for a small unit, purchase hundreds of tea lights, or simply have an obsession for Swedish meatballs – they have a solution for you.

IKEA is also a brand that utilises innovation in their marketing campaigns to connect with their customers and to keep the brand fresh.

I came across the video below which details a recent and highly successful recruitment campaign that IKEA Australia ran to hire staff for a new store that they were opening:

A simple idea executed to perfection. IKEA has uncovered an alternative communications channel at nominal costs that has reached their target market effectively. By crafting a simple communications piece they’ve been able to pre-qualify a high number of suitable candidates for their vacancies who also have a passion for the brand.

In business we always try to over-complicate things; recruitment is not ‘rocket-science’ and IKEA has shown that by thinking outside of the (flat-packed) box they have achieved the desired solution to their hiring issue. They have constructed a winning recruitment campaign by demonstrating a strong understanding of their target market.

Until next time.

branding, communications channel, IKEA, marketing campaign, marketing jobs, recruitment, recruitment strategy

With financial woes in the UK, Europe and US it’s not surprising that more and more investment banking professionals are looking to move to Hong Kong.

Who can blame them? The Chinese consumer sector is booming, appetite for raw materials, and technology seems unending, and Hong Kong is one of the primary markets for Chinese firms to raise capital through equity and increasingly debt financing.

It is the gateway for Chinese firms looking to acquire resources and technology from around the world, the access point for companies looking to invest in China and as of this month, Hong Kong has been named the world’s most developed financial market.

That said, whilst business is growing, the nature of the Chinese market means if you’re talking to clients and trying to originate business there, unless you can speak Mandarin you’re at a distinct disadvantage.

China investment banking coverage teams naturally look to employ Mandarin speakers and whilst it is less important within sector and M&A teams, increasingly Mandarin is “desired”.

This means if you’re an investment banker, and don’t have a Rolodex of clients to bring with you, your choices can be limited, usually to a Hong Kong or Asian execution team.

Secondary markets are a mixed bag, and again the issue comes down to coverage. Equity research functions have grown a lot in Hong Kong in recent years; many sector heads have international backgrounds, as initially there was a glut of local talent, but things are changing fast.

Competition is fierce, and with research teams looking to differentiate themselves, they are increasingly looking for the inside track to identify trends before they happen.

Contacts and dialogue with regulators and industry specialists in China can prove decisive in creating a competitive advantage and that is far easier for a Mandarin speaker. Accordingly, for junior to mid level hires, Mandarin is a must.

However, in trading, which depends on worldwide demand, English is still the common language, and this impacts the functions which support it.

Finance, IT, operations, market risk and change management do not require Mandarin, and there is certainly a strong market for people with international experience in these fields. If you work in any of these areas, you should be ok if you only speak English.

As a front office recruiter, fairly new to Hong Kong, Mandarin lessons are very much at the top of my list of New Year’s resolutions!

Chinese Mandarin, investment banking job

On behalf of everyone here at Morgan McKinley, we would like to say thank you to our clients and candidates for your continued support throughout 2011. We would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

christmas, Hong Kong, Morgan McKinley, professionals

It is common amongst job seekers to feel that every time you move jobs you have to make a move upwards, especially in terms of job title. However, a lateral move can sometimes be one of the best ways to develop your knowledge and experience and ultimately lead you to that managerial position.

Other factors to consider are: the size of the organisation, team structure, line management and how the role interacts with the business. All of these elements play a big part in your development and will change when you move to a new organisation and environment.

I assisted a candidate with a lateral move and it was a good example of how successful this type of career shift can be. The candidate in question had begun her career with a small firm which gave her a great opportunity to learn the logistics of an HR team and build a solid foundation of HR knowledge. However, after four years she felt she was ready for more but was not yet ready for a HR manager role. Therefore, she made the proactive decision to move to a much larger organisation and HR team where she was able to expand her knowledge base. After two years in that HR advisor role she felt 100% confident to move up the ladder to HR manager and felt that she had made the move at the right time.

I encourage professionals to consider that career progression is not always defined as a salary increase or a change in job title. More importantly, it can be  an opportunity to develop your skills and get more exposure in different areas of your field, or even working within a more established or more commercial team.

Career advice, career direction, career progression, changing jobs, making a lateral career move

As an insurance specialist focused on the Hong Kong market, we are often approached by experienced professionals from overseas who are looking to develop their exposure to the Asia market. As insurers look towards Asia as the growth hub, many prestigious insurance companies are open to considering overseas professionals with international exposure, particularly for more specialist project roles.

Working in Asia offers an experience like no other, potentially opening doors for your career worldwide! If Asia is a market that you’re interested in, consider the following:

1. Qualifications are important. Make sure you have relevant and globally recognised and up-to-date membership/accreditations for your area of specialisation, e.g.– for finance/audit CPA, ACCA, CA, CFA, CIA, for actuarial FSA, ASA, IFA, for insurance ANZII, LOMA.
2. The market is competitive. Employers pay competitively within the local market. They will benchmark your experience and qualifications so you’ll need to be flexible with your salary requirements. If you’re relocating from Europe, Australia or USA, the tax rate will be significantly lower in Hong Kong and employers will take this into consideration.
3. Employers do offer some allowances towards relocation, flights and accommodation on arrival. The majority of professionals offered employment in Hong Kong will be on a local contract regardless of the level of their position. The expat packages (including regular flights, housing and school allowances) of the 80s and 90s are very few and far between.
4. All non-residents of Hong Kong and Singapore require a visa to work. There are no qualifying requirements for this; however the immigration department will take into consideration qualifications and educational background where a graduate degree would be a minimum requirement, relevant skills/experience, ability to contribute to the local economy and whether a local/resident could fill the position. For short term contracts, we work with organisations in both Hong Kong and Singapore that are able to assist with the sponsorship process and offer workforce solutions including visa services.
5. Time frames. The process can take slightly longer, even for contracting roles. If you’ve made the decision to relocate, the process from your first discussion through to receiving the offer and then employment contract can take a minimum of two months. However, once you get here you’ll realise that it’s worth the wait!

Current hot areas where employers are considering international candidates are:

• Qualified life actuaries with Solvency II, pricing or ALM experience
• Experienced insurance auditors
• Qualified medical/health actuaries

expat package, Hong Kong market, insurance companies, insurance specialist, relocating to Asia