We have recently released our latest Hong Kong Hiring Market Update.

To prepare the report, we surveyed over 1,050 senior level operational and HR managers across Asia Pacific, asking them about their hiring plans for 2012 and the challenges they expect to face.

Highlights of the report:

• Within financial services, 75% of managers in Hong Kong are concerned that global economic uncertainty will affect Asia Pacific as a growth market.
• Almost 24% of financial services managers in Hong Kong expect to be handling redundancies over the next 12 months.
• Nearly half of employers within commerce & industry in Hong Kong plan to hire new staff over the next six months. There is particular growth in the consumer goods industry (specifically retail and luxury brands).
• Hiring is very likely to be focused on permanent roles in Hong Kong, however fixed term contracts will also be a key part of hiring strategies. These contract hires may ‘plug the gap’ created by restrictions on permanent headcount increases, particularly within the finance sector.

Click here to download the full report. We welcome your feedback.

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In a competitive environment, how can you ensure that recruiters allocate more of their time to your job search?

Try following these ten tips:

1. When a recruiter calls you at a busy time, politely explain this and avoid sounding rude.
2. When applying for a role, send a concise email rather than attaching a lengthy cover letter.
3. Always check your spelling and grammar. Avoid mistakes and abbreviations such as “you’re vacancy”, “12pm” and “i would like to spk to u.”
4. Ensure your CV is no more than three pages long and do not include irrelevant details such as your children’s names, religion etc.
5. Identify who specialises in recruitment in your industry and commit to a limited time period in which you will work exclusively with that recruiter.
6. When you meet a recruiter, always turn up on time and ensure that your mobile phone is switched off to convey respect.
7. Always tell the truth, especially about your salary and employment dates.
8. Remember to be respectful about your current or previous employer. You may not see eye to eye but avoid sounding bitter.
9. If you are not interested in a specific role, please say so and explain your reasons. This will give your recruiter better insight into your motivations and what kind of job you are looking for.
10. If an interview with an employer has been arranged for you and you cannot attend, always remember to inform the recruiter as soon as possible.

Following the above will improve your relationship with your recruiter and give you a significant advantage over other, less professional applicants.

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Our colleague Mary Lam from the Sydney office looks into unexpected interview questions, providing you with examples and pointers for dealing with these unexpected interview questions.

Do you have any unusual or unexpected questions that you have been asked?

To read more, click here.

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“This is the kid, calls me 59 days in a row, wants to be a player.”

“There ought to be a picture of you in the dictionary under persistence kid.”

In the classic 1994 film ‘Wall Street’, Bud Fox cold calls Gordon Gekko 59 times just to get the chance to meet with him face to face. How many people out there (myself included) would have given up after the first or second call?

Sales is a numbers game and a ‘contact’ sport – the more contacts you make the more likely it is that you will be successful.

A few years ago I attended a sales training course and something the trainer taught us has stuck with me to this day. According to him:

• 48% of sales people never follow-up their initial contact
• 25% of sales people make a second contact and then stop
• 12% of sales people only make three contacts and stop
• Only 10% of sales people make more than three contacts
• 80% of sales are made only after the seventh contact

Around three years ago, we were thinking about selling our apartment back home in Sydney. I made an initial query to a local real estate agent who was professional, responsive and gave me the impression that he understood the market. However, we were not ready to sell at the time.

The following month, I received a call from this agent to follow up to ask how everything was. Still not ready to sell yet! For the next two years, month after month without fail I would receive some form of contact (phone, email, EDM, post) from this agent. There were times were I was too busy to reply to him but he still kept me updated with market information. Needless to say, as soon as I had seven contacts with him; he had my attention and was top of my mind. When it was time for us to sell the property last year, he was my first port of call and we successfully transacted through him.

So for anyone in a sales, business development, relationship or account management position, don’t forget the ‘Rule of 7’ when following a new sales prospect and like Bud Fox – don’t give up.

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Our colleague Natale Marco Cottitto from the Japan office discusses the impact of social media for the recruitment sector and how it has changed recruitment strategies and interactions globally.

To read more, click here.

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