Reports that Hong Kong youths seem to be dissatisfied with their career development prospects could be a sign of their characteristic impatience. If true, it will do more damage than good to their careers.
A recent telephone survey of 816 local residents conducted by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia Pacific Studies (HKIAPS) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong indicated the city's young employees think there are fewer chances for career development today than there were for the previous generation.
The respondents were divided into three age groups: 18-30, 31-50, and over 51, numbering 437, 315 and 46, respectively. Overall, the 18-30 age group appeared more discontented than the others with their career prospects.
Asked whether Hong Kong provided adequate opportunities for career development compared with those available for the previous generations, 55.7 per cent of respondents aged 18-30 said they were inadequate, while 24.3 per cent said opportunities remained the same. Only 17.9 per cent found it hard to tell the difference.
In general, 55.1 per cent of all respondents said they enjoyed a better standard of living than the previous generations, while 45.8 per cent believed they are worse off than their parents in terms of career opportunities.
Commenting on the findings, Ian Strutton, director of human resources firm Manpower Professional, says the results may indicate a well-known mismatch between the expectations of young employees and the demands of the job market.
'I don't think there is a lack of opportunities. In fact, they have grown,' he says, adding that organisations that had moved functions to countries with cheaper workforces such as Malaysia and India retrained employees who had lost their jobs. He also cited growing job opportunities in emerging regions such as northern China.