As the economy worsens, university students are coming under pressure to improve their job hunting and interview skills to secure the job or internship they want. Many companies are cutting back or putting their recruitment plans on hold because of economic uncertainties.
To further equip undergraduate students with the soft skills needed to find jobs and put them on their career paths, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Job Hunting Competition is expanding. Entering its fourth year in Hong Kong, the nationwide competition has become even more competitive with the addition of a fifth city.
The event aims to simulate job hunting for university students and provide them with a platform to bridge the gap between the skills they already possess and the skills that employers want.
This year, the competition will be held in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and newcomer Chengdu. The top three regional winners will have a chance to represent their city and take part in July's grand final in Shanghai.
Full-time, non-final year students in any discipline at the nine local universities can apply to take part in the competition in Hong Kong. Students from the University of Macau can also compete in the Hong Kong stage of the event.
With more than 260 applicants from Hong Kong and more than 5,000 from the four cities last year, an additional city will significantly intensify the competition, and competitors will face greater challenges this time around.