https://www.scmp.com/rss/501973/feed All you need to know about job hunting, including job hunting resources and websites, what to look for in a job, career advice and writing a CV and cover letter. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Fran Lu Fran Lu Chinese jobseekers are now turning to dating apps to search for work, while some recruitment platforms have become places to connect for dates instead. The youth unemployment rate in China among the 16 to 24 age group, excluding students, has remained above 16 per cent since last July. Many young people express their frustration over the increasing challenges of finding a job. Some report applying for hundreds of positions daily but receiving only a few responses. In this landscape, some... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350222/why-china-jobseekers-use-dating-apps-work-recruitment-sites-matchmaking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3350222/why-china-jobseekers-use-dating-apps-work-recruitment-sites-matchmaking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:00:16 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Hong Kong’s financial services sector could boost hiring by as much as 15 per cent next year, fuelled by buoyant capital markets and growth in assets under management, according to a global recruitment agency. The surging equity markets in Hong Kong and mainland China had boosted revenues and budgets for hiring investment professionals and traders, said John Mullally, managing director for Hong Kong at Robert Walters. The jobs market would be “more functional”, with hiring across the financial... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333336/hiring-outlook-improves-hong-kongs-financial-sector-recruiters-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333336/hiring-outlook-improves-hong-kongs-financial-sector-recruiters-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 02:49:35 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A street snack eatery in Shenzhen refunded 13 yuan (US$2) to uplift two young university graduates new to the city, and the gesture moved many people online. The two young women, Liu and Song, hailing from Hunan and Jiangxi provinces respectively, travelled to Guangdong in southern China for better job opportunities on August 15. On August 16, they visited a branch of Shaxian Delicacies, a well-known street snack chain in Longgang District, where they ordered food totalling 13 yuan and discussed... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3323955/its-tough-good-luck-chinese-eatery-refunds-us2-meal-payment-job-seeking-pair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3323955/its-tough-good-luck-chinese-eatery-refunds-us2-meal-payment-job-seeking-pair?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Sep 2025 01:00:10 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A Chinese woman with a master’s degree in film directing from the UK who now works as a part-time restaurant waiter in Beijing says she is not ashamed of her job choice because she is still chasing her acting dream. Yu Shutian, 29, returned to China at the end of 2021 after obtaining her degree from the University of Sussex in Britain. She joined a drama club the following year. By the time she quit the drama job in 2024, Yu had appeared in nearly 1,000 commercial stage plays, Jiupai News... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3318248/not-shameful-china-woman-uk-masters-film-directing-returns-home-works-waitress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3318248/not-shameful-china-woman-uk-masters-film-directing-returns-home-works-waitress?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 10:00:10 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A woman in China who graduated from medical school and is now selling ice cream on the street has captivated mainland social media after alleging that her alma mater urged her to delete her videos because her story made it feel “embarrassed”. The woman, surnamed Li, graduated three years ago from the privately-run Zhongshan College of Dalian Medical University in Liaoning province, northeastern China, earning a bachelor’s degree in medical imaging. Her experience gained significant attention... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3317454/chinese-healthcare-graduate-sells-ice-cream-embarrassed-alma-mater-forces-clip-removal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3317454/chinese-healthcare-graduate-sells-ice-cream-embarrassed-alma-mater-forces-clip-removal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 10:00:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang As China’s job market continues to struggle, a new trend in which young people become “full-time grandchildren” by returning home to care for their elderly grandparents has gone viral. The trend addresses their own employment problems and the growing need for companionship among the elderly. Such so-called full-time grandchildren provide companionship, emotional support and daily help to elderly or disabled family members. Compared to “full-time children,” who primarily accompany able-bodied... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3315665/fierce-china-job-market-turns-unemployed-youths-full-time-grandkids?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3315665/fierce-china-job-market-turns-unemployed-youths-full-time-grandkids?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A university in eastern China recruiting a canteen manager has sparked controversy online by requiring job candidates to hold a doctoral degree. Southeast University in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, posted a recruitment advertisement on its official website on May 22. As a top institution in China affiliated with the government’s “985” and “211” projects, Southeast University is among only 39 mainland universities, including the prestigious Tsinghua and Peking universities, considered an entry... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3311962/chinese-university-canteen-recruits-manager-who-must-have-phd-sparks-heated-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3311962/chinese-university-canteen-recruits-manager-who-must-have-phd-sparks-heated-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 10:00:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A Chinese company has sparked controversy and humour online by posting a job advertisement in which it lists “free toilet use” and “free use of the lifts” as employment benefits. The advertisement also promotes “no electricity charges for overtime” as one of its employee perks. The advertisement came to light on April 29 when a social media account called Workplace Slackers, which has almost 4.4 million followers, shared a post about the job listing. Although the post did not reveal the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3309557/china-job-ad-featuring-free-toilet-use-work-benefit-sparks-humorous-reactions-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3309557/china-job-ad-featuring-free-toilet-use-work-benefit-sparks-humorous-reactions-online?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 01:00:10 +0000 Yuke Xie Yuke Xie Businesses in Hong Kong are gearing up to expand and hire more employees next year amid expectations of higher revenue in a recovering economy, according to a survey by a professional accounting body. More than half of Hong Kong-based executives, accountants and other finance professionals expect a revenue increase at their firms next year, and hiring intentions have reached their highest level since 2020, CPA Australia said on Thursday. Underpinning this optimism is a positive outlook for the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3289523/hong-kong-businesses-plot-hiring-sprees-economy-perks-2025-survey-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3289523/hong-kong-businesses-plot-hiring-sprees-economy-perks-2025-survey-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:00:37 +0000 In the third of a four-part series on China’s universities and campus life, Alcott Wei asks why students are finding it so hard to switch disciplines once they reach university, in contrast to the previous generation which prioritised getting into the most prestigious institutions. To read the other stories in the series, click here. John Fan, an undergraduate at an elite university in Xian in central China, was thrilled when his transfer was confirmed from mechanical engineering to his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3278466/chinas-university-students-fierce-battle-majors-best-job-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3278466/chinas-university-students-fierce-battle-majors-best-job-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2024 22:00:25 +0000 Job applicants often list hobbies such as reading, cooking or going to the theatre on their CVs, even if this is not a must. Known as “mad skills”, hobbies and skills, such as learning Fon – a language spoken in Benin, West Africa – or a passion for marathons can really make a difference when applying for a job. “‘Mad skills’ are basically particularly rare soft skills,” says Marlene Poehlmann, managing director at a recruitment agency. “They can be anything that’s been acquired through... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3273209/why-putting-mad-skills-your-cv-such-acting-stage-could-get-you-job?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3273209/why-putting-mad-skills-your-cv-such-acting-stage-could-get-you-job?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2024 20:15:08 +0000 In China, people are notoriously practical when it comes to selecting college majors. My personal experience illustrates that. After ranking among the top 10 students in my home province’s college entrance examination scores, I received unsolicited advice on picking majors. My parents were counselled to steer me away from journalism, as it no longer promised a decent job placement after graduation. I was also cautioned against majoring in international economics, despite my high scores, because... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3272476/chinese-graduates-opt-government-jobs-what-private-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3272476/chinese-graduates-opt-government-jobs-what-private-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2024 01:30:11 +0000 In China, people are notoriously practical when it comes to selecting college majors. My personal experience illustrates that. After ranking among the top 10 students in my home province’s college entrance examination scores, I received unsolicited advice on picking majors. My parents were counselled to steer me away from journalism, as it no longer promised a decent job placement after graduation. I was also cautioned against majoring in international economics, despite my high scores, because... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3272599/chinese-graduates-opt-public-posts-what-private-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3272599/chinese-graduates-opt-public-posts-what-private-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jul 2024 06:50:30 +0000 Amidst a high youth unemployment rate in China, a new trend called “full-time children” has emerged among young adults. Rather than pursue traditional jobs, full-time children are hired by their parents and tasked with household chores and caregiving in exchange for financial support. A group titled “Full-time Children’s Work Communication Centre” boasts around 4,700 members on Douban, a Chinese social media platform, and the hashtag “full-time sons and daughters” has garnered over 3.1 million... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3262764/what-are-full-time-children-jobs-increasing-numbers-young-china-adults-prefer-house-chores-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3262764/what-are-full-time-children-jobs-increasing-numbers-young-china-adults-prefer-house-chores-over?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2024 06:10:10 +0000 A young woman in China claims she was tricked into taking a job at a cosmetic surgery company, only for her employer to pressure her into getting a nose job and incurring 25,000 yuan (US$3,500) in debt. The woman, surnamed Chen, accepted a position as a receptionist with the company on November 21, with her salary being 4,100 (US$560) per month. During the interview, the hiring staff asked questions about her interest in cosmetic surgery, which Chen initially thought were routine because “it’s a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3246233/it-was-bait-young-woman-china-tricked-employer-take-out-loan-have-plastic-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3246233/it-was-bait-young-woman-china-tricked-employer-take-out-loan-have-plastic-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Dec 2023 01:00:11 +0000 Eighty-hour weeks. Multibillion-dollar deals. Huge bonuses. Until recently, life as an investment banker in Hong Kong was both intense and lucrative. These days, it’s anything but. The big China deals that lined rainmakers’ pockets for decades have evaporated. Banks and law firms alike are cutting jobs. Those advisers that remain are chasing smaller deals and taking extended vacations. In a bad year for deals globally, the value of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in mainland China and Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3242403/hong-kong-investment-bankers-have-lots-free-time-and-anxiety-deals-slump-lay-offs-intensify?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3242403/hong-kong-investment-bankers-have-lots-free-time-and-anxiety-deals-slump-lay-offs-intensify?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Nov 2023 03:05:36 +0000 Asean is one of the world’s fastest-growing economic blocs, expanding by an estimated 5.5 per cent last year despite global headwinds, and has a young and dynamic population of over 660 million. To stay relevant and competitive, Hong Kong must not only look towards Southeast Asia but embrace it. To succeed, we must seek to add value to the 10 (soon 11) members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, position ourselves as a gateway for their capital and companies in accessing Northeast... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3234411/hong-kong-needs-roll-out-welcome-mat-asean-talent-heres-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3234411/hong-kong-needs-roll-out-welcome-mat-asean-talent-heres-how?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Sep 2023 02:00:18 +0000 This is the first in a series on how a tumultuous first half of 2023 featured economic pitfalls and headwinds that have left China struggling to shake off years of Covid-induced rust. At 25 years old, Liu Maomao is no longer considered youthful by labour-demographic standards. And that means her unemployment is not reflected in the worsening job market among the 16-24 “youth”. Instead, her lack of a job – as with other struggling adults in their mid-twenties – is now being reflected in the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3228004/china-jobs-trash-inspector-masters-degree-shows-how-education-reform-imminent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3228004/china-jobs-trash-inspector-masters-degree-shows-how-education-reform-imminent?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jul 2023 03:00:20 +0000 After fishing for more than 50 positions across various job portals, Connie Xu finally got a nibble – the chance to interview for an internship with a company in a major Chinese city. The 22-year-old, who graduated this month with a degree in Chinese language and literature, considered herself a good candidate for the position, with the necessary skill set and classroom experience from projects at university. So, the Guangdong native travelled 90 minutes for the interview, anticipating that this... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3224211/chinas-blank-paper-graduates-fear-years-remote-learning-and-no-experience-make-them-unemployable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3224211/chinas-blank-paper-graduates-fear-years-remote-learning-and-no-experience-make-them-unemployable?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jun 2023 22:00:19 +0000 The pressure from career counsellors at her university in northern China’s Hebei province became too much for Kayla Liu to bear – she had to find employment, no matter what. So, the 21-year-old English major, unable to secure a full-time job after months of searching, opted to become an entrepreneur – selling handmade beaded bracelets on e-commerce site Taobao. Liu said staff from her university have been coercing graduates-to-be to sign “flexible employment” contracts – a directive she suspects... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3222789/china-jobs-flexible-work-only-solution-unemployment-woes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3222789/china-jobs-flexible-work-only-solution-unemployment-woes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jun 2023 02:00:11 +0000 More than 20 per cent of those aged 16 to 24 in China – roughly 30 million people – are unemployed, according to the latest figures. This crisis is believed to have been caused by many factors, including Covid-19 lockdowns and the less-than-stellar economic recovery. People also blame the 2021 regulatory crackdown on after-school education for removing millions of private tutoring jobs; that career path is no longer available for young people. Yet the opposite is true. The once-booming... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3222063/how-chinas-jobless-youth-were-raised-have-unrealistic-expectations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3222063/how-chinas-jobless-youth-were-raised-have-unrealistic-expectations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 May 2023 19:30:07 +0000 More effective measures should be taken to stabilise China’s employment situation, especially for college graduates who are finding it increasingly difficult to secure jobs, according to Vice-Premier Hu Chunhua. Hu said that although the current situation is generally positive, complex problems remain unsolved, and his pointed reference to fresh university graduates came on the heels of last week’s official figures showing that the youth unemployment rate – for those aged 16-24 – reached a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3185707/chinas-youth-unemployment-keeps-rising-beijing-says-regional?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3185707/chinas-youth-unemployment-keeps-rising-beijing-says-regional?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jul 2022 15:00:12 +0000 The hits keep coming for China’s disillusioned youth who increasingly cannot seem to catch a break when it comes to landing work in a job market that – at least for their demographic – keeps going from really bad to even worse. Nearly one out of five young jobseekers were unemployed last month as China’s youth unemployment rate hit an all-time high of 19.3 per cent in June, official figures show. It was a sharp rise from 18.4 per cent in May, and marked a year-on-year increase of 25 per... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3185473/china-jobs-youth-unemployment-hits-record-high-june-nearly-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3185473/china-jobs-youth-unemployment-hits-record-high-june-nearly-1?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jul 2022 12:30:20 +0000 There are now more jobs in Hong Kong for graduates compared to last year, but the number of coveted management trainee positions has continued to shrink, with human resources experts blaming the Covid-19 pandemic. According to data from the Joint Institution Job Information System, a portal run by the city’s public universities, about 17,000 opportunities for entry roles were listed between January and March this year, 35 per cent more than during the same period in 2021. The average starting... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3174405/more-jobs-better-pay-hong-kong-graduates-fewer-plum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3174405/more-jobs-better-pay-hong-kong-graduates-fewer-plum?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Apr 2022 11:00:12 +0000 Over the past few years, Janet Peng’s parents have had to adjust their expectations for her career and that of her old sister, in line with the changing economic and social climate in China. With mum and dad being private entrepreneurs, they long had a certain career trajectory in mind for their children. Like many young people from affluent middle-class families in Shenzhen, China’s tech and financing hub, Peng’s sister went abroad for graduate studies after earning her university degree in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3157908/why-do-chinese-crave-stable-government-jobs-over-inferior?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3157908/why-do-chinese-crave-stable-government-jobs-over-inferior?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Dec 2021 04:00:14 +0000 This is the fifth in a series of stories on China’s job market, looking at its history, the role of migrant workers, inequality and the future for its graduates entering the workforce. A gruelling two-month stretch awaits Adam Xu later this year, and he has a stable government job in his crosshairs. In addition to the classes he is taking as a master’s student in public administration, the 25-year-old has ambitious intentions to set aside at least 12 hours a day to study for the national civil... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3143030/chinas-job-scarcity-sees-fresh-grads-shun-private-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3143030/chinas-job-scarcity-sees-fresh-grads-shun-private-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jul 2021 23:30:18 +0000 China’s unemployment rate has steadily dropped from last year’s pandemic peak, though a lack of jobs for graduates and a shortage of skilled manufacturing workers point to underlying problems in the labour market. The urban jobless rate fell to a two-year low of 5 per cent in May, official data showed last week, but unemployment for those between the ages of 16 and 24 – which captures graduates from high school and college – was more than double that, at 13.8 per cent. Anecdotal reports suggest... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3138128/chinas-unemployment-rate-dips-numbers-belie-structural?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3138128/chinas-unemployment-rate-dips-numbers-belie-structural?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jun 2021 04:38:58 +0000 The number of eager Hong Kong job-hunters falling prey to scams rose fourfold in the first two months of this year, with victims losing HK$6.4 million (US$823,000) to con artists amid the highest jobless rate in 17 years. In addition to stealing victims’ personal data to apply for loans, police have also warned of so-called brushing scams, which trick victims into placing orders on phoney shopping apps to boost a seller’s rating and business volume. Promised a full refund of the money they used... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3127844/desperate-hong-kong-job-hunters-easy-prey-scammers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3127844/desperate-hong-kong-job-hunters-easy-prey-scammers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Mar 2021 23:00:31 +0000 Short-video platform Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, says it created 36 million jobs domestically over the year-long period from last August in the video and live-streaming sector – one of the few areas where employment is flourishing in the nation’s challenging post-coronavirus labour market. Among that total, about 20 million are individual content creators and live-streaming hosts, while 8.6 million came from their team members. The rest were from Douyin’s corporate accounts and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3101037/chinas-tiktok-douyin-says-it-created-36-million-jobs-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3101037/chinas-tiktok-douyin-says-it-created-36-million-jobs-last?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2020 00:00:11 +0000 China’s mega banks are ramping up their recruitment of fresh graduates as a record number enter the labour market, joining other state-owned firms in boosting employment even as lenders deal with plunging earnings and ballooning bad debt. The four biggest state banks, led by Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, this month kicked off their autumn campus hiring, instead of in November as in previous years. China Construction Bank plans to add 16,000 graduates this year, up from 13,000 last year.... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3098732/brush-mandarin-chinas-banks-are-hiring-tens-thousands-graduates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3098732/brush-mandarin-chinas-banks-are-hiring-tens-thousands-graduates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2020 07:13:48 +0000 In June, Qiu Xiaogang decided to close his Happy Noodle Shop near an expressway in northern China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region and set up a street food stand to sell grilled meat skewers. It was the second time this year that Qiu had been forced to close his shop. The first was during a coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown. To make ends meet then, he did a short stint at a construction site, moving bricks for about 200 yuan (US$29) a day. After the lockdown ended in May, he returned to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3098011/coronavirus-china-seeks-solution-unemployment-crisis-flexible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3098011/coronavirus-china-seeks-solution-unemployment-crisis-flexible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Aug 2020 22:00:13 +0000 Biology student Ma Jingjing wandered the hall of a job fair in central China among other young Chinese hoping to find work in an economy crushed by the coronavirus pandemic. Ma, 26, is one of almost 9 million people graduating and entering the job market this year at a time of great uncertainty, an issue that has the Communist Party worried to the point that President Xi Jinping has made it a priority. The world’s second-largest economy may have rebounded sharply from a historic virus-induced... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3095699/chinas-young-jobseekers-struggle-despite-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3095699/chinas-young-jobseekers-struggle-despite-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Aug 2020 08:53:16 +0000 Being cooped up at home for months because of the coronavirus pandemic is taking a toll on a group of young Hongkongers who have become increasingly withdrawn from society, experts warn. These “hidden youth” are hermits who refuse to step out of their homes for months, even years. They do not go to school, do not have jobs, avoid interacting with others, and can drive worried family members to desperation. Social workers engaged in the slow process of helping these recluses change say the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3086617/so-hard-get-hong-kongs-hidden-youth-leave-home-now-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3086617/so-hard-get-hong-kongs-hidden-youth-leave-home-now-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2020 00:00:15 +0000 Before the coronavirus pandemic struck, Hongkonger Chu Lui, 49, lived in Shenzhen and travelled to Hong Kong every day to work as a chef. The divorced father of two moved to the mainland city alone in 2016, drawn by its low cost of living. The 900 sq ft two-bedroom flat he rented there cost about HK$2,800 (US$361) a month, whereas the going rate for a comparable flat on Hong Kong Island would be about HK$35,000 a month on average. “That was worth it. Life was stable,” he says. He did not mind... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3085559/no-more-cross-border-commuting-coronavirus-pandemic-brings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3085559/no-more-cross-border-commuting-coronavirus-pandemic-brings?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2020 04:00:11 +0000 Jen Glantz is a bestselling author and the founder and CEO of Bridesmaid for Hire, a boutique services company that offers professional bridesmaids who “take care of all your wedding dirty work”. Before becoming an entrepreneur and running her own business, she was laid off from her job as a copywriter at a tech startup, and experienced first-hand how terrifying being laid off can be. But instead of giving into panic, she turned the loss into an opportunity, by organising her thoughts, emotions,... https://www.scmp.com/better-life/career-education/article/3084055/6-steps-take-if-you-get-laid-your-job-because-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/better-life/career-education/article/3084055/6-steps-take-if-you-get-laid-your-job-because-covid-19?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2020 00:00:17 +0000 Hong Kong’s unemployment rate is expected to rise for the sixth straight month once first-quarter figures are reported, reflecting the battered state of the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, top officials have warned. Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung and Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po wrote about the grim outlook on their blogs on Sunday, ahead of the announcement on Monday. Hong Kong’s jobless burn savings waiting for government help and courses In February, Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3080581/expect-unemployment-rate-rise-sixth-straight-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3080581/expect-unemployment-rate-rise-sixth-straight-month?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2020 04:47:14 +0000 With no games or income because of the coronavirus pandemic, Hong Kong hockey player Chris Tso Tsz-fung is working part-time delivering food. Dressed in his sports outfit and trainers, the 26-year-old rides a bicycle across Tuen Mun in northwest Hong Kong, where he lives, during lunchtime and dinner time daily. Tso works an average of four hours a day, delivering about 10 meals, earning about HK$30 for each. Some days, however, he chalks up only one delivery per hour. A member of the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3080341/hong-kong-workers-unpaid-leave-struggle-find-part?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3080341/hong-kong-workers-unpaid-leave-struggle-find-part?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2020 00:00:22 +0000 You may not think it, but there are a lot of similarities between looking for a job and looking for a significant other. Sure, there are differences – probably best not to end an interview with a hug, for example, and definitely don’t go in for a kiss – but the similarities are worth noting. If you want advice on howto score a second date or interview, here are five top tips.  1 First impressions are everything Whether we like it or not, we only have one chance to make a first impression, and... https://www.scmp.com/better-life/career-education/article/3051425/dating-and-job-hunting-success-both-relies-same?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/better-life/career-education/article/3051425/dating-and-job-hunting-success-both-relies-same?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2020 22:00:20 +0000 If you’re hoping to get a new job (or your first job!) this year, it’s important to be as prepared as possible. Before you can even hope to get someone to read your CV, you have to make sure they read the email you send them. The subject line of an email is the first thing a recipient sees, and with more than 300 billion business emails sent every day, it’s harder than ever to get noticed. Whether you’re cold-emailing potential mentors, scouting for open positions, or even applying for a job,... https://www.scmp.com/better-life/career-education/article/3045428/find-job-your-dreams-2020-learning-how-write-perfect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/better-life/career-education/article/3045428/find-job-your-dreams-2020-learning-how-write-perfect?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jan 2020 01:00:10 +0000 As technology disrupts the traditional workplace and creates new jobs, education is expected to prepare young people to enter a dynamic digital workplace. Careers education has therefore taken on unprecedented importance. Is Hong Kong doing enough? And what is the key to a quality careers education? Last month, the Education Bureau unveiled a Life Planning Information website to provide students, teachers and parents with “comprehensive information on life planning information and career... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3041691/why-hong-kong-needs-invest-more-careers-education-schools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3041691/why-hong-kong-needs-invest-more-careers-education-schools?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2019 22:15:14 +0000 Tour guide Chau Ching is worried. Her income has been reduced to zero, after the city’s anti-government protests hit tourism hard and mainland Chinese tourists stopped coming. For more than 10 years, the 49-year-old single mother earned a living by showing mainland Chinese visitors around. In a good month, she took home more than HK$20,000 (US$2,550). But since August, she has not led a single tour group. “I am in despair,” says Chau, who supports a 20-year-old daughter in Form Five in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3041035/i-am-despair-hard-times-hong-kongs-tourism-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3041035/i-am-despair-hard-times-hong-kongs-tourism-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2019 00:00:10 +0000 Thousands of South Koreans have flocked to Japan in recent years to escape a lacklustre labour market at home, but as ties between the two neighbours come under strain, some are now thinking twice. Recruiters say Koreans are giving Japan the cold shoulder and Japanese companies are staying away from Korean job fairs, as Seoul and Tokyo remain at loggerheads over trade and historical disputes. The twice-yearly Seoul Career Vision job fair this autumn has been postponed from September to November... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3030430/patriotism-vs-pay-packet-japan-south-korea-tensions-test-migrant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3030430/patriotism-vs-pay-packet-japan-south-korea-tensions-test-migrant?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Sep 2019 23:00:10 +0000