Career advice

Practical guides for a Hong Kong career

Curated writing from operators, recruiters, and HR leaders — written for people building real careers in HK.

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改變遊戲規則

香港太多太多年青新一代抗拒國內民眾或國內任何古怪事物，他們把一切對現實的不滿都轉移在國內政權或人民身上，大香港主義從前相對國內的優越，都因為大陸崛起而黯然失色，究竟新一代是否已毫無機會，必須緊緊抓住身旁的一切，再沒有成就出色的可能呢？當年喬布斯為世人帶來主機與屏幕合一的iMac，繼而大玩色彩配搭，把悶蛋電腦昇華至另一層次，我們才明白甚麼是“酷”。從前被認定為浪費的型仔設計，從此被視為絕技，當中國人仍不什了了，韓國娛樂圈已兼收並蓄，徹底發揚光大，把酷擴展至美貌、舞蹈、化妝、舞台、燈光、畫面色彩、服飾等等，為創造韓流打好基礎。這種違反固有模式，重新規劃市場標準的策略，劉定堅稱之為“改變遊戲規則”！我進入社會工作前便非常明白，每個市場都充滿高手、前輩，要超越他們實在太難，大家都經驗豐富，對原有市場每個細節都深入認識，懂得避重就輕，故此老前輩都地位穩如泰山，唉！新人要在短時間內佔一重要席位，實在不容易，所以我一向在出擊前必審視清楚，細心策劃如何改變原有的遊戲規則，用另一套方法帶領市場，迫對手依我設計的那套規則玩，令他們失去優勢，被迫落入被動位置，苦苦掙扎！

Advice Columnist

Tips for the would-be financial controller

Becoming a financial controller can be a springboard to a management position. Finance directors and higher executives increasingly rely on financial controllers to assume responsibility for internal finances.

Advice Columnist

Forward-looking analysis

Hong Kong CPAs with financial controller experience can expect to be in demand. Chris Choi, an Institute member, is part of an emerging “flying squad” of financial controllers who parachute into new or distressed companies at the request of private equity firms, risk consultancies and others in need of sound advice.

Advice Columnist

Pathways to prosperity

Former and current financial controllers – as well as those who train and hire them – say a number of factors have made the position a more vital one. They include: • Regulation: The financial controller began to assume greater importance a decade ago, according to research by EY, with the imposition of post-Enron legislation designed to promote transparency. • Globalization: The desire for access to Hong Kong and China by multinational corporations has created more financial controller roles at the regional and group senior levels.

Advice Columnist

Institute course to help careers

To help meet the demand, the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs is planning to launch a financial controllership course in 2014 to accelerate the transition from auditor to financial controller.

Advice Columnist

Eyes on the whole board

Once middle-level employees who only focused on the numbers, the role of financial controller has become broad and strategic. George W. Russell reports on how the job has changed and how the Institute plans to develop its members’ skills in this challenging field.

Advice Columnist

Must-have skills for digital media career

Few would have ever known that Friends Reunited was actually the first social networking site to achieve prominence. It was in fact three years old by the time Friendster appeared and took another two years before Facebook came into the scene. Most social networking sites share a common goal of connecting or reconnecting people through the Internet. At some point in their history, each has built a credible following of members. It is this member base that has attracted the attention of businesses wishing to identify, connect, engage and hopefully sell products and services to.

Career Coaching & Guidance

Get a little help

If you are looking to take your career to the next level in Hong Kong’s active jobs market, it can be useful to get a recruiter on your side. But what is the best way of doing this?

Advice Columnist

大數據與你的大腦

數碼時代資訊縱橫交錯，每分每秒都有超大量數據轉來轉去，懂得利用各種數據，可以清楚瞭解市場反應，從而改變策略，針對實際需要爭取最大利益。搞影視注重數據的變化，除了有利於最終作品成績外，更加是說服投資者的強而有力武器。譬如數據告訴我們，中國電影市場跟全球大同小異，買票進場的主要族群是17至25左右的年青人，情侶佔了多數，你拍的片若失去這些新一代支持，請問不是找死又是甚麼？但偏偏市場上有馮小剛的《1942》，有死得一塌糊塗張柏芝的《楊門女將之軍令如山》，之後再有鄭伊健賠死的《忠烈楊家將》。所以數據是死的，人腦才是活的，你的腦筋不成，胡亂分析，總結不出關鍵重點，倒不如別看大堆數據好了。近來有兩份數據讓電影圈的人都特別注意，第一是明年被稱為史上最誇張的好萊塢大片年，接近40部超級大電影陸續推出，恐怕中國票房給淹沒了。其次是跟據統計，好萊塢的進口片所佔票房近年不斷高昇，還好國產片以量取勝，仍然能壓倒西風。

Advice Columnist

飛行作息時間

長途航行中，空員都會分組休息睡覺。休息的地方：機型波音747或777在飛機尾後廁所旁的小門樓上，上面有8張床，有床單、枕頭、被子提供；也配備救援工具例如滅火器、防火面罩、逃生門⋯以策安全。而機型空中巴士A340的休息處位置在飛機的中段門下層地庫。

Advice Columnist

傳統媒體 vs 社交媒體

我相信現今所有做生意、做市場推廣的朋友都會去認識社交媒體市場學。但在我創業初期，大部份人對此門學問都不以為然。難怪的，因為大多數人都習慣在媒介上花錢買廣告買影響力，對於自己創造影響力沒有甚麼想像空間。況且，他們對於不能買的媒體興趣不大，更甚是不認為社交媒體應被定義為媒體。此亦可理解為何傳統媒體工作者早幾年並不認同或重視社交媒體。當然我十分明白專業的媒體工作者不能認同「人人當記者」，將 Facebook專頁、微博專頁當成媒體的一部份好像並不恰當。我不打算在此跟大家做學術研討去討論「何謂媒體」，但以訊息傳播及接觸面，愈來愈多的數據皆顯示社交平台可與傳統大眾傳播媒介比較。 Facebook 及 Youtube 最近同樣地在推動 Reach and Frequency 的評估準則，就是要跟傳統電視的評估準則同化。傳統媒介有能力去製造話題，因為他們是內容製造者。社交平台本身沒有內容，他只提供渠道。如品牌或個人有能力製作有合乎網民品味的內容，就可以透過 Viral Power ，發揮更大的「社交口碑」作用。基於有傳統媒體的營運經驗，我很早期就專注於將網站流量、點擊率、加強讀者群分析、内容口碑、重點行為分析應用於 digital marketing 之上。

Career Coaching & Guidance

What’s your story?

The word “interview” conjures up feelings of apprehension, nervousness, and in some cases, downright fear. This is exacerbated by the fact that most people tend to find themselves in interview-preparation mode only when they are actively job searching, and so they feel additional pressure to make a positive impact.