According to the JobsDB Q2 2012 Hiring Index, 54% of employers intend to hire staff in the coming three months, a 14% decline compared with Q2 2011. 23% of employers plan to freeze headcount and 6% are likely to cut headcount.
In light of the reported drop in exports to the EU, Justin Yiu, JobsDB Hong Kong's General Manager of Sales and Marketing, commented," I believe employers will continue to control hiring costs by adopting a cautious approach.’’ However, he offered some reassurance for the domestic market since low unemployment and the growth of visitors to Hong Kong support to its economy, “Therefore I advise job seekers not to be too pessimistic."
For employers who have hired fresh university graduates in the past 12 months, 37% claim that their expected salary is too high by approximately 11%. Yiu asserted, "Fresh graduates are advised to make career choices carefully by taking into account both salary and career prospects.” Although it was reported that employers are not familiar with the DSE grading standard, the survey does not see a notable difference between the intentions of recruiting A-level and DSE graduates. He explained, “Employers tend to focus on personal interests, abilities and work attitudes of candidates."
Respondents were asked to choose the experience they had had when dealing with fresh graduates. 32% of respondents chose ‘Unable to demonstrate adequate company knowledge during interview’, followed by ‘Unable to adapt to the working environment’ and ‘Bad attitude during interview.’ The survey also asked what employers did look for in these graduates. Yiu summarised as follows, ‘’Employers place a high value on those who have a positive attitude towards work and challenges."
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
