Hong Kong is a very developed city with a very undeveloped mindset when it comes to hiring. You can have decades of working experience, yet interviewers still ask for your high school report card.
Latest Update:
Today I attended two interviews.
I thought it might be the end of my relaxing phase, but I was wrong.
After both, I realized neither fit my background, interests, salary expectations, or benefits.
The first interview
The first one was course coordinator. The job description included coordinating classes for after-school homework class between children, parents and tutors.
Before entering the interview room, I saw a middle-aged man sitting next to me. His whitened hair and lifeless eyes reminded me of the people who were facing mid-life crisis.
Just like my father.
Tell me more about you
During the interview, we introduced ourselves to the interviewees. He told us that he had been working in the catering industry for a long time. He started from a supply chain officer at a chain restaurant in Hong Kong.
Then he started a business with his friend. But afterwards, he reentered the job market and worked as a supply chain officer.
He also mentioned his second son was born last month.
When asked why he switched paths, he said he was interested in this field.
The surprise
Hearing his story, I suddenly felt I shouldn’t compete—he really needs this job.
“Do you mind if we offer only HK$16,000 (about 2046 USD) per month?”
HK$16k for 44+ working hours? That’s way too low.
Meanwhile, the man was trying hard to submit documents for reference checks.
“Do you have your public exam report card?”
“I lost it many years ago,” he said.
The interviewer replied,
“In Hong Kong, it’s very strange. Even with a master’s degree, your public exam results still matter.”
I was speechless too.
Why do companies still need someone’s high school report card after 30+ years of experience?
But the second interview also taught me another lesson. Due to the length, I will share my experience on my second post. Not now.
Summary
Although today’s interviews made me realize that I won’t get a job offer shortly, they broaden my horizon. I feel like I know myself better after attending these professional meetings.
They help me weed out the jobs that don’t fit me.
Leave a comment