I just completed the spring semester of my junior year of undergrad in Hong Kong. I absolutely loved the city-- the weather, buildings, beaches, nightlife, and people-- and am sure that's where I want to work and live after graduation.
The question I have is what's the best way for me to get back there?
I see my options as:
- Keep everything status-quo and just try my best to get a full-time position for after I graduate through normal means
Concerns: Obviously this option poses the least risk, but virtually 0 firms recruit at my school for HK positions. I'd have to either find a job through networking, although I don't consider my self a strong networker, or by securing a position at a multinational firm and transferring to HK. Things to consider are my networking skills (hopefully can be improved), Chinese skills, and Visa issues.
- Transfer for my senior year to University of HK or HKUST
Concerns: Although I'm not certain, graduating from one of these top HK universities would probably make it easier to find a job in HK. However, it would be significantly more expensive and I'd have to work out all the issues related to transferring such as credits and my graduation timeline. A big positive for this option, however, is I would get to be back in HK the soonest, regardless of job outcome.
- Graduate and do a masters program in HK before applying for jobs
This option seems like it may provide a higher chance of getting a job than Option 1, and may be more easily accomplished than Option 2. However, I'm still not sure about the job prospects related to this option, and it would most likely be the most expensive, all things considered.
Here's more about me:
I go to Indiana University, majoring in Business Economics (two degrees--public policy analysis and economic consulting), minoring in biology, 3.9+ GPA, studied abroad at The LSE summer school, exchange in Hong Kong, had an internship with a small, regional private-equity firm after freshman year, have a finance internship for my state's government this summer. I also participate in a selective program to help undergrads get jobs in consulting and will be participating in a less selective program to help undergrads get jobs in investment banking (there is a more selective program at IU, but it's incompatible with studying abroad). Do not understand Mandarin or Cantonese at any level.
While consulting or investment banking at a top firm are my primary career goals, I would consider less prestigious roles or slightly less pay to work in Hong Kong over the U.S. As long as it wouldn't completely handicap me from making major $$$ in the future.
If anyone has more info that would help my decision or any advice in general, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
apply online for full-time recruiting at the BB's.
One key difference between HK offices of BB's is that a lot of them don't conduct on-campus recruiting at American universities (i.e. they will do marketing roadshows, but not actually have resume drops). Instead, I know for a fact that a huge swath of their interviews are either done through references (i.e. you email your resume to someone working at a HK BB) and through their online system. They go through huge resume books and pick out people to interview, so your school matters in a sense much less than it otherwise would.
one caveat that is increasingly true is that if you want to work at a HK BB, you need language skills (preferably mandarin chinese). Hong Kong is a great place for sure, but keep in mind you might have a better chance, brighter prospects, and more leverage if you started in say New York and transferred internally to Hong Kong.
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