It’s a quiet time of the year for the banking job market in Asia. Front-office hiring has been generally sluggish in 2017 and recruitment across all jobs is set to suffer from a seasonal slowdown in Q4.
In this environment, if you are about to meet a recruiter in Singapore or Hong Kong they will typically hold the upper hand. You will need to impress them.
Here’s how to make the most of your first meeting.
1. Lift your language
“I find quite often that in Hong Kong people who don’t speak English as a first language really struggle to write a compelling resume, but when I first meet them in person the quality of their spoken English and personality often make up for the fact that they can’t sell themselves on paper,” say Sarah Sellers, Hong Kong country manager at iKas International.
2. Don’t curb your enthusiasm
It pays to be positive about your ambitions, including plans for further study. The Asian job market is competitive and recruiters like referring people who they think can add value to their client’s business over the long term. “We recently received a CV which was of borderline quality, but we were blown away when we met the candidate. When discussing their background and aspirations, they seemed very motivated and willing to study to learn more,” says Vince Natteri, director of Pinpoint Asia in Hong Kong.
3. Pepper recruiters with questions
Singapore and Hong Kong’s business districts are comparatively small and recruiters will often agree to meet you for a coffee in Raffles Place or Central. But that doesn’t mean the conversation should be a casual one. The best candidates come prepared with a list of insightful questions about the job – just as they would when meeting a hiring manager at a bank. “This also lets you keep up a high level of engagement,” says Evelyn Lee, manager of financial services at Robert Walters in Singapore.
4. Shout about what you can contribute to their client
It’s tempting to view an agency recruiter as your confidant, but always keep in mind that they are working for the bank, not for you. They want you to frame your success stories in terms of how you benefited your employer. “When speaking about past job responsibilities, always highlight the key points in which you contributed to the organisation,” says Lee.
5. Show off your soft skills
Recruiters say finance professionals in Asia often talk for too long about their technical skills. The best candidates will also focus on demonstrating their cultural fit for the company. “If you’ve researched the organisation and can demonstrate how your softer skills will ensure you’re the right match for the company’s values and the team, you’re more likely to be shortlisted,” explains Lynne Roeder, managing director of Hays in Singapore.
6. Answer the question before it’s asked
Recruiters don’t like having to prise out information or run through a check-list of questions. If there are key requirements in the job description, work these into the conversation before you’re hit with a direct question about them. “For example, if you have to fit into a strong team-working culture, talking about working well with others and previous team achievements is likely to make the right impression,” says Roeder.
7. Mention your mistakes
“They key to a successful interview is to engage with the recruiter by not only highlighting your greatest achievements, but also explaining the mistakes you’ve made along the way and how you’ve learnt from them,” says recruiter Adam Jeffes.
8. Be open about money
Recruiters love it when you tell them your base pay and previous bonus down to the last dollar. “While this is never an easy topic to discuss with a stranger, recruiters need to be very measured about the information they give to clients about current and expected compensation. It is highly frustrating to interview a candidate who point blank refuses to give this information away,” says Sellers from iKas.
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