A GUIDE TO

JOB HUNTING
 Content

Foreword 1
Job Hunting
Know yourself and know others 2
Ways to collect vacancy information 3
Job Application
Contact employer direct by phone 6
Writing application letter and résumé 7
Email sample 10
Application letter sample 11
Résumé sample 13
Interview
Interview formats 15
Preparation for the interview 16
Interview performance 19
Questions frequently asked during the interview 21
Interview follow-up and evaluation 24
Beware of Employment Traps
Common employment traps 26
Detecting employment traps 27
Conclusion
Acceptance of appointment 29
Facing the new job 30
 Foreword

The current job market is highly competitive. To stand out from all
the job seekers and to gain success in job hunting, you have to
acquire good job-hunting skills apart from having the ability to
take up the job.

Through this Guide, we hope to help job seekers master the basic
skills of job hunting, thereby enabling them in overcoming all the
hurdles and finding a suitable job. Topics covered in this Guide
include tips on job hunting, skills on writing application letters and
résumés, points to note before and during an interview, and how
to detect employment traps etc.

Employment Information and Promotion Programme

Labour Department

1
 Job Hunting

Know yourself and know others

"What kind of job should I look for?" The so-called "know yourself and know others"
means job seekers must understand themselves and the labour market to avoid
wasting time or missing any employment opportunities.

Know yourself – Understand yourself

◆ This is the first step in job hunting. Job seekers should clearly understand their
own personality traits and job preference, and choose their job accordingly;
◆ You can understand yourself better through
analysing and reviewing various aspects like your
personality, interests, ability, merits, qualifications,
job preference and job expectation. Knowing yourself
will not only help you establish your career goal
and choose a suitable job, but also in answering
questions during interview.
Know Yourself
Know others – Understand the prevailing
labour market and industry situation Know Others
◆ Apart from understanding yourself, you should pay attention to changes in the
labour market and analyse the prevailing job market situation, so as to set a
realistic target for job hunting;

◆ The labour market changes frequently and rapidly. To get employed, you should
be ready to make adjustments accordingly. The latest market information can be
obtained through different channels including newspapers, magazines, electronic
media as well as Internet;

◆ In addition, you should keep abreast of the development of various trades and
industries, and have a better understanding of their recruitment channels, entry
requirements for various positions as well as prospects and potential for
long-term development. You then have better equipped yourself and prepared to
face challenges ahead.

2
 Job Hunting

Ways to collect vacancy information

With proper use of various job-searching channels, you can access vacancy
information and increase your chance of success. You can collect vacancy
information through the following means:

Employment service of the Labour Department

The Labour Department provides free and user-friendly employment service to
help job seekers secure suitable jobs. A comprehensive range of services are
provided to job seekers through its Job Centres, Interactive Employment Service
website, “Interactive Employment Service” mobile applications and Telephone
Employment Service.

Interactive Employment Service Website: http://www.jobs.gov.hk

“In
Telephone Employment Service Hotline: 2969 0888 Emp teracti
l ve
Ser oymen
mobvice” t
app ile
lica
tion
s
Job seekers can make use of the facilities installed at the Job T

Centres including telephones, fax machines, user-friendly

Vacancy Search Terminals and computers with Internet
functions to search for suitable vacancies and prepare
résumés and application letters. Job seekers may get job
referrals from the Job Centres or Telephone Employment
Service Centre, or approach employers directly if their contact means
are printed on the job order cards.

Vacancy Search Terminals are also installed in various offices of Home

Affairs Department, Social Security Field Units, Housing Department,
Employees Retraining Board Service Centres and Non-Government Organisations
providing employment services.

3
 Job Hunting

Newspapers and magazines

◆ Recruitment advertisements on job vacancies of private establishments and public
organisations.

Internet
◆ Interactive Employment Service website: http://www.jobs.gov.hk;

◆ Employment websites: job vacancies of private establishments and public

organisations;

◆ Some companies also post up job vacancies on their own websites;

◆ Civil Service Bureau website: http://www.csb.gov.hk (Government job vacancies are

uploaded here).

Private employment agencies

◆ Job referrals for job seekers;

◆ According to the Employment Agency Regulations, employment agencies should

not charge the job seekers any fees other than commission, and for each
successful placement, a commission not more than 10% of the first month’s wages
could be charged from a job seeker.

Large –scale job fairs/recruitment days

◆ The Labour Department regularly organises large-scale job fairs for employers
and job seekers. Job seekers may apply for jobs with participating employers.
Employers would accept direct job applications and some may conduct job
interviews on the spot as well;

4
 Job Hunting

◆ Job Centres, Recruitment Centre for the Catering Industry and Recruitment Centre
for the Retail Industry of the Labour Department also regularly organise regional
or targeted trade job fairs for employers and job seekers. Participating employers
would accept direct job applications and conduct on-the-spot job interviews;

◆ Some companies organise their own recruitment days. Job seekers may attend
such recruitment activity and submit their applications/attend interviews at the
designated dates, time and venues.

Referrals by your family members or friends

◆ Your friends and relatives may be able to get job interviews or referrals for you.

Recommend yourself to potential employer

◆ Write to companies or organisations and apply for posts you are interested in
even if they have not placed any recruitment advertisements;

◆ You may learn about the business activities and

structure of a company from its website and
annual report. After conf irming the name
and post title of the staff in charge of
recruitment, you can write to him directly to
apply for a suitable post.

5
 Job Application

The application method such as application via telephone, interview by

appointment and submission of an application letter and résumé are usually set out
in the recruitment advertisements. If a suitable vacancy is advertised, you should
submit an application promptly.

Contact employer direct by phone

When making a call to the person taking charge of recruitment, you should:

◆ choose a quiet place to contact the potential

employer, and bring along a pen and a piece of
paper to jot down simple notes;
Résum
é
A pp
lic
Lettea tion
◆ briefly introduce yourself and explain the purpose r

in your call;

◆ state clearly the post you want to apply and the source of vacancy
information;

◆ be calm, polite and conf ident;

◆ jot down clearly details such as date, time and place of interview, contact person
and documents to be brought along if you are granted an interview;

◆ confirm the arrangement of interview and express your gratitude before ending
the telephone conversation;

◆ should there be no vacancy available at the moment, you may try to leave your
contact means so that the company could contact you easily thereafter;

◆ stay on the line and let the potential employer hang up f irst.

6
 Job Application

Writing application letter and résumé

After posting a recruitment advertisement, the employer will receive a lot of
application letters and résumés. To secure an interview, apart from possession of the
qualif ications as required by the employer, you need to submit a well-written
application letter and a résumé that help you stand out amongst all applications and
create a good impression on the recruiting employer.

Before writing . . .
You should

◆ understand the qualif ications and requirements of the post for preparing a
tailor-made application letter and résumé;

◆ list your qualif ications f irst

■ such as education background, work experience etc. so that any important
information will not be missed out in the résumé;

◆ use clean white paper and envelope

■ you need to print your application letter and résumé on clean white paper and
envelope;

◆ refer to templates of application letters and résumés for the style which suits you
most.

When writing application letter and résumé . . .

◆ Conf ine to one to two pages;

◆ Choose the appropriate font size and line spacing;

◆Specify your strengths and qualifications which meet the requirements of the
post;

7
 Job Application

◆ State your career goals

■ List how your career goals can match the post you applied for, and to convince
your prospective employer that you are the most suitable candidate;

◆ Don’t provide false information

■ Exaggerated or false information will raise doubts about your integrity,
resulting in the loss of faith in you. This will have adverse effect on your job
application;

◆ Don’t provide excessive personal information in your résumé

■ During the application stage, employers do not expect to collect from job
seekers excessive personal data, such as Identity Card number, credit card
account number, bank account number in the résumé. Personal information
would be collected on a need basis upon job offers are made;

◆ Use computer and printer for a f inal printout

■ This will give an impression of neatness;

◆ Don’t make corrections with correction fluid or eraser

■ Make a new printout in case of typos and omissions;

◆ Use proper email address

■ Job seekers should use proper email addresses for sending job applications,
leaving a good impression to the prospective employers.

Application letter

◆ Concise and to-the-point; avoid long sentences and paragraphs;

◆ Put down information that is of relevance and importance to the potential

employer;

◆ Explain that you are the most suitable candidate for the post and persuade the
employer to grant you an interview;

8
 Job Application

◆ Pay attention to grammar and watch

out for typos or wrong words;

◆ Remember to sign the application

letter personally.

Résumé

◆ Neat and orderly arrangement

- Use point form and headings;

◆ List qualifications in chronological

sequence
- Usually start with the most recent one when listing qualif ications like
academic achievements and work experience;

◆ Put down information relevant to what is mentioned in the application letter;

◆ List out skills and experience/professional qualifications relevant and vital to

the post you apply for;

◆ Young job seekers lacking work experience may provide information on

extra-curricular activities in the résumé to give the employer a more
comprehensive understanding of their personality and abilities.

Before sending out . . .

◆ Check again whether the grammar, information of yourself and the employer are
correct;
◆ Make sure that the application letter and the résumé are put in the right envelope
if you are applying for a number of posts at the same time;
◆ Enclose copies of certificates, if specified in the recruitment advertisement;
◆ Keep a copy of the application letter and the résumé for reference in case you are
granted an interview.

9
 Job Application
To: [email protected]
Subject: Application for the Post of Graphic Design Assistant (Ref: 390505/ GDA/SP)
From: [email protected]

Dear Miss Lau,

With reference to the advertisement in the Success Morning Post of 14th September
2013, I would like to apply for the post of Graphic Design Assistant.

I enclose my application letter and résumé for your kind reference.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Yung Chi Kit, Stephen

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

[email protected]

[email protected]

10
 Job Application

Flat A, 23/F
2000 Queen’s Road,
Wan Chai, Hong Kong

15th September 2013

Miss Jacqueline Lau

Director of Human Resources
The Perfect Group
Room 4018, Perfect Tower,
1 Island Road, Hong Kong.

Dear Miss Lau,

Application for the Post of Graphic Design Assistant (Ref: 390505/GDA/SP)

With reference to the advertisement in the Success Morning Post of 14th September
2013, I am writing to apply for the post of Graphic Design Assistant.

I have been working in Design Mind Limited as Graphic Designer Trainee after
completing my secondary school education in May 2013. My duties are to assist the
Senior Designer in design layout and artwork production. During my employment, I
have also completed an evening course on Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Should I
be able to get the job, I will bring my personal experience and what I have learnt to the
company.

Enclosed is my résumé for your kind reference. I look forward to having an

opportunity for an interview in which I can further present my suitability for this
position.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

(Yung Chi Kit, Stephen)

Encl.
1.Résumé

11
Job Application

12
 Job Application

Ho Siu Ling
Flat A, 10/F., High View Mansion,
Hong Kong Lane, Hong Kong.
Contact numbers: 9000 XXXX / 2323 XXXX
E-mail address: [email protected]

POSITION APPLIED FOR : Administrative Officer

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
12/2010-Present Assistant Administrative Officer, Hong Kong Company Limited
Job duties
• handling office administration and general affairs of the company

• preparing documents and reports related to leasing of property

• assisting in project administration and coordination

• participating in office renovation and relocation

7/2009-12/2010 Administrative Assistant, BCB Company Limited

Job duties
• providing administrative and secretarial support to the Admin & HR Department

• handling daily business correspondence

• organising and coordinating appointments and meetings

EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

2007– 2009 Associate of Business Administration, Hong Kong School of Commerce
2005 – 2007 St. Marvel College (Form 6 – Form 7)
Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (2007)
Use of English (E) Business Studies (D)
Chinese Language and Culture (D) Mathematics and Statistics (E)
Economics (D)
2000– 2005 Novel Secondary School (Form 1 – Form 5)
Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (2005)
Chinese Language (C) Economics (C)
English Language (Syllabus B) (D) Geography (C)
Mathematics (C) Chinese History (D)
History (E)

LANGUAGES AND SKILLS

Proficient in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Chinese Word Processing
English typing speed 50 w.p.m.
Fluent in Putonghua, Chinese and English; Fluent in Chinese and English writing

REFERENCES
References will be provided upon request

13
 Job Application

________
Wan Ho Kung, Steve
A
9113 XXXX / 2112 XXXX
[email protected]

____
20072013

______________

2013 5** 4
5* 5
5 4
5*

________
2012 7 8

________
20112012
20072013

____
40 50
MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint

14
 Interview

An interview is a two-way process. It is a good opportunity for a job seeker to present

and “sell” his merits to the prospective employer. To employers, it is also the process to
observe and assess whether the candidate is competent and sincere in taking up the
job and whether he is the right person to be employed. Through the interview, the
job seeker obtains information on the job duties, the requirements of the employer
and the corporate culture so as to assess whether he is competent to take up the job
and how best the job meets his expectations.

If you are invited to attend an interview, it means that you have preliminarily met the
requirements of the company and the post. You should make good use of the
chance, get well prepared and demonstrate your strengths as far as possible to
convince the interviewer that you are the most suitable candidate.

Interview formats
Individual interview
◆ This is the most common way of interview;
◆ Interviewee is to answer questions raised by one or more interviewers.

Group interview
◆ Several interviewees will be asked to discuss on some topics or to answer
interviewers’ questions in turn;
◆ The questions may not be related to the post you apply for and may be
concerned with current affairs;
◆ Prospective employers usually aim at assessing candidates’ analytical power,
presentation skills, leadership and ability to respond to changes.

Online interview
◆ Some employers have conducted online interview lately;

15
 Interview

◆ Interviewee is to answer questions raised by one

or more interviewers;
◆ Job seekers should choose to attend the
interview in a bright, tidy and quiet
environment;
◆ Job seekers should be dressed neat and proper
and do not look down on the importance of appearance in
the online interview.

Skill tests
◆ The purpose is to assess whether the candidate has the knowledge and skill
required for the job. Such tests may include Chinese and English typing,
computer operation and performing some work processes of the post you
apply for;
◆ Skill tests are often related to the work of the applied post.

Other tests
◆Chinese and English writing tests, mathematics tests, aptitude tests, etc. Some
of the tests may be conducted on the Internet. In views of this, job seekers are
better to acquire basic knowledge and skills on computer software
applications.

Preparation for the interview

"Inner" part
◆ Gather information about the post and the organisation, such as job nature and
requirements, development and prospects of the trade, etc;
◆Assess your own personality, abilities and strengths and weaknesses with regard
to the requirements of the post. Be prepared to promote your strengths, and
show your potentials for improvements while answering the interviewers’
questions;

16
 Interview

◆ Practise the relevant skills related to the post you apply for, e.g. Chinese and
English typing, computer software application, etc;
◆ Double-check the information given in the application letter and the résumé to
avoid inconsistencies;
◆ Prepare concrete answers to common questions to be asked during the interview
and rehearse the interview beforehand so that you will become more confident
and less likely to get nervous in the interview. Workshops are also organised by
various training bodies to help job seekers prepare for interviews;
◆ Pay attention to current affairs and hot topics;
◆ Prepare some questions about the post and the recruiting organisation and raise
them to the interviewers before the end of the interview;
◆ Go to bed early the night before the interview
■ Sufficient sleep will keep you in high spirits, enhance your confidence and
ability to respond to changes;
◆ Being late for a job interview is undesirable. It upsets you and leaves a poor
impression on the interviewer
■ Plan the route and find out the traffic condition of the place of interview
beforehand
■ Arrive preferably 15 minutes before the scheduled time to allow yourself time
to settle your mind and get ready for the interview.

"Objects" part
To attend an interview, you should bring:
◆ identity card;
◆ ball pen;
◆ résumé, both original and copies;
◆ documents of academic qualif ications, both original and copies;
◆ proof of working experience, both original and copies (e.g. reference letter,
resignation letter, etc);

17
 Interview

◆ passport photos;
◆ employer’s address and telephone number;
◆ mobile phone.
Key points
■ Get ready important documents like proof of academic qualif ications and
working experience and organise them systematically
◆ To give the interviewer a good impression, make sure that you can produce
the documents in good order for his inspection;
■ Don’t bring with you too many personal belongings or things which are not
relevant to the interview.

Appearance
◆ Be neat and tidy, from head to toe, behave naturally and keep poised;
◆ Dress code should be simple, appropriate and commensurate with the job you
apply for and the culture of the company;
◆ Don’t dress too trendy and colourful, lest it gives an impression of immaturity and
imprudence;
◆ Women should avoid heavy make-up and dressing with too many accessories;
◆ Men should be cleanly shaven.

18
 Interview

Interview performance
Upon arriving at the company . . .
◆ Remember to turn off your mobile phone;
◆ Tell the staff politely the purpose of your visit and wait patiently;
◆ If asked to fill in a job application form, you should refer to the résumé as far as
possible and complete it carefully;
◆ Don’t walk around or touch or use any items of staff in a carefree manner;
◆ Don’t appear to be impatient and tired while waiting.

When entering the interview room . . .

◆ Knock on the door before you go in; smile and
greet the interviewers in a polite manner;
◆ Let the interviewer decide whether to shake hand
or not; shake hands with appropriate force;
◆ Sit down when invited or prompted by the
interviewer; be seated properly.

During the interview . . .

◆ Keep calm and smiling, don’t be too
reserved;
◆ Be sincere and polite, but not too
modest or humble;
◆ The tone, volume and speed of your talk should be proper. The pronunciation
should be clear and the tone be affirmative;
◆ Don’t cross your arms in front of the chest, lest you would be mistaken as an
unfriendly person;

19
 Interview

◆ Keep appropriate eye contact with the interviewers

■ Maintain eye contact with the interviewers to show your confidence and respect
■ Don't stare at interviewers. It is impolite and makes them stressful;
◆ Avoid gestures such as playing with your fingers, rubbing hands or patting your
hair. The interviewer would have the impression that you are immature and lack
of patience or confidence;
◆ Listen carefully to the interviewers' questions; answer them precisely and clearly.
Don’t simply say "yes" or "no". You should present the key points clearly;
◆ You should nod where appropriate when listening to the interviewers to show
your interest in the topic and agreement with the interviewers;
◆ During group discussion
■ Join the discussion actively, don’t be too passive;
■ Listen to others carefully and ready to respond or answer their questions promptly;
◆ Don’t interrupt others’ conversations or questions;
◆ When introducing your own abilities and experience, cite concrete examples to
strengthen your persuasiveness and credibility. Don’t provide incorrect
information to defraud the interviewers;
◆ At the end of the interview, you may ask one to two questions about job duties,
training and promotion prospects, showing your interest in applying for the post;
◆ You should thank the interviewers and say goodbye before you leave.

20
 Interview

Questions frequently asked during the interview

1. Please introduce yourself.
◆ The information you provide should be job relevant.

2. What are your strengths?

◆ Focus on skills and experience which are relevant to the post.

3. What are your weaknesses?

◆ You should choose the easier way by mentioning just one or two weaknesses
that have little adverse effect on the job you apply for and has no relevance to
the requirements for the post;

◆ Whether there are strengths and weaknesses depend on the point of view. You
should talk from a positive angle when telling your weaknesses.

4. What are your hobbies and interests during leisure time?

◆ Focus on those hobbies and interests that are related to the job;

◆ Draw the attention of interviewers to your strengths and achievements.

5. Please tell us your work experience.

◆ Give examples to explain your job duties and support the achievements and
experience you have attained;

◆ If you don’t have any work experience, you can talk about the training you have
received and skills acquired, and relate them to the job you apply for.

6. Why do you apply for this job?

◆ Explain the reasons why you are interested in the post, why you like to join the
company and the trade;

21
 Interview

◆ Possessing the qualifications for the post should be one of the reasons why you
apply for the job. You may elaborate on this point;

◆ Explain how the post and company suit your interests, your expectation and
opportunity for further development.

7. What do you know about our company? Why do you want to join our company?
◆ You can tell what you know about the company and the industry to show your
interest and your enthusiasm;

◆ Before the interview, remember to collect and study information related to the
company and the trade.

8. Are you willing to work shift/overtime or travel to and from the Mainland?
◆ You can give a reply based on your actual situation, but don’t be
preoccupied with your gains and losses;

◆ Unless you have practical difficulties, you can indicate your willingness under
reasonable circumstances.

9. Why do you want to quit your previous job? Why do

you change your job frequently?
◆ Speak out frankly if you have any objective
reasons to change jobs, e.g. closing down of the
company, but remember don’t tell lies;

◆ Give positive reasons;

◆ If your reason for resignation is for further

development, such as exploring opportunities
for career development, learning new working
experience and skills, you can tell the
interviewers direct;

22
 Interview

◆ You should emphasise how the experience and knowledge gained from the
change of jobs are relevant to the job you are applying for;

◆ When giving reasons for change of employment, don’t criticise your former
employers and colleagues. For previous jobs, don’t show your dissatisfaction
on the need to work overtime and the posting arrangements as the
interviewers may have a negative impression on you.

10. Do you have any plan to pursue further studies in the near future?
◆ Briefly describe your study plan, in particular those plans related to the post
you apply for;

◆ You can also stress that you are willing to pursue study in courses that are
relevant to the post you are applying for;

◆ Employers would think you are ambitious if you tell them you have plans for
further study, but don’t exaggerate. Don’t tell lies.

11. Hypothetical questions How would you handle a customer who makes trouble
out of nothing? How would you handle conflicts between you and your
boss/colleagues?
◆ These questions are raised to test your ability to respond to changes. They
relate to the real working environment;

◆ You can try to answer these questions by using professional skills and
common sense gained from your past working experience.

12. Questions on current affairs, e.g. hot social topics, government policies, etc.
◆ Let interviewers know your viewpoints;

◆ Be rational and objective when expressing your views;

◆ If the interviewers don’t agree with you, don’t argue. You should discuss the
issue with them calmly.

23
 Interview

13. What is your expected salary?

◆ If you have conducted a research on the
salary trend in the market and you have set
your bottom line, you may state your
expected salary;

◆ However, you should be flexible in negotiating

with your potential employer by taking into
account other factors like employee’s benefit,
annual leave, training and promotion prospects.

14. Do you have any questions to ask?

◆ You should grasp the chance to ask some questions which are related to the
company and the post, showing your interest and sincerity for the job;

◆ Avoid asking questions on employee’s benefit.

Interview follow-up and evaluation

Follow–up after interview
◆ After the interview, you may follow up with the employer about the result of your
interview
■ If you know the closing date for confirmation of suitable candidates for the job, you
may telephone the employer to follow up the result a few days after the closing
date. Alternatively, you may contact him after a reasonable period of time

■ Don’t contact the employer too soon and too frequent

■ Even if you have not been selected, you can take the opportunity to show your
gratitude to the potential employer for granting you an interview;

24
 Interview

◆ Where appropriate, you can send thank you letter or e-mail to the potential
employer for granting you an interview;

◆ As the employer may arrange a second round of interview, you can jot down
information and issues which have been discussed during the interview for future
reference.

Evaluation after interview

◆ Don’t be discouraged even if you have not been offered an appointment after an
interview. Each interview is a valuable experience and a chance to learn. We
should conduct self-evaluation after each interview. By doing this, we can improve
and equip ourselves for the coming interviews. It will enhance our performance
and increase the chance of success in future interviews;

◆ After the interview, we should conduct an evaluation on the following aspects

■ Are you well prepared for the interview

■ Did you behave politely and use appropriate body language

■ Did you show confidence? If no, how to improve

■ Have you grasped the chance to present your

strengths, expertise and working experience OR
■ Which kind of questions is the most difficult
to handle during the interview

■ If you think your answer was not good,

Have n
ot
an appo been offered
Pass ?
intment
how to answer them in a better way ?

■ Which part of the interview you were doing fine

■ What are the areas for improvement.

25
 Beware of Employment Traps

Some swindlers take advantage of job seekers' eagerness to find jobs and defraud them of
money or other benef its. As employment traps emerge in different forms, job seekers should
always stay alert and be cautious when searching for jobs to avoid falling into these traps and
suffering any losses.

Common employment traps

Pyramid Selling Schemes
Be cautious about sales jobs offering handsome pay or generous commissions. Some
marketing companies or companies of direct sales place recruitment advertisements and
persistently persuade applicants during job interviews to buy their goods in order to join
the sales business. Job seekers may be persuaded to get an overdraft or a loan from
financial institutions. Some may even go into bankruptcy if they fail to repay the loan. If
you find that the job involves hierarchical sharing of commission (i.e. pyramid selling) and
the prices of the goods are higher than the market prices; or participants have to pay a large
sum of money to join the scheme and make profit through recruiting scheme members
(including relatives and friends) as your lower-tiered staff rather than selling products, you
should decline the job offer.
Vice Traps
Many entertainment establishments may engage in vice activities in disguise. Usually, the
operators use high-paying jobs to attract job seekers who will uncover the truth only after
they have signed the contracts.
Talent Scout Scams
Some people introduce themselves as representatives from modelling agencies or dubbing
companies. They approach internet surfers or passers-by and claim that they have great
potential to be models in commercials, singers, movie stars or fitting models, thereby
inducing them to pay fees for training classes, beauty services or fitness courses; or even
camera charges, recommendation fee or deposits. However, no job may be referred
eventually and the money paid will not be returned. Some job seekers may even fall into
vice traps.
Financial and Investment Scams
Some swindlers pose themselves as operators of foreign exchange investment or marketing
companies and offer handsome pay to enlist job seekers for the posts of clerk, copyist and
cleaning staff, etc. They then persistently encourage their staff to make investment or even
persuade them to be transferred to investment posts in order to entice them to pour in their

26
 Beware of Employment Traps
own or their relatives’ and friends’ money. In the end, they deceive their staff’s money by
claiming that there is a loss in investments.
Theft of Personal Data
Under the pretext of recruitment, the culprits solicit important personal data from job
seekers, such as information on identity card, bank accounts and credit cards. The personal
data obtained will be used for application for loan from banks or financial institutions in
the name of the job seekers, who eventually have to bear the responsibility of repaying the
loan.
Unlawful Work
Some bad elements manipulate job seekers to commit illegal deeds, such as selling pirated
or counterfeit goods, transporting legally prohibited parallel-imported
goods, illegal fund raising, debt collection for loan sharks, and
money laundering through offering bank account data so
that they may get off the hook when the crime is
detected by the police.
Charging Unreasonable Fees
Fund
Some swindlers make up reasons under the pretext of Raising

recruitment to impose unreasonable fees on job seekers in

the name of different charges, such as registration fee,
data processing fee, administration fee and documentation fee.
Luring Job Seekers to Pursue Further Studies
Under the pretext of recruitment, some swindlers induce job seekers to pay fees for training
classes or other courses during job interviews. You should be alert to these scams.
Fraud Online Recruitment
Fraudsters post deceptive recruitment message on discussion forum, social media websites
or through smart phone apps to prey upon job seekers. Job seekers are cheated of
property or personal data at the job interviews. The personal data would be used to
transfer money from their bank accounts or in other crimes. You should be vigilant of
recruitment advertisement of companies with dubious background or promising lucrative
returns.

Detecting employment traps

Be realistic and sensible
Be pragmatic when you search for jobs. Don’t believe in job advertisements requiring barely

27
 Beware of Employment Traps
any experience or qualifications but offering a good sum of money. Check if the salary
offered and the job requirements are realistic and commensurate with the market level. You
should have general knowledge of the company background, scope of duties and the trade or
industry concerned before applying for a job.
Be alert when attending interviews
Mind your personal safety when going for an interview. Heighten your vigilance if the
interview is conducted too hastily or you are offered a job right away without any interview.
Don’t make payments or produce important documents readily
Normally, employees are not required to pay fees when they take up a job. Ask for the reasons
if you are required to pay fees. Moreover, you should not readily produce personal particulars
such as your identity card, bank cards and cheques.
Examine the contract terms and additional conditions carefully
Before you sign a contract, read all the terms carefully, including those stipulated in the staff
handbooks. Don’t sign contracts immediately if there are terms that you are not clear or are
unfavourable to you. You should request taking away the contract for study before signing it.
Companies generally allow prospective candidates taking away the contracts for
consideration before signing contracts at a later time.
Don’t sign documents readily
Don’t sign any agreement or authorisation such as bank authorisation if you are in doubt in
order to avoid loss.
Check whether the scope of duties matches the descriptions in the
advertisement or interview
If you are offered a job, check whether your duties are consistent with the descriptions set out
in the job advertisement or discussed during interviews. Moreover, be alert if the employer
persuades you to transfer to other posts relating to investment or sales. Refuse unreasonable
demands and never take up illegal duties. If you perform any duties against the law, you may
commit a crime that will ruin your life.
Seek assistance
Keep abreast of current affairs and beware of the tricks of swindlers. Acquaint yourself with
the rights and benefits of an employee. If you have any doubts, consult your family members
or friends. Seek advice or assistance from related bodies such as the Police or the Labour
Department when necessary.

28
 Conclusion

Mastering interview skills will greatly enhance your chances of getting employed.

After you have found a job, the process of job hunting comes to an end. It means that
you have entered a new stage in your career. When taking up the new job, you
should take note of the following.

Acceptance of appointment
◆ Before accepting an appointment, you should fully understand your job duties,
working hours, terms of appointment, employee’s benefit and so on;

◆ Before signing the employment contract, you must go through it carefully. Make
sure that you understand the terms of contract. If there are unfair contract terms,
you may suggest amendments;

◆ After signing the contract, you can ask the employer to provide you with a copy of
the signed contract for future reference.

Con
trac
t

Copy

Contract

Original

29
 Conclusion

Facing the new job

Make an effort to adapt yourself to the working environment as soon as possible. Pay
particular attention to your work attitude at the beginning of employment.

◆ A good impression at first - you should be punctual, positive and friendly and
dress neatly and appropriately;

◆ Be sincere and humble; maintain good relationship with your colleagues;

◆ Devoted to your work and be willing to learn;

◆ Don’t hesitate to ask your superiors or your colleagues when you come across
difficulties at work;

◆ Place emphasis on teamwork, get along well with your colleagues and build up
good relationship with them.

You will be able to take up the new job competently after a period of adaptation.

With a good start, you should make unremitting efforts to learn and improve
yourself, to gain more experience and pursue further studies. This will enhance your
career development with a bright future.

30
 Labour Department’s
http://www.jobs.gov.hk
Interactive Employment Service

Telephone Employment Service Hotline 2969 0888

Labour Department’s
2717 1771
Telephone Enquiry Service*
*The hotline is handled by "1823".

Telephone numbers of the Labour Department’s Job Centres

Hong Kong East Job Centre 2591 1318
Hong Kong West Job Centre 2552 0131
North Point Job Centre 2114 6868
Kowloon East Job Centre 2338 9787
Kowloon West Job Centre 2150 6397
Kwun Tong Job Centre 2342 0486
Sha Tin Job Centre 2158 5553
Tai Po Job Centre 2654 1429
Sheung Shui Job Centre 3692 4532
Tsuen Wan Job Centre 2417 6197
Tuen Mun Job Centre 2463 9967
Tung Chung Job Centre 3428 2943
Employment in One-stop (located in Tin Shui Wai) 3692 5750
Telephone numbers of the Labour Department’s Recruitment Centres
Recruitment Centre for the Catering Industry
2594 7800
Job Seeker Hotline:

Recruitment Centre for the Retail Industry

2594 7833
Job Seeker Hotline:

31
 A GUIDE TO
JOB HUNTING

9/2014