EL reader Amy Luk on her journey of job hunting in Hong Kong
I look up at the clock and realise that I’ve been on my laptop for hours, searching and scrolling on job portals like there’s no tomorrow. I haven’t remembered to take a break, to stand up, or to drink any water. Before I know it, the day has passed and I’ve been at this grind for more hours than a day working in the office.
This is my new reality: the soul-crushing, patience-testing vortex of job hunting in Hong Kong.
Each day, the process begins with a mix of optimism and pessimism. “Maybe today I get lucky.” As before, I find a role that seems perfect for me. I’m confident that I would excel at it and start imagining myself happily in the job. All I have to do is apply: register on the company’s online careers portal; fill out box after box of work experience summaries; and press “save draft” every few minutes in fear of the system crashing or timing out before I make it to the submission page.
But eventually the dreaded hurdle appears: Expected Salary. I try the old tactic of typing in “Negotiable”, but the system doesn’t allow me to continue without valid numerical input. This is a high-stakes game where I’m forced to show my hand without ever getting to see the dealer’s cards. Guess too high, and I’m filtered out already for being too expensive. Guess too low, and I undervalue a decade’s worth of experience. It’s a complete shot in the dark, and one that might make or break my application.
I spend hours tailoring my CV, rephrasing my achievements using the job ad’s specific keywords. I craft a heartfelt cover letter, trying to inject personality and enthusiasm into a digital void. Then I hit “submit” and… nothing. Silence. My application hasn’t landed on the hiring manager’s desk. It’s been churned inside the workings of an Application Tracking System (ATS). This digital gatekeeper scans for specific phrases, skillsets and industry credentials, and if I don’t match the exact, and often impossibly extensive, criteria, my CV and cover letter won’t stand a chance. Rejected. Tossed into the ATS bin without ever being read by a human but myself.
Another hurdle is the common expectation for job seekers in Hong Kong to be fully, fully trilingual. More often than not, the job ad will specify a requirement of the candidate to possess an almost native level of fluency in English, Cantonese, Putonghua and written Chinese. Having working knowledge of only one or two of these languages is no longer good enough for even junior positions.
Job searching is brutal and demeaning. The hunt itself is a full-time job that pays poorly and serves to only deplete one’s self-worth. But amidst the automated rejections and silent treatments, a glimmer of hope remains. Maybe the next application will be the one that beats the algorithm, lands on the right desk, and starts a real conversation.
Until then, it’s back to the laptop, where for now, the hunt continues…
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Enjoyed this? Amy’s story of job hunting in Hong Kong first appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of Expat Living magazine. You can buy the latest issue or an annual subscription or read the digital version for free now!
