Asia Pacific Recruitment

asia pacific is south east asia (vietnam, indonesia, singapre, malaysia, thailand). yes, I do speak indonesian and malaysian.

october/november

Thanks! I've been trying to find the info on the forum, do u know when do the new FT analysts start?

Any info on this would be appreciated by me as well.

• Cheers

A good site for Hong Kong Hedge Fund info: http://hkhedge.blogspot.com/

FT analysts start in the summer, just like in the states

hey, you may want to check out singapore, unless you like HK more as a city, and/or you speak mandarin.

Cantonese will be welcome as well though

PM me, would be happy to talk about the Asia recruiting process.

It is similar to the US process, HR screens your resume and compile them into books (usually split into North America Uni, UK uni, Asia Uni). Then junior bankers screen them and select the ones for first round.

So technically, you are competing with your peers from your region during the resume screening. But then for first rounds and final rounds, you will be evaluated against the rest.

Networking is useful for bypassing the resume screening process to get the first rounds, after that, you are on your own (unless you are the son of a MD or important M&A client)

feel free to pm me as well, I understand the process well

Are you from one of the IITs or the IIMs?

If you are from a 'target'- IIT/IIM/ISB/XLRI you wouldn't have to go through any trouble, just sit for the on campus recruitment. I understand that interviews are conducted on campus and offers are extended immediately.

Yes, I'm from an IIM.

My problem is this: I interned at a well-known international investment bank's ER desk in Mumbai (not BB). I did well and might even get a full-time offer but I don't think research is for me. I am more interested in an S&T role, preferably in hk or sg. While most top banks take summer interns from our campus, full-time hiring is very, very limited.

The off-campus route might be difficult, but I really want to take a shot in the FT hiring season if I haven't missed the bus already.

bump

1) Does not make a difference if you interned in HK or not. Many full timers here did not intern in HK so no worries there

2) Temasek IS NOT A BANK and IS NOT BASED in HK, its out of Singapore and can be viewed as a buyside firm. - BoA is relatively small in HK in terms of presence - Might wanna consider MS too

3 - 4) As is the same advice you would find on other threads, networking goes a long way, even in HK since relationships matter. Knowing an Asian language or at least understanding the culture would also be useful since that is where your focus would be if based out of HK

All the best!

Which positions are you interested in? For S&T, note that certain asset classes - for most banks - are headquartered in Singapore and NOT HK for Asia-Pac, ex-Japan.

Not only is Temasek not a bank, it doesn't have any presence in HK either. It is a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) - essentially a kind of buyside firm headed and run by cronies of autocratic regimes. Anyway, just steer clear of Temasek if you don't belong to the Lee hegemony (aka the fascist dictatorship that runs Singapore). If you aren't born/married into the Lee dynasty, there's a "glass ceiling" as to how high you can rise in its hierarchy.

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to verdelium

Thanks for the response. I tried to find some networking sites tailored specifically for Hk people but I couldn't find any. Do you have any suggestions?

to edtkh

IB, Sorry about the Temasek one, I didn't kow that. Should have done my research before

bump, anyone else with a comment? Thanks for the help

Hey, I have a few friends who are in HK BBs. From what I heard, you are supposed to take a written test on Mandarin (let me confirm that with them). Although HK offices are known for taking ivy kids, they do have some presence of other schools, such as Michigan, Georgetown, NYU, Berkeley, etc. Hope it helps.

I came from a similar situation. Went to a state school, non-target, but I worked at a boutique ibank for a year and a half before securing an analyst role with a top MM ibank in HK.

I think for me, the key differentiator is having relevant work experience that is an exact fit for what recruiter is looking for. Another thing is that I was born and raised in China and went to the States relatively late, so Mandarin and Cantonese was not an issue.

Having met quite a few headhunters and other analysts here in HK, the general feel I am getting is that all the BBs here look at the following criterias (in descending order of significance):

1. Brand: you need to come from either a top school as a grad hire or come from a top bank as a lateral hire. If you don't have either, you are very unlikely to get past HR or any headhunters
2. Work experience and technical knowledge: If you didn't come from a name brand bank or school, you better to absolutely kill it during the technical interview.
3. MANDARIN: even if you pass the first two criteria, not being able to pass a HALF HOUR SPEAKING AND WRITING MANDARIN interview is likely to get you screened out of the process. While there are still a few analysts in HK who don't speak the language, they are becoming an endangered specie

Carefully evaluate yourself among the above mentioned criteria. You need to be relatively strong in at least two to have a shot. I was fortunate that I am relatively strong in the latter two, but even for me I had to work for a year and a half after graduation to move back to HK.

If you are a upcoming grad with no SA stint at a BB, no relevant internship experience, and is not particularly strong in mandarin, then you are kind of screwed. Unless you are willing to take back or middle office job.

^ Trading is one exception where Mandarin is not needed in HK.

So, do you need to know the Chinese for EBITDA??

sry if im repeting, no time to read through. some quick pts:

• mandarin (and not cantonese) is becoming pretty much a pre-requisite now for full time recruiting (less so for internships, and varies across banks). some banks is an almost must-have, while some are more flexible. Dont believe all banks have chinese test, some might have some simple translation tasks.

• recruits mostly from targets. if youre from a non target, youll need to work hard, but getting through HR will be tough without any hooks or connections. Main way to apply is through internet. basically recruits chinese/hk ppl that studied abroad and is returning/coming to hk for a career.but also welcome non hk-ers if you have the right qualities. Full time recruiting, however, will be a lot more strict.

Hey, I confirmed with a couple HK folks: Yes, fluent in Mandarin. Not only do you have to pass a written test, but you are also very likely to be interviewed in the language. So be very prepared if you are not comfortable speaking the language. You are not gonna be tested in Cantonese.

If I remembered correctly, the interview process goes like: 1. An aptitude test (math and logic) and written Mandarin test. 2. Phone interviews, might be more than one round. 3. Super Saturday where you will be invited to the headquarter and work on group projects and presentations and interviews. A side note, I have a friend who did everything on Skype without going to the HK office cos she was in NYC. I found it quite amazing. As you can tell, fluency in Mandarin is crucial in clearing the first hurdle.

Let me know if there is anything else you wanna know.

Well, I'm not working in Asia YET, but I spent last spring over there on Study Abroad. Studied at Chinese University of Hong Kong. I went to several investment conferences over there so I was introduced to a lot of people. (I graduated in December, and now I'm calling on most of those folks).

The main websites I know of are jobsdb.com, efinancialcareers.com, and asianinvestor.com. Hong Kong business culture seems to be all about getting in with a referral, but there are enough Americans/Europeans/Brits/Aussies there that you can be more direct if that's your way of doing things.

You will have to be "sponsored" to get a visa, but I don't think that's a problem for an employer who really wants you. Some other cities to check out are Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Jakarta, Macau, Taipei.

Good luck!

Thanks for the info....btw could you confirm the website about (asianinvestor.com) doesn't seem to exist. and gluck with your contacts...let me know how things work out for you...

jobsdb.com

you can choose the preferred locations when you do the online application.

lots of analysts in asia BBs come from US target schools or transfer in after 1-2 years

most associates in Asia BBs come from US target schools...

HK and Singapore is as you said - knowledge of Mandarin or Cantonese is not a prerequisite for FO AM and S&T roles. For IBD however, the same does not hold. Moreover, it is highly preferable if not necessary to be a native speaker. Don't know about the other locations, sorry! I would however, imagine that the requirements for Japan and China are much more stringent given cultural differences.