6 Free Financial Modeling Lessons...and More.

Enter your e-mail below to get our Free Tutorials.

< previous | next >

Korean in HOng kong BB
 

delta598's picture
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 12:51pm

I'm a sophomore at a target who can speak english and korean fluently, but can manage only conversational chinese. I'll try to learn mandarin over the whole year to build it up to scratch (I used to learn it before a lot, have a solid foundation, just haven't built upon it) to the point where I can get Level 6 at the new HSK.

However, just saying
am i completely screwed for s&T and IBD in hong kong when time comes for SA interviews by only knowing korean and english and not chinese?

Tags:
HarvardOrBust's picture

There are very rare instances

PE
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 12:58pm

There are very rare instances when a HK office will take a non-Mandarin speaker, but usually this happens when they do an internal transfer (ex. trader from Barclays NY to HK). Is it a priority that you be in HK?

delta598's picture

hahaha oh crap..i guess I

 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 1:15pm

hahaha oh crap..i guess I need to study chinese like mad for the next year and half
Despite being born in Korea, I lived most of my life in HK and all my fam/friends are here so I'd prefer to stay here if possible. Its almost impossible to get a position in NY as a foreigner as well...so HK is really my only shot

HarvardOrBust's picture

It might be a different story

PE
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 1:33pm

It might be a different story since you grew up in HK. Not sure.

ICIF's picture

HarvardOrBust wrote: There

AM
(Chimp, 8
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 4:49pm
HarvardOrBust:

There are very rare instances when a HK office will take a non-Mandarin speaker, but usually this happens when they do an internal transfer (ex. trader from Barclays NY to HK). Is it a priority that you be in HK?

What are you talking about? I interned on the BarCap HK trading floor last summer and I would say over 50% of the sales/traders don't speak Mandarin, and this is true at all levels (less so at the junior level)

frankc201106's picture

most of the hk people don't

(Chimp, 5
 
Points)
 on 8/14/11 at 11:48pm

most of the hk people don't speak mandarian, a small part of em can speak but with a strong cantonese accent, weired enough that even chinese ppl couldn't understand. Since you fluent in english, i think there must be certain places where the people have the same background like u, i.e. GS, MS.. I always thought there are a lot of native english speakers there, correct me if i was wrong. Im a local hk person

I create nothing, I own.
-Gordon Gekko

highhater's picture

lots of non-mandarin speakers

CO
(Baboon, 141
 
Points)
 on 8/15/11 at 3:00am

lots of non-mandarin speakers in S&T in HK; very few in IBD

highhater's picture

lots of non-mandarin speakers

CO
(Baboon, 141
 
Points)
 on 8/15/11 at 3:00am

lots of non-mandarin speakers in S&T in HK; very few in IBD

delta598's picture

thank you for all the

 
Points)
 on 8/15/11 at 6:01am

thank you for all the responses!
so I would only face little if any discrimination in the S&T application process?
Why is it that S&T tend to have numerous non-mandarin speakers- is it because they tend to cater to western institutional clients?

highhater's picture

yes. and traders deal more

CO
(Baboon, 141
 
Points)
 on 8/17/11 at 5:22am

yes. and traders deal more with numbers. in ibd you have to do in depth due diligence on chinese companies and translation skills are important

6 Free Financial Modeling Lessons...Straight to Your Inbox.

Confirm your name and e-mail below to get our best tips

Monkey Stats
Account information
We respect your Name and E-mail privacy. By joining you accept our terms of service.