求职者将目光投向亚洲市场

How do we say it?

Picture.

Good.

Roxanna Blanco considers herself lucky to have this job as an English language tutor. Even with a degree in International business and marketing, the American could not find a job for an entire year. Finally she told her mother she was going to take a bold step.

I think I just want to move to China. I think I am gonna go to China. She said, "Are you crazy? You are gonna go to China?" And I said, "Yeah, China, that's where I’m gonna go."

Roxanna says she sensed the opportunities were in Asia. So last year, she applied online for teaching jobs in China and got three offers. Roxanna's pull towards Asia is not unusual these days. Hays Recruitment firm says its Asia office has handled a 30% increase in job applicants over the past six months. Most job seekers are from the US, UK and Australia.

It's a feeling of frustration that they want to kick off their careers again if I called it tough eighteen months. It's simply the general attitude they've had enough.

Emma Charnock says banks are hiring again and casting a wide net for top talent. But are the salaries the same?

Good question. We've certainly seen at least 15% increase on base salaries.

While the bulk of the jobs here in Hong Kong are in banking, financing and law, on the mainland a lot of sectors are hiring. China needs industrial engineers for its high speed rail, also urban planners and architects for stimulus projects.

On the mainland, recruiters reported an upswing in overseas Chinese returning for jobs. Charnock says she's also noticed an interesting spike in demand for math and science teachers at international schools on the mainland.

Perhaps as a result of more experts moving to cities like Beijing and Shanghai, some schools are even offering a relocation and housing allowances to attract teachers.

Do you wear rain boots?

Back in Hong Kong, Roxanna plans to eventually return home to California. But with the US unemployment rate at 9.6%, she is not rushing to buy her plane ticket.

Actually, I'm very nervous to go back, like we're talking about maybe going back in a year or so. And I'm really, I still don't know if I'll find a work.

Until then, it's a waiting game until the time is right.