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Career paths

University students attend a job fair in China’s Qinghai province. Young jobseekers are struggling to find work even as many Chinese firms openly discriminate against older applicants. Photo: Xinhua

China’s youngest millennials deemed too old for jobs, and elder Gen Z are next

With many companies still struggling to survive in China’s post-pandemic climate, even 27-year-olds are being seen as risky hires, and 30 has essentially become the new cut-off for certain industries.

  • Pervasive ageism is no secret in China, where it remains legal, but the outcry is approaching a deafening crescendo as the situation appears to be worsening
  • With many companies still struggling to survive in China’s post-pandemic climate, even 27-year-olds may be seen as risky hires, and those over 30 need not apply

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Opinion | China’s smartest students are ditching finance for tech

Is China’s version of the ‘Great Resignation’ creating an army of freelancers?

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Why are China’s fresh grads now saying no to high-paying ‘996’ jobs?

Skyrocketing living costs and mounting uncertainties in China’s job market make the situation unbearable for those who desire security and reasonable working hours that the private sector may not offer.

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Many young Chinese people are embracing the shang’an movement, which literally means ‘going onto the shore’ and refers to a growing desire to seek stable civil service positions. Illustration: Brian Wang

China’s working mothers find careers and children often do not go hand in hand

China has done away with its decades-long restrictive child policies, but women are finding limitations still exist in the form of workplace challenges and career impediments.

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Covid-19 class disruptions affect Hong Kong students’ performance, well-being

Pupils lament lack of scope to interact with teachers, while prolonged screen exposure and absence of regular daily schedule are affecting their health.

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Hong Kong faces brain drain threat as quarter of under-35s plan to leave

Poll of university-educated Hongkongers also finds more than 15 per cent of those questioned don’t plan on returning, with most citing work-life balance and political stability.

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A new survey said almost a quarter of university-educated Hongkongers under the age of 35 planned to leave the city to work. Photo: Sam Tsang

Covid-19 jobs squeeze forces some Hongkongers to explore new careers

Desperate job-seekers lower expectations, while others sign up for training courses.

Working for Marvel Comics is a dream come true for two artists

Drawing Star Wars characters and superheroes like Thor, the X-Men and Venom for Marvel Comics is the realisation of a childhood dream for Ario Anindito and Alti Firmansyah. They talk about how they followed their passion.

The women who are bringing equality to the space race

Women have played crucial roles throughout the history of space flight, but they have largely taken second place to men. Commercial space flight could change that by democratising space.

Soviet astronaut and researcher Svetlana Savitskaya was the first woman to walk in space in 1984. Photo: Bettman Archive

30 is not the new 20: why your twenties is a defining decade

If you use your twenties to sit back, enjoy life and have fun, you are missing the point, says psychologist and TEDx speaker Dr Meg Jay – it’s really a crucial time to set important goals and put your life in motion.

Graduates may think time is on their side, but it isn’t. Photo: The Boston Globe via Getty Images

China’s TikTok says it created 36 million jobs as content creation explodes

A new report by Douyin says about 20.97 million live-streamers in China generated income via gifts from fans, advertisement contracts and product sales, among other income sources, in the past year.

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Bodybuilding contest in Indonesia has a deeper mission

Jatiwangi, in Indonesia, has for many years been known for its clay roof tiles. But with the industry in decline, a bodybuilding competition for tile makers is now held every year to promote the fading trade to young people.

The best jobs in Hong Kong? Try gelato maker or beer taster

Money isn’t everything when it comes to work. We propose an alternative list of the six best jobs to have – not necessarily for a short working week but for the satisfaction they bring.

Joey Ng Pik-wan of Zen Organic says growing fruit and vegetables is a dream come true. Photo: SCMP

Can flexible jobs solve China’s post-virus jobless crisis?

With the domestic economy still struggling to recover after pandemic lockdowns and a broad decline in consumption, many struggling workers have turned to part-time jobs such as street vending and construction.

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Desperate to make a living, millions of people have taken up jobs with irregular hours and pay – creating a massive force of ‘flexible workers’ across the country. Illustration: Brian Wang

Digital nomads: we have sunny beaches, cheap living for you

Boasting low infection rates but suffering over lost tourism, Barbados, Estonia, Bermuda and Georgia have launched visas aimed at wooing adventurous digital nomads to bolster their economies.

‘It’s like getting over grief’: How to deal with being laid off

Why you should reach out to a career coach or counsellor if you have recently lost your job – they can help you bring your emotions under control and consider your next steps.

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Interior design is more than cool ideas on a Pinterest mood board

Interior design lacks respect in Hong Kong, says Horace Pan. To put that right he advocates better education, agreed standards, and continuing professional development.

A page from Body of Knowledge, a textbook series for interior designers. The lack of a well-defined body of knowledge in interior design is embarrassing, says the vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Interior Design Association, who thinks it’s time to give the industry the recognition it deserves in the city.

‘Whisky changed my life’: Asian women joining drinks industry

A head bartender creating cocktails in Bangkok, a gin distiller in Hong Kong, Malaysia’s only female whisky bottler – women in Asia are making their mark in a man’s world.

From IT to Irish dancer: how radical career changes pay off

A late career change may see you stepping off the corporate ladder and giving up a regular salary, but the rewards can outweigh any initial fears. We talk to four people who flourished after taking the plunge.

A comfortable retirement? Not if you’re a Japanese woman

Factors including an ageing population and falling birth rates are damaging the retirement prospects of women in Japan, with one study suggesting that Japanese women will, as a whole, run out of money 20 years before they die.

3.5 million women have entered the workforce since 2012, but two-thirds are working only part time. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

How South Korea’s job applicants are learning to trick AI hiring bots

Facial recognition is being used in hiring by major South Korean conglomerates such as SK Innovation and Hyundai.

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Kim Seok-wu, a university senior majoring in management, demonstrates an AI interview program. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong vocational students reap rewards of WorldSkills Competition

Childhood passion for cars leads Youth College student to world prize and a job.

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Why do Singapore, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur work so hard?

Workers in the three Asian cities spend longer in the office, take fewer holidays and have some of the worst work-life balance in the world, a study has found.

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‘Dear Evan Hansen’ star Ben Levi Ross on the challenges of a Broadway show

The 21-year-old actor decided ‘less is more’ when it came to the famously challeging role

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Social media feeds illuminate the Dear Evan Hansen set behind star Ben Levi Ross (centre). Photo: Matthew Murphy

Opinion | Why Hong Kong schools need to provide better careers education

To get Hong Kong’s young people ready for tomorrow’s radically different jobs and workplaces, the government must go beyond grants and a life planning website to make careers education an important part of school, starting at primary level.

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People look at a smart robot on display at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in January 2018. Technology is rapidly shaping society and creating new jobs. Photo: Dickson Lee

Here's what future female CEOs need more than coding camps

The bosses of companies including Bed Bath & Beyond, Popsugar and Spanx learned that resilience and audacity are key to a girl’s success

Your career plans may not yet include driving a steam train, but young people are needed to keep the industry alive

A Siemens rolling stock engineer volunteers as a driver, attracted by both the history and heritage, and the people from all walks of life who are involved

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Career paths
Find the right career path, and learn more about applying for jobs, working environments, work life balance, career development and choosing the right job industry.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
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