Hi, I’m an industrial design student, graduating this year and planning to move to Hongkong… Can anybody give some advice how i can land a job there. Is there any possiblity that i can work there even though i dont have much experiences here? Oh. and how much salary i can expect? Thanks…
dipzy,
First, have you read the following post in depth yet? Hong Kong-If you come they will hire
Secondly - Are from Hong Kong and have residence? Do you already have a work visa? Without these it makes it much harder to get a job as you would basically be working as an illegal alien.
Thirdly - Though I know of at least person who came straight from college to Hong Kong to work, it is unusual. HK Polytechnic is graduating some pretty good designers now and you would be competing with them.
Salaries - Entry level is HK$10,000 to HK$15,000 per month. May sound like a lot but an apartment can easily cost you that much. There is a reason 20 somethings are still living with their parents after college in Hong Kong. Do you have someone to share an apartment with?
What kind of job are you looking for? There actually very few in-house design firms in hongkong, with the majority being manufactuers.
Some off the top of my head are: Philips, IDT, Daka (sorry timf). There are a few consultancies as well, but pretty small outfits.
Rdgs
Lmr.
thanks timf, i still dont have the working visa. Im planning to settle them when i get there. Thats y im hoping that i could have my job there too even if i still dont have my visa… But Im gonna settle them while working. Bout the apartment, I’l try to live with my aunt there if i can. but if not try to have on my own… Can you give me some ideas how much does the apartment cost?
thanks alot…
hi lingmiester,
Any jobs will do as long as it has to do with design stuffs. From drafter to designer, i can accept them. All i juz want is to have a job there and gain more knowledge. hehe. 
Thanks
Apartment in Hong Kong cost a lot if you want to live close to city.
Most of my friends are making around $ 8,000 HKD fresh from school.
Without work experience, the work visa will really get you! I suggested that you “travel” there and try to search for jobs while in town. Then plan from there…
I agree with Crepes. Since you don’t have a work visa, you will have to buy a return flight ticket anyway. If you can, spend a little more money and get an open ended ticket, so that you have some choice in when you fly back.
Hong Kong is not easy or cheap (at least in regards to rent). If you don’t plan ahead you could get yourself in a bad situation.
Oh oki. Can i juz apply for my work visa on my own or is it only issued by the company im gonna work with?
The company that you work for has to get you the work visa. You cannot get it on your own.
You can come to Hong Kong and have an automatic tourist visa. i think it is good for 90 days but am not positive.
Oh. How about their language? What if i don’t speak cantonese? Do i need to be good in cantonese or as long as i can speak in english? hmm. Juz to have an idea. thanks. 
hi there.
ive just done the whole finding a job in hong kong thing before and will be able to give in info bout how best to get around this.
first of all there are not a great deal of design houses in HK, however there are a number of consultancies - daka, formart, product solutions, CMDA, milk, pepall.
if you can get a job prior to going to HK great. your employer will take care of your visa and you could be there in a matter of 1-2 months.
that said, you could also travel there on a tourist visa and look for jobs. its illegal to work there without a working visa, however you can get by this pretty easily. work while you wait for your visa, wen it comes exit hk and come back in with your visa.
as for housing if you are just fresh fron uni, youd be getting paid anywhere between 8k-18k/ month. so choose housing carefully. this could eat up most of your salary. housing can come between 3-10k for what you are looking for. if you are just visiting HK and dont want to fork out too much $$$ u can stay at YMCA hostels. approx 4k a month.
before going, consider $$$. will it be worth it? however its a great city to work in and you will meet many interesting people from all walks of life.
good luck
Dipzy,
I am learning Cantonese but did not know it when I got here.
As to your English - You are currently writing on a board that might have a potential employer. Write in correct English and drop the “text message” speak you have ben using. You are leaving college. Start speaking professionally.
Good point Timf, by the way DAKA is a listed company and not a design consultancy. Its listed in the singapore stock exchange.
besides the consultancies there are quite a few manufacturers that employ in-house designers. if you are looking to learn, i would try to get a job for a hong kong based manufacturer. you would get more of a chance to go to their factories across the border. bellow are some companies that have their own designers. as much as i hate to say this it’s true, pay may suck at first but hey, we all got to pay our dues.
some local manufacturers:
Techtronic Industries - owners of Ryobi, Milwaukee… do design for Craftsman and so on. have quite a big design team with design managers from Philips.
Gold Peak, known mostly for their batteries but also own Clipsal light switches and Kef speakers in the UK.
Mainpower - Kitchen appliances
Oregon Scientific
Philips has their regional headquarters out here also with a pretty big design team - they take interns on a regular basis and hire designers from time to time.
Vtech - phones
Thompson electronics
you all guys got good points. Thanks for the advice. I’ll surely take that. I think I’m really gonna have problems with my housing. From what you’ve said, it really costs alot.
I just hope that i could have my job before goin’ there for me to have less problems with regards to settling my papers.
Thanks.