img src='https://www.freelancing.hk/images/newsletter/expats4china-News-58-118e4c.jpg' alt='Johannes Hummel - Freelancing.hk' width='150' height='208' />DEAR READERS,

In this issue of Freelancing.hk-News, we present an analysis of Hong Kong’s volume and price statistics related to its external merchandise trade. And we are afraid to say it is not good news.

In addition, we will present you newly created subcategories in the engineering field, such as “Engineer-Civil”, “Engineer-Electrical/Electronics”, “Engineer-Mechanical” and “Engineer-Other” and we will show you how you can best select the right service provider.

Moreover, our guest article section will provide tips on how to discover your true potential by using “self-management optimisation” and in our freelancer joke at the end, shows you how a success trainer became unsuccessful at his first open seminar.

I hope you enjoy reading Freelancing.hk-News and as always I wish you success in business!

Johannes Hummel

Due to the rising demand for engineering freelancers, we have decided to divide the existing freelancer category “Engineer” into following four individual sub-areas: “Engineer-Civil”, “Engineer-Electrical/Electronics”, “Engineer-Mechanical”, and “Engineer-Other”. We feel that this way, it will be easier for you to find a suitable expert.

Freelancers in the “Engineer-Civil” category focus on construction drawings, construction costing, and estimations, as well as finding solutions for various structural engineering problems.

Freelancers in the “Engineer-Electrical/Electronics” category deal with technical planning, development, installation and testing in the field of heavy current and low current technology. These include electrical machines, electronic circuits, sound engineering and safety engineering.

The “Engineer-Mechanical” category deals with the development and design of machines and machine components as well as special machines. The main industry areas included are mechanical engineering, vehicle and plant construction, drawings (CAD), concept development, project implementation and commissioning.

Freelancers in the “Engineer-Other” category cover those with expertise not represented by the other engineering subcategories. These include specialists from naval architects to thermal science engineers.

With the introduction of these four new categories, we now have 23 different service categories at Freelancing.hk, ranging from accountant to trainer...

The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released Hong Kong’s external merchandise trade volume and price statistics for May on 16th July. The external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for May 2019 were released earlier on.

In May 2019, the volume of Hong Kong´s total exports of goods decreased by 4.0% over May 2018. Concurrently, the volume of imported goods decreased by 6.1%.

Comparing the first five months of 2019 with the same period last year, the volume of Hong Kong´s total goods exports decreased by 4.1% while the volume of imported goods decreased by 5.7%.

Comparing the three-month period ending May 2019 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total goods exported increased by 5.9% while the volume of imported goods increased by 5.8%.

Changes in the volume of external merchandise trade are derived from those changes in the value of external merchandise trade with the effect of price changes discounted.

Comparing May 2019 with May 2018, the value of total exported of goods increased by 2.0% while the total price of imported goods increased by 2.1%.

The terms of the trade index remained virtually unchanged in both May 2019 and during the first five months of 2019. Statistics for the terms of trade index is derived from the ratio between the price index of total exported goods to that of imports of goods.

Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by primary destination are shown in the table below.

Comparing May 2019 with May 2018, we see a double-digit decline of 16.2% recorded for the total export volume to the USA. At the same time, the total export volume to mainland China (the Mainland) and Japan decreased by 6.9% and 0.4%, respectively. On the other hand, the total export volume to Taiwan and India increased by 4.5% and 12.2%, respectively.

Comparisons over the same period saw total export prices to the Mainland, the USA and Japan increased by 3.1%, 2.6% and 2.4% respectively. Conversely, the total export prices to India and Taiwan decreased by 0.2% and 0.8% respectively.

Comparing May 2019 with May 2018, double-digit declines were recorded for the import volume from Korea (-29.7%) and Japan (-11.9%). Moreover, for the same period, the import volume from the Mainland, Singapore and Taiwan decreased by 6.4%, 5.3% and 2.9% respectively.

Comparisons over the same period show that the import prices from all main suppliers increased: the Mainland (+2.9%), Singapore (+2.6%), Japan (+1.7%), Taiwan (+1.4%) and Korea (+0.5%).

For more information, please visit C&SD or contact them at +852-2582-4918.

Freelancers can present themselves with a short article in the Freelancing.hk-News. Today we present you a service provider who specialises career coaching.
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I have been offering professional support for personal change processes since 1995. My focus spreads from the rediscovery, further development and self-presentation of individual potential with connection to the optimisation of individual self-management. It is all about learning to better control one’s emotions, to reduce conflicts and to implement new target strategies for success in both professional and personal contexts.

My way of training is appreciative, transparent and systemic-solution-oriented. The coaching and training start, after a detailed analysis of a client’s current situation, as well as clearly defining those facets of yourself that you specifically want to change. The focus is on using your own strengths, finding new perspectives and becoming aware of your individual behaviour, patterns and attitudes. In this process, you will find 'your' unique solution in a series of steps. Success is also based on the fact that your entire environment, as well as the interweaving of communications, actions and relationships, are all integrated into the process of achieving your specific aims. Ultimately, you will achieve maximum success in achieving your goals.

I approach this creative process neutrally and guarantee you absolute confidentiality. My way of working is independent of ideologies or religions. My services focus on both out-placement and new concepts, career planning, job application training, assessment centre training, start-up coaching, potential analyses, soft skills analysis, mental training ('emotional competence') and training in self-confidence and self-motivation.
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A freelance trainer offers his first open success seminar. Nobody comes at the scheduled starting time of the seminar. Half an hour later, a participant appears and sits in the first row.

The trainer explains to the participant that he is desperate and does not know what he should do now. The participant tells him that he himself is a shepherd and not a trainer and therefore has no advice for the trainer but says “As a shepherd if I only had one sheep instead of a herd, I would still look after and feed that one sheep.”

This inspires the trainer who then went on to present his complete half-day seminar plus a special session for the shepherd. In the end, he asked the shepherd how he thought the seminar went. Shepherd replied: 'I can´t judge this because I am a shepherd and not a trainer. But if I only had one sheep to feed instead of a whole herd, I definitely wouldn´t give him all the food I have'.