DEAR READERS,

In this issue of Freelancing.hk-News, we are happy to announce out support for the Hong Kong 'Access MBA Event' which will take place on 26th October. The purpose of this event is to connect experienced business professionals with top international MBA recruiters during one-on-one meetings.

Additionally, we have analysed research conducted by the City University of Hong Kong about the point of view of university students from Taiwan and Hong Kong in certain professional sectors. The top three factors for students when considering a job were job suitability, salary and career prospects.

Moreover, we will be presenting our exclusive report about the seven secrets of a convincing presentation, our freelancer article tells you how to professionally organise assessment centres and our freelancer joke at the end compares the work ethic of employees and freelancers.

I wish you a lot of fun reading and, of course, as always, good business!

Johannes Hummel

Freelancing.hk is media partner at the 'Access MBA Event' which will be taking place on 26th October in Cordis/Hong Kong. ACMBA (Association of Chinese MBA) and HKMA (Hong Kong Management Association) are also the media partners for this event.

The purpose of this event is to connect experienced business professionals with top international MBA recruiters during one-on-one meetings. Well-known business schools such as HEC Paris, Cass Business School, ESCP Europe, IE Business School, UBC-Sauder School of Business, University of Miami Business School and more will be attending.

At the event, there will be services such as:

1) One-on-one meetings: Business school admissions directors will meet with pre-selected, qualified business professionals during a series of individual meetings.

2) GMAT advising: Access MBA provides admissions test preparation, information and counseling from the most reputed educational centres in each city.

3) Candidate orientation: Prior to meeting with business school representatives, each registered candidate will receive a personalised orientation session from a consultant, over the telephone before the event or on-site.

4) Conferences and debates: At almost every event, representatives of elite business school and an Access MBA moderator will address a wide audience of candidates through interactive panel discussions about current issues affecting the MBA world.

The professionals of this event will be from various sectors such as finance, consulting, accounting, sales, IT, engineering, manufacturing, marketing and communications.

To register to this event for free, please click here.

According to research conducted by the City University of Hong Kong, the most suitable sectors are public administration, social and personal service sectors for Hong Kong university students. The survey was conducted with Hong Kong and Taiwan university students.

A total of 1,159 students from six universities in Hong Kong and Taiwan were interviewed and important factors were considered in this report such as employment, salary expectations, willingness to work overseas, interest in starting their own business, and employment capabilities.

According to the results, almost 32 percent of students from Hong Kong would like to pursue a job in the public administration, social and personal service sectors.

In addition to that, 50.2 percent of Hong Kong students would like to become civil servants after graduation.

The factors for considering jobs were:

1) Whether the job suited their interests or not:
For Hong Kong: 72.7 percent.
For Taiwan: 74.8 percent.

2) Salary:
For Hong Kong: 57.3 percent.
For Taiwan: 62.4 percent.

3) Career prospects:
For Hong Kong: 56.5 percent.
For Taiwan: 48.8 percent.

4) Job location:
For Hong Kong: 13 percent.
For Taiwan: 20.3 percent.

5) Contribution to society:
For Hong Kong: 16.6 percent.
For Taiwan: 18.8 percent.

The salary expectations were also different even though it was one of the most important factors. About 61% Hong Kong students expected a monthly salary in the range of HK$11,001 to HK$17,000. This was similar to the average salary for graduates 10 years ago, reflecting the drop in income for local university graduates.

Students in both places shared the same views on individual employment capabilities. Communication skills, interpersonal skills, work experience, computer skills and clerical competence were the attributes they mostly stressed. They were aware that the knowledge gained in class has become less important in the workplace.

If you would like to learn more about this research, you can see the full version here.

How do I prepare my discussion partners for the goals of my presentation? What do I want to convince them of? How do I achieve a common basis? How do I establish communication with the participants? How do I react to objections and critical questions? And what should I do about my excitement?

First of all, the correct attunement of the participants is just as important as the content of the presentation itself. For example, a decision about opening up a market in China could be introduced with success stories from well-known companies, or with quotations from recognised authorities. Great examples of success are those where calculable risks were accepted. This way the participants are prepared for entrepreneurial decisions by taking courageous risks and calculating underlying high opportunities. Other ideas and examples would be chosen when it comes to buying a house (family, security, etc.) or a reorganisation of a project (risks of the status quo, the inevitability of change, etc.).

Second of all, a convincing presentation should not be a 'performance' up which you dance in front and the audience watches and applauds. Instead of this, it should be a conversation with the participants. It best begins with questions that involve the participants and are not only rhetorical phrases.

- What are our (strategic) goals and priorities?
- What are the reasons to look for a decision right now?
- What happens if nothing is done or decided?

The third secret is to focus on the immediate conversation with the participants, not of the fixation on a particular outcome. The presentation and better conversation should not be a challenge to be won, but rather an opportunity to ask the right questions and discuss them. You should be open to new ideas in the discussion while not losing sight of the common goal.

The fourth secret is to forget 'Yes, but...' and to force yourself to respond with 'Yes, and...'. It signals to participants that you have been listening and accepting other views. The best way is to repeat the argument in your own words. The questioners think you understood their point of view, therefore they accept your perspective more seriously in return.

The fifth secret is that quick answers are rarely good answers. The best answer is: 'It depends...'. This gives you time to think about the answer and what the answer might depend on. This is certainly true if you know the answer directly. 'When do we reach the breakthrough? 'What budget do we need for the launch?' 'How many walls can I paint with 10 litres of wall paint?' - And the answer? 'It depends...'

The sixth secret is that critical questions and objections should not be understood as a personal attack, but as an opportunity: 'Thank you very much for this question. It gives you the opportunity to address the 'Let us consider..' context and in any case, you should avoid getting involved in a confrontation instead you should take the side of the questioner and find a solution together.

The last secret is that nervousness is normal. If you notice that you are anxious, accept your nervous side and use the extra adrenaline in a positive manner for yourself. A good lecturer will always be nervous at some point. A positive attitude is always vital here.

And finally, every presentation, every difficult negotiation and every pitch has a benefit for itself, even if the result is sometimes different than desired. There is always a learning experience to be had that can improve your presentation skills and negotiating strength.

Registered service providers can introduce themselves with a short article in Freelancing.hk-News. In this issue, we present you a freelancer in the consulting category.
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I offer consulting work in the field of personal development and personal selection. The focus of my services is on the organisation and facilitation of assessment centres. I also advise companies on the design and selection of assessment exercises.

There is often a lack of trained observers for the selection processes. I can also help companies as a competent observer. Since the assessment of candidates in assessment centres is based on observing behaviour, exercises and role-plays should be as realistic as possible. Role-players are needed who can empathise flexibly with a wide variety of roles. I can also be hired as a role-player.
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The freelance project manager asks his employee: 'Do you believe in a life after death?' He answers with 'yes' in a bewildered manner.

'That explains everything! Soon after you went to your father´s funeral yesterday, he came here and asked where you were!”