Friday, 3rd March 2023, Mr. Hoang Nguyen, Regional Sales Manager - North, ManpowerGroup Vietnam joined the career talk “Connecting the Best – Striving for Success” as a guest speaker. The event was co-organised by British Council, BritCham and UK Alumni Association in Vietnam (UKAV). The career talk was aimed at not only connecting and strengthening the UK student/alumni network in Vietnam and in the UK but also creating a mutual space for the young generation to increase knowledge, skills and network with HR professionals from different industries.
Mr. Hoang Nguyen has 15+ years of experience working in financial services, HR and IT at both local and multinational corporations. Discussing career transitioning from UK to Vietnam from the perspective of both an experienced overseas student and recruiter, Hoang shared that most fresh graduates studying abroad have great expectation about employment when returning to Vietnam. Due to the cultural and social differences plus their lack of work experience, they would soon find themselves disappointed and discouraged.
“The first days as an entry-level employee will always be difficult, especially if you have recently relocated from another country. To overcome those struggles, the keys are defining your career goals in long term and always having a can-do attitude, willingness to learn”, said Hoang Nguyen. Dr. Tam Le, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Vietnam agreed on this point and added that adaptability is very important.
Hoang Nguyen also pointed out the characteristics that help the young people stand out from other job-seekers. “Average employees don't strive to do better or improve their work. Great employees, on the other hand, are those who constantly learn to do better, embrace change and end up making themselves a more valuable employee.”
During the panel discussion, guest speakers, who are business leaders from various industries, gave several valuable tips to UK alumni who wish to successfully apply for a job. In a nutshell, job-seekers should carefully research the company, tailor their resumes to the job description, show the willingness to learn and grow while staying true to themselves. For the long run, it’s essential to develop your own career path and continuously upskill. “During the VUCA times and digital age, soft skills, analytical skills, technical skills are the most important skills of workers”, Ms. Linh Pham, Partner, People & Change Consulting at KPMG Vietnam shared.
More than an occasion for young workers to listen to valuable thoughts, and receive orientation from consultants and experts from global companies, the career talk was also a chance for UK Alumni to connect, network, and become a better version of themselves.