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- Over half of respondents are confident of securing their ideal job within 12 months of graduation.
- Two‑thirds expect a starting monthly salary of HK$20,000 or above.
- Reasonable working hours emerged as the most important factor in an ideal job.
While remuneration remains important, work-life balance has emerged as the top priority for Hong Kong’s Gen Z graduates when defining an ideal job.
These findings are drawn from Jobsdb by SEEK’s latest University Student Job Search Intentions Survey. Conducted in the first quarter of the year by an independent research firm, the online survey gathered responses from 507 Hong Kong university students who are set to graduate this year or next.
The results showed a clear shift in priorities. Salary and benefits, traditionally the primary consideration, ranked second behind reasonable working hours, suggesting that many graduates are increasingly seeking workplaces that respect personal time and promote overall wellbeing.
Top three conditions for an ideal job:
- Reasonable working hours that allow time for personal life (46%)
- Competitive salary and benefits (42%)
- Clear career progression and development opportunities (39%)
Despite work-life balance taking precedence, salary expectations among graduates remain firm.
Two thirds (66%) of respondents expect a starting monthly salary of HK$20,000 or above, while a notable 42% anticipate earning more than HK$25,000. Higher salary expectations were most commonly reported among students from faculties traditionally associated with stronger starting pay, including Medicine, Engineering, and Education.
Students aspiring to work in sectors such as medical services, insurance, and scientific laboratory and R&D also reported higher salary expectations compared with their peers targeting other industries.
Overall, Hong Kong’s soon-to-be graduates remain optimistic about their employment prospects. The survey found that:
- 62% were confident they will find a full-time job within three months of starting their search
- 58% were confident of securing their ideal job within 12 months of graduation
- 32% felt neutral
- only 10% expressed a lack of confidence
Confidence levels were highest among students from:
- Faculty of Engineering (74%)
- Faculty of Science (65%)
- Faculty of Business (64%)
Respondents cited “stable prospects of their target job or industry” and their “proactive efforts to enhance professional skills” as the main drivers of confidence. Conversely, those who felt less assured pointed to “pessimism about the overall economic outlook” and concerns over the “threat of automation and artificial intelligence (AI)”.
When asked how they would respond if unable to find a full-time job for an extended period, respondents indicated a strong preference for self-improvement through upskilling rather than compromising on their long-term career development to secure immediate employment:
Among employability skills, English proficiency stands out as particularly important. Almost 90% of respondents believe strong English skills play a key role in the job search process, and over 70% rated their own proficiency as “good” or “excellent”.
To prepare for employment, the largest proportion of graduates (46%) reported working on improving their English through self-study or courses, followed by efforts to strengthen soft skills such as communication, management, and time management.
Infographics / Jobsdb by SEEK
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