[debrax]

Hi, everyone, just joined today, so total newbie.

I am Chinese but have lived in the UK for 8 years now. There is an opportunity for me to transfer to our new regional office in HK. My boss is offering local pay and conditions, and the proposed salary is 22,000 HKD a month.

I have a stable job and life in London, 6 years experience as a journalist working for the same company. The pay they are offering in HK is significantly lower than what I am getting now, but I have just separated from my husband, and I've never been to HK (I am from northern China orginally). So the move sounds like an adventure.

Without boring all of you with my life story, I would like to know if the salary offered to me is OK, and ideally would like to have a likely figure when I go into negotiation with the boss. So any help would be greatly appreciated!

[debrax]

Sorry, may not have included enough info in my original post. I am a journalist and my job in HK would be the same, producing news copies for the web and also a weekly half hour radio show. I know journalists don't get paid the big bucks anywhere in the world, but I was told the salary offered is a bit on the low end.

[applefan]

In my prior life, I worked at a media company with lots of journalists. I think HKD22k is a bit low especially for someone with 6 years experience. That was even true 10 years ago when I was with the media company. My ex-colleagues have also been telling me that some of their competitors are eagerly seeking editors and paying quite well.

[esque]

$22K is about right for a junior media position.

Your decision depends on your financial situation - do you have a mortage to pay? Do you need to save up to get some financial security for yourself as a newly separated woman? Or are you at a stage of life where you don't want or don't need to focus on that? You probably won't save much on a single income of $22K.

On the other hand if you reallly want to work in HK, it may be worth taking this low end salary as a short term thing with plans to move onto something better. As a fellow journo I think your new role sounds very interesting wtih the mix of web and radio work. I would probably take it - like you say, it's an adventure!

[tsuiwah]

I would not do it for HK$22K per month.

It is hard for a single woman in Hong Kong. Money considerations aside, if a social life is important to you, and you are happy in the UK, then I would stay there.

My firm just hired a former journalist and I *think* our entry level pay is higher than HK$22K per month (and with your experience you wouldn't come in at entry level), so there are other options available if you really want to move to Hong Kong. As a journalist in the UK for the past six years, presumably your English is very good. True English-Mandarin bilingual skills are still valued here, so I would consider a real job search instead of just taking the first offer that comes along if you want to come out this way.

[debrax]

Hey, thanks for your replies. Most grateful.

I did indicate to my boss that I think the wage is big low, but since she hasn't come back to me with a concret figure, I haven't got the chance to talk to her again about it. I do have a mortgage to pay here in London and would rather not let the flat out while I am away than sell it. So guess it would make my financial situation in HK rather dire if I do agree to 22,000HKD.

I really don't need to leave my job here in London, the pay's OK, the hours agree with me, though not conduit for an active social life, the job interesting as it has been what I have always wanted. I guess I am just getting restless, and HK does sound appealing and exciting.

So I guess it's waiting time for now. Will keep you guys updated. Also any more info on the related job market in HK would be most gratefully received.

[debrax]

By the way, any suggestions as to what would be an appropriate salary for someone of my experience -- master's degree in journalism from a British university; 6 years experience in an internationally reknowned news organisation; has worked both with radio (4 years) and internet (2 years) news, native Madarine speaker with great English skills (even if I say so myself).

[coolgirl]

I understand you want to leave the UK and start a new life, but it's a bit too low to pack up your bags if you're better off there. Perhaps you just need a vacation rather than a radical change of geography

[pdx]

That salary is very low. With your education and work experience, you could easily do better at the Asian Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune, Bloomberg or Reuters. I worked for one of those in HK in the mid-1990s and made a lot more than $22K, and I had less experience. I speak Cantonese, but I edited and didn't need it for work.

If you want HK adventure, just apply to those outlets. You'll get the adventure without the bad wages.

[debrax]

Hmmmmm. Plenty of food for thought here. My boss has been ignoring me all week, wonder what's on her mind. With everything you've been saying about the low wage, London suddenly seem rather beautiful...