Nine reputable firms - AEON Credit Service (Asia), California Fitness, Centaline, Drake International, FXCM Asia, New World Telecommunications and its subsidiary New World iMedia Solutions, Ricoh Hong Kong and the
Job-seekers were given the chance to network with human resources professionals and impress recruiters.
Candidates found the event a good opportunity to meet recruiters directly, rather than waiting to be invited for an interview. By participating, they were able to introduce themselves and discuss their career aspirations.
"I am very impressed with the level of experience and background of the job-seekers," says Brett Ireland, branch manager at Drake International in
Hong Kong. "Candidates were keen to position themselves to the right kind of exposure coming to this event."
Bonnie Lai, human resources manager at Centaline, says: "The idea is very ground-breaking. It is a convenient way to meet high quality job-seekers and find the right match during their one-minute pitches."
Isabella Tam, regional manager for human resources at California Fitness, says the candidates were well-prepared and pro-active.
"This event gave us an opportunity to meet smart candidates in a short period of time," she says.
Franco Lui, human resources and admin manager at FXCM Asia, says: "The event helped us understand the job market, as well as meet professionals from different industries."
Other than finding the perfect match, the "Job Speed Dating" event helps recruiters build their brand name, says Iris Chan, assistant human resources manager at Ricoh Hong Kong.
"I was surprised that the job-seekers who came were very active and well-prepared," she says. "The success of this event will surely attract more candidates next time."
Mandy Lam, senior manager for human resources at New World Telecommunications, says: "`Job Speed Dating' is a fresh idea that enables job-seekers to interact with recruiters in a relaxed environment."
The event is more efficient and effective than traditional recruitment channels, such as large-scale recruitment fairs and online job applications, she says.
"The most important thing we are looking for is the quality and background of candidates and this event lets us meet different candidates and find the best suit," says Helen Yam, SCMP's manager for human resources.
"Many of the job-seekers were sincerely looking for a job and they had come well-prepared," says Lillian Ma, assistant general manager, human resources and administration department at AEON Credit Service.
"This was a good opportunity for job-seekers to get to know us and directly communicate with us and, by doing so, they will further their understanding of our company and get to know what we do."
