Career Switch From Property Developer To ___?
Hi all, I'm looking for some career advice. To introduce myself, I'm a Management Trainee (MT) in a property developer in Hong Kong. I've worked in my current firm for 1.5 years and am about to complete my MT program. I've gained experience in Residential Sales and Leasing on top of CRM Marketing through the program. But, I question if working here still makes sense...

I'm having doubts because: (1) the firm might not place me in a desired department. I asked to work in commercial real estate (office or retail) leasing but vacancies might not exist, (2) there is a cultural misfit, &amp; (3) the workplace language is cantonese, which I'm less fluent in than my peers so they'll always be ahead of me.
As I explore new roles, my questions are:

- What are the English-speaking, real estate related firms in Hong Kong that I should look into? I've already applied to RE services firms like CBRE, JLL, Knight Frank, and western developers like Swire etc., but I think my list is far from complete.

- Is it possible to get an entry-level investment analyst or asset mgmt role without a finance degree? I have a friend who did so in the US, but I'm not sure if HK RE investment/AMfirms are stricter about degrees (I hold an MPA (Public Adm) + BA in Politics)

- JLL in China interviewed me for a research analyst role due to my developer experience, they said. This got me thinking, are there roles/firms out there that value developer experience, apart from other developers, that is?

- How often should you follow up with recruiters? Also, as this is my first time working with recruiters, I'll like to know how we can work together effectively.

- Should I be focusing my job search on China instead of HK? My written/spoken mandarin is much better than my cantonese so my career growth is more limited in HK?

Feel free to critique or ask further questions. I'm still brainstorming, and there are likely things that I haven't considered but are important. One last thing: my salary package is on the high-end for a junior role so I'm ready for a pay cut, in case you're wondering.
[{"id": "ee2w8yv", "text": "Send me Chinese buyers for commercial investment properties in the United States and I\u2019ll make you rich. ", "replies": [{"id": "ee36i42", "text": "This right here", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ee30fle", "text": "Firms that would value your experience are broker firms. There are a lot of brokerage firms out there if you can hustle and are good at sales. Putting together large commercial real estate deals hauls a hefty commission. Requires good networking and connections to wealthy clients looking to invest.\n\nOr go it alone. Find a partner that knows the construction side, specifically someone with a general contract license in the states if you want to be your own developer.", "replies": [{"id": "ee38qff", "text": "Hi, thanks for your insight. What, in your opinion, are the **non commission-based** jobs in broker firms that could lay out a good career path for my profile?\n\nI was thinking about going into Valuation, but the idea was shot down by almost everyone I spoke to. One recruiter outright said it's a lie that I can move to investment roles because his investment clients never accepted anyone from Valuation. ", "replies": [{"id": "ee396ub", "text": "Nothing lucrative to be honest. The broker will handle all aspects of the deal, you would set the property value based on cap value and try to sell it to wealthy investors or groups. I don\u2019t work in these firms but I work with the brokers. Never dealt with anyone else ever even on very large deals. There maybe be office work available but nothing that your experience would help with.", "replies": [{"id": "ee39vmy", "text": "I read on WSO that broker positions are competitive and sometimes you have to do back office work for a year or two before a firm trusts you enough to be a broker. \nDo you find this to be true? ", "replies": [{"id": "ee3cqqx", "text": "I\u2019m sure it is. The broker license test is very difficult. If you get your license you should be able to start working as a broker. It just takes a lot of hustle to be successful.", "replies": [{"id": "ee3d6nu", "text": "Right, and I suppose you're talking about the CCIM when referring to the license? ", "replies": [], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ee32y3f", "text": "In commercial real estate, many of the lucrative positions are in leasing and investment sales.  These are not easy positions and they are sales positions.  Analysts are usually junior positions in most of these firms, staffed mainly by people in their 20s.", "replies": [{"id": "ee39g6f", "text": "Hi, thanks for your feedback. I have the same followup question for you as I did for lebastss. What, in your opinion, are the **non sales ** jobs in broker firms that could offer a good career path?\n\nNonetheless, I have to ask: are these sales jobs like investment sales easier to obtain than roles like, say, research analyst? Do broker firms have investment *analyst* roles rather than just sales roles? \n\nIt's interesting that you call Leasing a *sales* job. In my firm, Leasing is very much back office work. I did paperwork 95% of the time, never had to go out to source tenants as our buildings always had low vacancy rates. Guess it's a different story in brokerage firms. ", "replies": [{"id": "ee3el4q", "text": "&gt; never had to go out to source tenants as our buildings always had low vacancy rates. Guess it's a different story in brokerage firms.\n\nThere are leasing brokers who make commissions on leasing fees.  It can be quite a lucrative business, especially for office buildings.  Leasing brokers represent tenants or landlords.  Representing landlords generally has more opportunities for salaried positions.  In addition, there are asset management positions, which is a step over the property managers and leasing agents.  ", "replies": [{"id": "ee3y95t", "text": "In your experience, can one get an entry level asset mgmt job without a finance related degree? ", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "ee606l8", "text": "Hi, I would love to chat about your experience in HK as I have relationships there and want to know what working there is like. I'm also in the job hunt and it would be fun to trade notes! Anyhow to answer some questions.\n\n&gt; Is it possible to get an entry-level investment analyst or asset mgmt role without a finance degree? \n\nI would say yes, but it truly depends on how much analytical/modelling work you have done.\n\n&gt; This got me thinking, are there roles/firms out there that value developer experience, apart from other developers, that is?\n\nI was say yes, but again depends on what type of developer experience you have. Are we talking about project management, deal sourcing, or something else? For example, I always see the Canadian pension funds hiring for their HK offices. Awesome opportunity IMO.\n\n&gt; Should I be focusing my job search on China instead of HK? \n\nSo much yes, the mainland market is huge. So much more opportunity. HK is slowly dying due to all that political uncertainty, but I not there physically so it's just an opinion.\n\nSo based on my understanding of the HK real estate market, if you aren't working for one of the big name developers (ex. Sun Hung Kai), you should target that if you wish to stay in HK.\n\n", "replies": [{"id": "ee66raw", "text": "Hey there, PM'ed you ", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}]