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| Gemini December
Newsletter |
 Another year comes
towards an end, and for many, I am sure we will be quite
pleased to see the passing of 2009 while looking forward
to a new year with less trepidation and economic
uncertainty. From a very difficult year, the last
quarter of 2009 has certainly been one of the busiest
for many of our clients. Just as we expect a yearly
slowdown around the Christmas season, Gemini has seen
one of its busiest months in over a year and do not see
any signs of this growth abating. By all
accounts, 2010 will see the Asian economies growing much
better than anyone had expected, with the International
Monetary Fund increasing its Economic Growth Forecast
for Hong Kong to 5%. Already, Gemini can see indicators
that companies are now looking to expand, if not re-hire
previously retrenched staff as financial doom starts to
fade. I feel enough has been said about the past
year, and I can only look forward to the coming year as
Gemini expand our operations and look for growth
opportunities that can further help our clients. I am
always happy to hear your feedback about your experience
of using Gemini as well as areas where your staffing
needs may require further collaboration to meet your
requirements, so by all means contact me at
callan@gemini.com.hk should I be able to help you
personally. It merely leaves me to thank you for
your patronage of Gemini Personnel in 2009, and on
behalf of the entire staff, we wish you a very Merry
Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
Kind
regards, Callan Anderson Group General
Manager  |
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| China surpasses India for English
speakers... |
A
recent study published by the British Council
suggests that China may have surpassed India in
its number of English speakers. While it is
surprising to think that India would allow itself
to lose its most oft-cited economic advantage over
China, perhaps more surprising is the fact that
English-language proficiency is diminishing in a
country with a language legacy of British colonial
rule.
Entitled "English Next India,"
the study reveals that in the coming years, India
may find it harder to compete against its larger
rival. This is not only due to a decrease in the
number of English speakers, but also a result of
the better infrastructure and more flexible labor
market in China.
The study estimates that
less than 5% of the current Indian population
speaks English, implying that by 2010 only 55
million people in India will be fluent English
speakers. By contrast, China had 200 million
English speakers in 1995, and is estimated to have
approximately 20 million new English speakers
each year. Many point to a recent change in
education policies as the reason for this growth,
as all Chinese students are now required to
take English lessons in primary school.
It remains to be determined whether the
Chinese population will surpass India's number of
English speakers as a percentage of the
population, but present numbers indicate that at
least in certain areas, such as in cities like
Beijing and Shanghai, China is making significant
progress towards widespread English
fluency.
That said, a billboard-sized sign
on a building in a major shopping street near the
Bund in Shanghai reads "Marry Christmas!"
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| Learn to manage like a leader
for 2010 |
If you really want to learn how to move up in
the business world, you've got relatively few
sources of expert information. - ask somebody
who's done it, and he'll tell you.
Gemini have five key points for you to
consider to help you improve your leadership
skills for 2010.
1) Focus on critical, trouble areas and leave
everything else alone. Successful CEOs have
learned to rapidly determine when a direct report
or functional area is in trouble. Then, with
laser-like precision, they go to work on
determining what's wrong and resolving the issue
with all due haste. Because of the focus required,
too many problem areas can spell trouble, which
leads us to the next point.
2) Hire functional experts who are also
solid, upcoming managers. The order and choice of
words is critical here. You can mentor capable,
upcoming managers, but you probably can't teach
them a functional expertise, nor should you or
will you have the time. If they're not eminently
capable, you can end up with multiple critical
simultaneous problems, which could be job or even
career-ending. 3) Business
comes first. Business and customers always,
always, always comes first. Now, that doesn't mean
you let morale get out of control or internal
processes fall apart, but you must recognize that
the primary function of the business is business,
and that means customers and sales.
4) Manage up. A critical function of any
manager is to provide his boss with what she needs
to succeed, and in a manner that fosters a
compatible and mutually beneficial relationship.
And frankly, that goes for peers, too. If you
sense your boss and peers are not getting what
they need from you, meet one-on-one and
ask.
5) Help to "manage
the company." This is a critical mindset that can
make all the difference in your career. If you
have a strong silo mentality - my group is all
that matters - you will never move up. But if you
always remember that one of your priorities is to
help "manage the company," then your chances are
great increased.
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| Gemini Monthly Salary
Survey |
 Every month Gemini compile
the most up-to-date and accurate salary trend
statistics on the local Hong Kong job
market.
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Staff? |
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Thought for
the month
"Don't let what you can't do interfere with
what you can do"
Anonymous
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Gemini Personnel
HK
6/F, ING Tower, 308 Des Voeux Road Central,
Hong Kong.
Executive Division:
(852)
3552 9139
Permanent Division:
(852) 3552
9129
Contracting Division:
(852) 3552
9159
Administration:
(852) 3552
9100
JM Gemini China
Suite 13G, Shanghai
Industrial Investment Building, 18 Cao Xi Bei
Road, Shanghai 200030
Tel: (86) 21 64282460
Fax: (86) 21 64686478
Gemini
Personnel (Thailand)
Bangkok5/F Maxim House
Suite 501A, 112 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Patumwan,
Bangkok 10330
Tel: (66) 2 650 8977
Fax:
(66) 2 650
8263
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