Logo

The Story: Beverly Kwok on securing her first job in the UKPosted about 1 year ago by Client Server

Around 10 years ago Beverly Kwok decided that she wanted to pursue a career as a business analyst. Her path was clear. So, when she graduated, she joined a software company that sells POS systems as a trainee business analyst. After several months she decided that she wanted to get into the financial industry, but due to the economic situation, there weren’t many opportunities for her in Hong Kong.

She treated her next role at an electricity company as a precondition for the banking industry and to obtain some quality experience. “And after one year, I successfully secured a job in the local bank, which was a subsidiary of the HSBC group. That was the start of my career as a business analyst in the banking industry,” she says.

She later joined HSBC, where she spent 5 years. During that time, she cooperated with colleagues from different parts of the world. Many came from the UK, Asia Pacific, and other European countries. “That inspired me to take a brave move to explore the world, to see all that was going on in the world.”

At the end of 2022, Beverly took the leap and made the move to the UK.

The job-seeking process can be tough, she says, particularly when searching so close to the Christmas holiday. But despite a challenging time of year with a slow job market and being new to the UK, she secured a job as a Business Analyst for Axi.

“I would like to express my thanks for the help from Client Server, and also the kind service Matt Challis provided. The advice he gave me on how to deal with the questions, and how the interviews look, was very helpful for me to prepare myself. That's why the process suddenly became smooth, and I got an offer very soon,” says Beverly.

According to Beverly, Axi provides a friendly, supportive, and inclusive working environment. “The training and development department is very responsive. They help resolve my inquiries and provide lots of professional advice on what courses are suitable for me, in order to fit my background. Their support is good!”

As she grows with experience, her long-term goals are to have better managerial skills and be elite in her field. “I want to grow with the company, and hopefully can take on a more senior role, working with junior BAs in the future.”

For anyone starting their career as a BA, Beverly’s advice focuses on personality and approach. She says, "Be empathetic, sensitive, detail-minded, and proactive. Be proactive and think about what kind of stuff is required by the stakeholders, what kind of interest those stakeholders are looking for.”

As a woman in the tech industry, she urges people not to put limits on their self-ability or their imagination. “Don’t put any boundaries on yourself.”