Interview Tips for Merchandisers in Hong Kong
Image: Hong Kong Tourism Board / Jeremy Cheung
What holds some of Hong Kong’s top merchandising talent back from securing the best roles in the industry?
All too often, it’s a question of presentation.
A common theme that I hear is that candidates of all experience levels spend too much time in interviews simply listing out the companies they worked for, the product categories they handled, and their day-to-day tasks.
It’s become a formula: “I worked at company X handling product category Y and my responsibilities were Z.”
While it's important to be able to cover your past experience in an interview, it's not enough to simply recite your previous job descriptions.
That's why it’s time for merchandising candidates to rethink how they present themselves in interviews.
What Merchandisers Should Really Be Highlighting
What truly makes a candidate memorable — and hireable — is their strategic mindset and ability to navigate industry shifts. Employers are increasingly interested in how you work, not just where you’ve worked or what you’ve worked on.
Here are key points that merchandisers in Hong Kong should focus on during interviews:
How you adapt to industry changes: Demonstrate awareness of trends such as sustainability, digitalization, or reduced lead times. Describe how you’ve responded to them.
Your approach to problem-solving: Share specific examples where you encountered project challenges and explain how you tackled them — whether through supplier negotiation, internal collaboration, or process innovation.
Cross-functional collaboration: Highlight your ability to work with teams like QA, packaging, or sustainability, and how you’ve led or contributed to cross-departmental initiatives.
Commercial awareness: Show that you understand margin impact, consumer expectations, and supply chain risks — and that you act accordingly in your sourcing decisions.
Understanding the Market Reality in Hong Kong
One difficult but unavoidable truth many candidates overlook: merchandising roles in Hong Kong are declining in number, not growing.
While the city still has a large talent pool with merchandising backgrounds, opportunities are narrowing.
However, many job seekers are unaware of the growing competitiveness — and fail to adjust their positioning and storytelling accordingly. It’s important for you to not make the same mistake.
The Mindset Shift That Matters
To succeed in interviews today, merchandisers need to move away from task-based interview responses and toward a value-driven story. Instead of just saying what you did, explain why it mattered and how it impacted the business.
In a saturated job market, being strategic, reflective, and forward-thinking is no longer optional — it’s essential.
One Final Thought
Your experience is valuable, but your perspective is what makes you unique. Don’t just talk about your work history. Tell the story of the impact you made — that’s what hiring managers remember.