Local changes in employment structure within the industry mean that there are now less operational positions, and it is difficult for newcomers to predict exactly what post they will get. Consequently, adaptability is crucial.

'Many openings now are on the 'front line'. There's a chance you will be the person talking to customers, or possibly selling financial products. This means that your people skills have to be good. But most of all you need to be able to adapt to whichever situation you find yourself in,' Mr Chiu said.

Another important consideration was the general instability of this industry. The financial planning sector experienced more ups and downs than many other professions. It was not for the faint-hearted, said Mr Chiu.

'Resilience is important. We are looking for people who can consistently demonstrate a high quality of performance despite downturns in the market and the pressures of the job.

'They have to realise that the first few years especially might be tough - they need to have long-term goals and a vision of where they want to go,' he said.

The dropout rate is quite high among those in their early years of financial planning. Beginners need to look at the long term rather than go into the profession expecting plenty of short-term victories.

'It's a volatile, cyclical industry. If you stay long enough, you'll certainly be compensated. But the early years drive out those who can't see the long-term picture. You might face long working hours and plenty of frustrations, such as periods when sales are hard to make. You have to take a few defeats, but eventually things get better,' said Mr Chiu.

Not only should aspiring financial planners be able to get through rocky times, they should also have long-term goals.

In the past, the first few years in the job often involved much time in front of a computer terminal. Interaction with people was less important. But things have changed.

'Nowadays teamwork is more important than ever, and everybody has to deal with people. Even if you don't come face to face with clients, you need to deal with people internally.

'The changes are cultural too - your team might include people from all over the world with different languages. There's a lot to learn,' said Mr Chiu.

In accountancy, as with financial planning, a solid educational background marks the starting point. Thereafter, professional qualifications, such as those offered by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), will then need to be attained. Several personal and acquired attributes are also vital.

Kelly Chan Yuen-sau, deputy president of ACCA Hong Kong, said: 'There is a popular misconception that accountants spend most of their time on book-keeping, but in fact good communication skills are required, for example when dealing internally with other departments and externally with other business contacts.'

Language skills have also become an important asset for the aspiring accountant, as the job has become increasingly international.

'English and Cantonese remain the most important, but Putonghua is becoming essential in some posts as operations within mainland China are becoming more common,' said Ms Chan.

'They also need to be open-minded and able to accept cultural differences as they will come into contact with people from many different countries or backgrounds.'

Presentation skills add another string to the applicant's bow.

'It is quite rare for new starters to have strong presentation skills, but nonetheless it is something that employers are looking out for, so it is advisable to work on such skills during time spent at school,' said Ms Chan.

'Also, it is advantageous if they were engaged in extra-curricular activities before graduation, and such activities are worth mentioning at an interview to demonstrate holistic skills'

Accountancy, like financial planning, is a fast-changing industry and trainees need to be amenable to learning new skills and procedures. Continuing education is essential if they wish to succeed, and even senior accounting and finance professionals must pursue their education on a continuing basis.

At ACCA there is a wide range of continuing professional development activities and events organised for members to stay up to date about the market and stay ahead of the trend.

'Since graduating they may find that things have changed rapidly in the business world, such as accounting, tax regulations or new legal procedures,' said Ms Chan.

'It is essential that they keep up to date with what's going on in the accountancy world, and not just in Hong Kong and China but also in the international platform.'

To achieve promotion, new starters will not only need to pass the required professional exams and take on board any required new aspects of the job, but they will also need to acquire leadership skills and display an ability to impart their growing knowledge to new arrivals.

'Leadership skills and people-management skills are essential as an accounting and finance professional progresses to a higher level, and they will increasingly need to deal with external groups. Managing an office will also call for a sound knowledge of operational systems and the requisite information technology,' said Ms Chan.

Last, but far from least, accountants must hold the highest standard of professionalism and ethics.

This year's ACCA Michael Page Accounting and Finance Market survey showed that employers nowadays ranked management reporting, as well as professional ethics and sustainability matters, as important technical skills that they would like their accounting and finance staff to have training for.

This is something that employers are on the lookout for even at the interview stage, and is crucial for the rest of the career life.

'It may be hard to tell if someone is ethical or not, but employers will ask questions to try and determine an applicant's ethical mindset, and they need to bear this aspect in mind throughout their career,' said Ms Chan.

Useful skills and assets for financial services career

A good education - preferably a relevant first or second degree and qualifications for financial subjects

An ability to adapt to different working roles

A far-sighted view of career and ambitions

A willingness to continue education and desire to pass further exams

Good interpersonal skills for customer-facing roles or internal teamwork

Resilience in the face of long working hours or difficult sales tasks

International awareness and cultural knowledge

Languages, especially English, Cantonese and Putonghua

The highest standard of professionalism and ethics

Communication, IT and presentation skills