Last week, I had a chance to attend a one-day workshop in Frankfurt with many young and talented Vietnamese. Generally, it was a dynamic and informative day. Besides enjoying the whole day of activities and insightful content, we have exchanged our opinions on various topics.

One of the key discussions was the concerns raised by people who are considering returning to Vietnam. Many are unsure about the current state of Vietnam’s economy and labor market. Then, they approached me and asked for my thoughts, which I was happy to share what I could.

Firstly, it is advisable to look for those companies which are open to hiring overseas Vietnamese professionals. Based on my experience, some Vietnamese enterprises hesitate to recruit overseas Vietnamese people. This might be due to several reasons, such as the lack of understanding of the local market, the differences in working culture, etc. Therefore, those open for overseas Vietnamese is clearly a better choice. Also, it’s a good first step for the returnees to get familiar with Vietnamese working style.

Secondly, building connections with HR professionals and industry experts in Vietnam is essential. Some people hesitate to do that, worrying that their profiles do not match the current vacancies. However, networking and professional relationships are more than just job-hunting. Career opportunities, guidance, advice or knowledge sharing… are a few of the possible outcomes that you can receive. Even though it does not bring immediate results, it will have a long-term value.

Thirdly, being flexible and welcoming new things is crucial. Honestly, Vietnamese economy and society are extremely dynamic and evolving rapidly now. Vietnamese people are normally very flexible, always trying their best to find the solutions to any problems. It’s very different from many Western countries, when people tend to follow the established procedures. Because of that, there would be several difficulties at the beginning, which require time and patience to adapt.

For those thinking about returning to Vietnam, I hope these thoughts offer a helpful starting point.