Yet the same study revealed that job-seeking difficulties stemmed primarily from insufficient work experience, mismatched skills, and pay falling short of expectations, while job searches remained heavily dependent on personal networks. About 43% of respondents found work through friends or relatives, compared to just 12% who used online platforms and 9% who used government services. As noted, respondents ranked reasonable remuneration, job stability, and work-life balance as the top three conditions for an ideal job, with 68.2%, 54.7%, and 47.3%, respectively. Young people and middle-aged unemployed workers face the greatest job-seeking difficulties, according to the survey released yesterday. For middle-aged job seekers, Leong suggested that the government draw on Hong Kong’s experience and introduce policy incentives to encourage employers to hire older workers.