!['The temperate climate [in Ireland] suits me': Han Li, a quantitative e-foreign exchange trader at TD Securities in Dublin](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/C43PFHGFBNBOPFFMSEEHIXSCYU.jpg?auth=47932e0b08700139e5c8b777a9126f13693c75ad341208659f7127be563732a2&smart=true&width=1024&height=683)
Madrid is the hardest city in Europe in which to find employment. Paris has more job openings than job seekers. Luxembourg and Amsterdam are prime destinations for workers because jobs in both places pay well.
This information comes from Europe’s Hardest and Easiest Cities to Find a Job, compiled by UK-based HR software company SenseHR and released last month. The rankings were determined by calculating the number of job postings per job seeker in 10 European cities in July.
Madrid comfortably topped the list with a ratio of 14.2 candidates for every job available, Helsinki was second with 6 and Rome a close third with 5.8.
When average monthly salary is set against the cost of living in each city, Luxembourg comes out on top followed by Amsterdam. Madrid, Helsinki and Rome are all considered affordable, with average incomes higher than living costs. London ranks third for the highest average salary, but the cost of living there is also high.
Dublin falls into the easier-to-find-a-job category, with more openings than job seekers. The average salary in Dublin is listed as €2,937 per month and the monthly cost of living at €2,066. There are jobs in tech, financial services, pharma and other sectors that pay well above this, and, accommodation crisis notwithstanding, Dublin is seen by many as good place to build a career, especially in technology and international financial services.
I also had offers in London and Singapore. I decided to stay here because I was keen to work in an established bank
— Han Li
When Han Li finished her Erasmus year at UCD almost 10 years ago, she had her pick of employers and locations in which to launch her career. The young graduate had good English-language skills and two degrees under her belt in international culture and business and finance and economics respectively.
Li chose to stay in Dublin, having been offered a job as a trader with the global trading firm, Susquehanna International Group (SIG). Li stayed with SIG for just over three years before joining Citi’s Dublin office in 2019 as a quantitative analyst. In 2021 she moved to the Dublin office of Canadian investment bank, TD Securities (TDS), as a quantitative e-FX trader.
“E-trading is highly mobile and, when I joined TDS, I also had offers in London and Singapore. I decided to stay here because I was keen to work in an established bank like TDS. I was one of the first e-traders in Ireland then, and that presented an interesting – almost entrepreneurial – challenge for me, which I personally thrived on,” says Li.
[ Dublin needs better public transport, says business groupOpens in new window ]
“I have a niche role in algorithmic trading, which is heavily reliant on coding and financial services expertise. Algorithmic is very much seen as the future for the trading sector and Dublin has good availability of these types of roles, which is a big positive for me. Dublin is also tech heavy and has the distinction of being the only English-speaking country within the EU. This is important as English is the language of the financial services sector.
“Dublin may not be on the same scale as other cities from a trading perspective but that’s less important for me as an e-trader,” says Li. “My type of role is growing in stature and importance within our sector and the relationship-based model of old-school traders standing at screens shouting at brokers and transacting directly, is changing very quickly. Computers can do execution and can analyse better and much faster.”
Li says different skill sets will be needed for her role in the future, with demand growing for those with the dual skills of coding and financial expertise. “TDS is very much ahead of the curve in this regard and as employees we need to continue to add value by mastering the tech instead of the other way around.”
The China I grew up in is extremely different to the China of today. We saw huge social change and the emergence of a more affluent middle class
Li was born in China and lived there until she was 18.
“The China I grew up in is extremely different to the China of today,” she says. “We saw huge social change and the emergence of a more affluent middle class, of which my parents and family were beneficiaries. I went first to Zhejiang University in the Hangzhou region. Then I won a scholarship to study in Germany at the University of Passau. I was able to do my final year at UCD. That’s how I ended up in Dublin, and I’ve been building my career here since.”
Given that Li could have her pick of countries to work in, locals might be surprised to learn that one of the things that’s keeping her in Ireland is the weather. “I’m not keen on heat or extreme climates and I don’t mind the rain. The temperate climate suits me,” she says.
Did she find it hard to find somewhere to live? “I deliberately set out to get on the property ladder very early into my career. That turned out to be a good strategic move, so accommodation is not an issue.
“The price of housing is a problem all over Europe and house prices can be very expensive relative to average income. So, I don’t believe property is a deal breaker for those choosing to locate here for their careers.
“What is very challenging, however, is the lack of childcare. I recently had a baby and am still looking for a place for my child for when I return to work. We can work hybrid, but I like the buzz of being with other people, so I tend to go into the office most days,” says Li.
