"The frustrated graduate sought advice from a career adviser and colleague.

Their advice? Change his name to an Anglo-Saxon one.

"It's almost like you have to give up your identity, everything you are as a person - your history - just to secure a job and pay cheque. That's too much of an ask for anyone."

Heng is part of a wave of New Zealand- Asians hitting the workforce this decade.

His Malaysian parents moved here during the boom migration period of the 1990s.

Heng is a panelist on an upcoming debate in Auckland questioning whether workers of Asian descent are being locked out of jobs and promotions.

Young Chinese organisation Future Dragonz set up the Slanted discussion - White or Wong - to tackle employee discrimination and cultural stereotyping.

Although Heng was eventually hired at a telecommunications company after a seven-month job hunt, he has decided to leave for Hong Kong.

"No one should have to fight that hard to get a pay cheque, and that's just to get a job. To get a career, what am I going to have to do?"

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