Anonymous career talk from Malaysian job seekers — salary, interviews, company culture, WFH and more.
She gave no feedback, took credit for my work in team meetings, and responded to questions with visible impatience. What I did: Documented everything. Every task I was given, every piece of work I submitted. Not out of…
Made this decision 4 times in 10 years and gotten it right 3 of 4. Here's what I've learned. Strong signals to stay: - You're learning at a rate you can't replicate elsewhere at your current level - There's a credible p…
Company wanted 4 days in office. I wanted 2. Here's how we landed at 3 and how I plan to get to 2. What didn't work: "I'm more productive at home." Everyone says this and it's not persuasive without data. What worked:…
Final round, four interviewers, went well, they said "we'll be in touch by Friday." Friday came and went. Then another week. Then silence. What I did: Sent a polite follow-up on the following Monday referencing my conve…
Left a traditional office role for a fully remote company. Six months in, here's what I'd tell myself on day one. The productivity adjustment is real — but not the direction you expect. I became more productive, not les…
Two years ago I would have laughed at myself. The startup had ping pong tables, free snacks, and a rooftop. The GLC has beige carpets and a strict dress code. Here's what changed my mind: at the startup, I was constantl…
Bank interviews in Malaysia are different from tech company interviews. After going through processes at 3 banks this year, here's what to prepare. Technical areas most tested: - Excel (yes, still very relevant — vlooku…
The most common salary research mistake I see: asking friends what they make and using that as a reference point. The problem: your friend joined their company 3 years ago at market rate for that time. They've gotten in…
I've had 7 managers in 8 years of working. Two were genuinely great. The rest ranged from mediocre to actively harmful. What made the two great ones stand out had nothing to do with seniority or technical skill. Both of…
People underestimate non-salary benefits when comparing offers. Here's the math. Typical allowance package at a mid-size Malaysian company: - Transport: RM300/month (some reimburse petrol, others give fixed) - Phone: RM…
The "business professional" vs "business casual" ambiguity is real. Here's a practical guide by sector. Banking, finance, legal, accounting: Business formal. Men: suit or blazer + tie. Women: suit, formal dress, or coor…
I genuinely didn't understand what I was entitled to until I went through a job loss last year. Sharing what I learned the hard way. SOCSO (PERKESO): - Employment Injury Scheme: covers accidents at work and occupational…
After three incidents where bad internet cost me important calls, I took this seriously. Sharing what I found. ISPs for home WFH (based on KL/PJ/Selangor experience): - Unifi (TM): most widely available, generally relia…
The e-invoicing mandate is rolling out in Malaysia and it affects freelancers differently depending on your annual revenue. Current implementation timeline: - August 2024: Mandatory for businesses with annual revenue ab…
Left a job after 11 weeks. Not proud of it but it was the right call — the role was materially misrepresented in the interview process. The honest explanation I used: "The role I accepted turned out to be significantly…
Started learning Rust at 35 after 8 years of writing Python. HerE's what was different from learning your first language. What's easier at 35: - Understanding why language design decisions were made — you have context -…
I think something is shifting and I want to document it while it's happening. Five years ago, "I only sleep 4 hours" was a flex. Working weekends was worn as a badge. The person who stayed latest was implicitly the hard…
After helping my team navigate HRD Corp claims, here's my honest assessment. The good: - Significant funding available — some companies have substantial unused balances - Covers a wide range of professional development,…
Applied for two MDEC-adjacent programmes last year. Here's the honest assessment. UpSkill Malaysia / Digital Skills programmes: The subsidised courses through MDEC-partnered providers are a legitimate deal — accredited…
I knew what burnout was. I had never heard of boreout until a therapist mentioned it and suddenly a year of my experience made sense. Burnout: Too much demand for your available capacity. Exhaustion, emotional numbness,…