Anonymous career talk from Malaysian job seekers — salary, interviews, company culture, WFH and more.
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,…
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 started investing in Bursa in 2022 with RM500/month. Three years in, here's what I know now that I didn't then. Starting out: Open a CDS account through a stockbroker, Rakuten Trade and MyEG Trade are popular for begi…
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 c…
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,…
Managing how you get paid matters more than most freelancers realise. Here's what I've found. For local Malaysian clients: - Bank transfer (FPX) is simplest, zero fees, instant, familiar to everyone - Invoice with your…
Estimates vary, but a significant proportion of roles (especially senior ones) are filled before or without ever being publicly advertised. Here's how to access them. Why it exists: - Hiring is expensive and time-consum…
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 d…
Started using Obsidian for personal notes and it's evolved into something more structured. Sharing what works. Folder structure I landed on: - /Daily, one note per working day with tasks, meeting notes, decisions - /Pro…
After years of accumulation and pruning, here's what actually runs on my machine every workday. Terminal: Wezterm + Fish shell + Starship prompt. Fast, configurable, doesn't get in the way. Editor: Neovim for most thin…
I work closely with someone I find deeply frustrating. This is not a toxic situation, they're not doing anything wrong per se, but our working styles are so different that every interaction takes energy. What I've done…
I work at a company where about 30% of the team is Muslim. During Ramadan, here's what I've observed from both sides of the experience. From my Muslim colleagues: The hardest part is usually not the fasting itself, it's…
I've been trying to make this work for 3 months. Here's my honest report. The math: 1-hour lunch break. Gym + change + workout + shower + change + back to desk = minimum 75 minutes. Something has to give. What I actual…
Asked around in my network of Malaysian tech leads and engineers. Here's the aggregated picture. AWS: Most common, by far. The default choice for most Malaysian tech companies. ap-southeast-1 (Singapore) has excellent c…
Just finished my internship. Reflecting on what I did right and wrong in week one. What worked: - Brought a notebook everywhere and actually took notes, signals you're serious, means you don't ask the same question twic…
The promotion was to Regional Manager covering Malaysia and Indonesia. More pay (RM1,500/month), a team of 12, 30—40% travel. Why I said no: I had a 6-month-old at home. The travel was non-negotiable for the role and I…
Faced this at year 5. Took the management path because it felt like the logical next step, not because I wanted to develop people. I was miserable within 8 months. Not because I was bad at management, I was adequate. Bu…
Compiled from 8 conversations with Malaysians who made industry switches in their 30s. "I'll have to take a junior role." Often true for 6—12 months, but transferable skills accelerate the timeline. Most people in my sa…
Was on a 3-month internship and wanted to stay 2 more months. Step 1: Raised it with my direct supervisor first, not HR. If your supervisor supports the extension, the HR conversation becomes a formality. What I said:…
Share your experience working at Malaysian companies
Salary transparency, negotiation tips, and benefits talk
Interview questions, experiences, and advice
Work from home, hybrid setups, and remote culture
Internship stories, tips, and company reviews
Career growth, industry switches, and general advice
Anything else work-life related
Tool reviews, productivity tips, and tech stack chat
Burnout, boundaries, and looking after yourself at work
Courses, certifications, and learning paths that pay off
Applications, job search strategy, and offer decisions
Freelancing, side income, and going independent