Anonymous career talk from Malaysian job seekers — salary, interviews, company culture, WFH and more.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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:…
People always say you need an offer letter to negotiate. I didn't have one. Here's what I did instead. Step 1: Built the data case. Pulled salary data from JobStreet, LinkedIn Salary, and conversations with recruiters.…
This question feels like a gift but most people use it wrong. They literally read their CV back out loud. That's not what the interviewer wants. What they actually want: - A coherent narrative: why did you make each maj…
GLC interviews have a distinct character that's worth understanding before you walk in. Common format: Multi-stage processes with a written test or assessment centre component. PETRONAS, for example, uses a Problem Solv…
Been here 2.5 years across two divisions. The culture varies wildly by team so broad Maybank reviews are almost meaningless, but here are patterns. The brand is genuinely strong and doors open with it. Benefits package…
Did this 6 months ago. Here's the breakdown, all purchased in Malaysia. Monitor: RM650 LG 27" FHD IPS from Lazada. Not the fanciest but excellent value. If you do creative work, consider an upgrade here. Chair: RM900 O…
Tested 11 co-working spaces in KL and PJ over the past 18 months. Here's the honest ranking based on: internet reliability, noise level, value, and community. Tier 1 (worth the money): - Common Ground (multiple location…