That’s what a candidate told me over coffee recently  He was frustrated, upset, and questioning his future. He had worked overtime, volunteered for extra projects, and expected a bigger raise and bonus.  Instead, he got 2%. I comforted him and said: “Hey at least we still have jobs. We’re lucky we haven’t been replaced by AI or outsourced yet.” The truth is, I hear this complaint all the time from juniors all the way up to C-level executives.  And honestly, I used to complain

Recently, I was working on a role that was open to candidates in both Hong Kong and Malaysia. My Hong Kong candidate made it to the final round.  She was highly experienced, came from a well-known asset management firm, and was one of the strongest professionals I’ve seen in this sector locally.  I was confident she would land the offer. But then the line manager informed me they had chosen someone else. When I asked who, the answer surprised me:  A candidate from Malaysia, w

Lately, I’ve had less time to write because the deals I’m working on have been… challenging. Recruitment today feels very different compared to a few years ago.  Some of the hurdles I’ve faced recently include: - Competing recruiters sending 30 CVs for the same role to the line manager. - Roles suddenly being pulled because the headcount is no longer available. - Line managers changing requirements four times (or more). - Managers requesting more CVs even after interviewing 1