Winning in 2021

Today marks my first year in Mason & Co. I want to utilize this platform on LinkedIn to express my gratitude and wholeheartedly thank all my clients, candidates and my mentors that have trusted and supported me in this journey thus far.

I was a job seeker myself a year back and I can empathize with talents out there seeking an opportunity. Hence, I decided I should write this article to help those of you who may have recently lost your jobs, are stuck in a career crossroad, or have thoughts of seeking a career advancement but are unsure of what’s next.

I’ll be very transparent in sharing my career journey with everyone because I face challenges despite being a recruiter myself. To get started, I listed out what I wanted in my next role and narrowed it down to this top five criteria:

1. Good Boss/ Management Team

2. Joining a Big MNC/ Reputable Firm

3. Money

4. Career Growth

5. Learning Exposure

One year in Mason & Co, and I’ve learnt and grown so much. As I think back over my career, I found that the single biggest determinant of whether I was happy, productive, developing or duly rewarded was my boss at all times.

1. “Don’t pick a job, Pick a Boss”

Good mentors teach, coax, support and lead the way by example. Personally, for myself, I found my greatest achievement working with a mentoring leader that is encouraging, trustworthy and genuinely keen to see me succeed. “Good Job”, “I trust your judgment”, “All the best!” were the encouragements that he gives whenever appropriate

I appreciate and see the benefits of what I have now, because I’ve experienced the exact opposite in my previous job; whereby I had to be constantly looking over my shoulders. If you make a mistake, the situation usually turns nasty and unpleasant, very quickly. They are quick to point fingers which leaves anyone feeling like they are on shaky ground.. Although I liked my job and my immediate colleagues my morale fell to an all-time low. I couldn’t function effectively in such an environment. I found no purpose in what I do everyday. Nothing sparked joy.

2. “Bigger Companies Are Not Always Better”

Working in a bigger MNC does not guarantee a higher chance of success in your career/ life. 70% of the talents I’ve spoke to over the months tend to share with me “I will only be keen in joining a bigger MNC, I am not keen for start ups”.

While it is true that you get international opportunities, growth is potentially exponential and perhaps you get the opportunity to work with the elites, One thing I found myself being unhappy previously, was how regimental the structure was. While they always say “you need to think outside the box” – I never really found myself doing that because sometimes, it takes forever to get things done or even be heard thanks to the hierarchical structure, bureaucratic policies, “best practices” and outlined procedures.

3. “Growth potential is Exponential”

Ever heard of “the smaller the stage, the greater your chances of stealing the scene?” There is so much opportunity to enrich your own learning because you get to work on multiple functions and gain exposure to the business, the senior management, the leadership & entrepreneurial roles in the future. Bluntly, in Mason & Co, we don’t have a vested interest in traditions and sticking around entrenched processes. We care about disrupting the status quo and adopting new innovative ideas to get work done.

Everything here in Mason & Co moves at breakneck speeds. As a growing start up, we started adopting CRM systems, AI, Recruitment tools and essential software to bring the company forward. We are still learning but what’s most important is that everyone here works as a team towards a dream.

The beauty in Mason & Co is that you’re not subjected to work on a specific specialization. We are given the autonomy to work on various roles. As such, my life sciences team have placed talents from entry level up to C suite across multiple functional areas.

On top of it, our work is so varied, it’s difficult to describe succinctly. Lots of our recent client work has been related to supporting organizations coping with the effects of Covid-19. For example, we’ve helped clients tackle some of their hiring challenges, application of E passes, providing short term contractors and publishing articles to help a wider group of talents out there.

While all this work sounds cliché, one thing that truly inspire me is that we’ve also engaged in social work to support the less fortunate organizations by donating supplies and food to those in need. This feels more than just a company, it’s a family! 

Here’s my story. What’s yours?

My biggest breakthrough by far came when my mentor gave me the platform to shine and make mistakes which created valuable opportunities for my learning and growth. Though it's just a year here in Mason & Co, I found visible, heartfelt purpose in why I do what I do every single day. My mentor Christopher Fong and Jasmine Kor empowered, trusted and invested in me. My confidence soared and my goals found clarity. 

Because of this life changing experience in Mason & Co, I am keen to expand my team and hire talents that are hungry to enhance their career and has the grit for success.